Know Your Lighting and Watering
Lighting:
Look at your spot and see how much and what kind of sun it gets.
Morning Sun:
Fuchsias, Lobilia/Bacopa mix, and Impatiens
These baskets have trouble with the intense afternoon sun.
Afternoon Sun: (12pm-4pm)
Petunias, Million Bells, Geraniums
These love full sun at least six hours of direct sun and can take the heat of summer days
Watering:
If you have baskets, taking them out of the rain will help prolong the blooms. Watering in the morning is a good idea, this allows any water on the leaves and flowers to dry off before the cooler nights.
- Don't let your baskets wilt; however this does not mean flood them. Sometimes wilting may indicate to much water, and death of root system.
- The best thing to do is push up on the bottom of the basket and see if it is light. If water comes rushing out the bottom you may be over watering your basket. Also you can stick your finger into the top of the basket and see if it is dry. If it is light, or feels dry, add water, and fertilizer as needed--especially for petunias and million bells.
- When it is cloudy your basket may not need water. In fact too much water can hurt your roots as much as letting it dry out. Too much water will eventually kill your roots and your plant. This will cause your plants to look wilted because the roots are no longer taking up water.
