How to Grow Hanging Plants Indoors

Plants grown in hanging containers dry out much more quickly than plants grown in pots on the ground. The reason is that air circulates around the pot constantly. Self-watering pots are the only answer for hanging plants. The plant uses water at its own rate, so the self-watering pot works for all kinds of plants, including hardy succulents or plants with tender leaves such as ferns.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Eyebolts
• Fertilizers
• Garden Hoses
• Garden Spades
• Mulch
• Plants
• Seeds
• Self-watering Pots
• Shovels
• Watering Cans
• Moisture Meter

1. Hang self-watering pots from a supporting stud or beam. Because the pots contain water and soil, they are very heavy.
2. Use a hook with a large eye to hang your self-watering pot.
3. Add polymer gel crystals to the potting soil either before you plant or after. The polymer crystals absorb water as does a sponge and then store it until the plant is ready to use it.
4. Mix 1 tbsp. polymer crystals into 1 qt. water in a mixing bowl. This will make 1 qt. polymer gel, enough for four to six medium-size hanging plants.
5. Add the prepared gel to the potting soil at transplanting time to extend the time between your indoor watering schedule.
6. Poke several holes into the potting soil around the base of the plant, then pour 1/4 tsp. dry polymer crystals in the holes.
7. Take hanging plants down from time to time for maintenance such as removing dead leaves, cleaning or spraying for insects.
8. Make sure that the reservoir that holds the water is empty before you take the plant down. The effluent from the reservoir always seems eager to trickle down your armpit.

Tips & Warnings

• An alternative to the self-watering pot is to monitor the moisture in the soil constantly. Once the soil dries out, it is almost impossible to get water all the way down to the bottom of the pot without causing an overflow. Submerging the whole pot into a tub or sink is one way to rehydrate a hanging pot.
• Some types of plants that look beautiful in hanging containers are wandering Jew, asparagus fern, purple velvet plant, coleus, philodendrons, rhipsalis, orchids, string of hearts and string of pearls.

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