How to Install a Plant Hanger Hook in a Tree

Make sure plants in baskets are suited to sun conditions where they hang.

Hanging flowering baskets from trees provides an instant splash of color for your backyard. Hanging plants from trees adds extra vertical gardening space for homes with small landscaping areas, while keeping heavily used walkways and patios clear from the clutter of too many planters. Several plants can be hung from one tree, depending on its size. Get creative -- almost any plant, including vegetables, will do well in hanging containers. For best results, hang planters in mature, healthy trees with sturdy branches.

Things You'll Need

• Ladder
• Chain
• 2 "S" hooks
• Measuring tape

Instructions

1. Look at the branches of the tree where you want your planter to hang. Find a thick limb that will support the weight of your planter, preferably as large in diameter as possible. Ensure that the limb is oriented horizontally.

2. Measure your plant hook. Measure from the ground to the height you want the bottom of your plant to hang. Measure the plant, including the planter and the hanging supports, from bottom to top. Measure the diameter of the tree branch. Finally, measure the distance from the bottom of the tree limb to the ground. Add together the first four measurements and subtract that from the measurement of the distance of the tree limb to the ground. This is the length of chain you will need to install your planter hook.

3. Adjust your chain to the desired length, plus one or two links. Check to make sure that one "S" hook slides easily through two links of the chain and the other is large enough for the plant hook to fit into.

4. Wrap the chain loosely around the tree branch. Hold the chain in place with one hand. Hook one end of the "S" hook through the end link of the chain with the other hand. Hook the other end of the "S" hook through one of the links around the tree limb. Pull down on the chain until the "S" hook is situated beneath the branch.

5. Thread the second "S" hook through the last link on the hanging end of the chain. Slide the plant hook onto the hook.

Tips & Warnings

• When purchasing your chain and "S" hooks, look for the strongest, yet lightest weight of chain. Most home improvement centers sell chain by the inch or foot, and cut it to order.

• Check the branch periodically to adjust for tree growth. If the chain is tight, move the hook to a different link.

• Take into consideration the area beneath the hanging plant and the type of container being hung. Planters with drainage holes will damage wooden decks.

• Avoid hanging planter hooks in trees with brittle branches.

Resources

• Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service: Hanging Baskets; B. Rosie Lerner