I Have A Thing For Hanging Plants This Summer
All of a sudden, I have this Thing for hanging plants. I am not sure where this came from but I just see more and more hanging plants and I want one for myself. And the latest one I have “captured” is the Bridal Veil Plant or Gibasis geniculata and it is so much easier to grow than it looks. It seems like such a delicate plant and that it would be fussy or a real Diva. But it isn’t. I have it outside ready to hang on my deck and it is just filling out nicely and blooming profusely. But I will list some more of my favorites.
The bridal veil plant looks great from a distance since it tends to grow in a tight ball cascading out of a planter. But up close, I am able to see the delicate tiny white flowers and appreciate just how beautiful tradescantia can be. This will be an awesome plant to come inside in the winter. (Here in Ohio the weather would kill it with cold.) So I will take it inside and nurture it til spring. The tiny balls/buds drop readily so it may create extra work, but the plant is pretty enough that I will try.
Another of the hanging plants I have found is the Spider Plant, specifically the curly variety. Chlorophytum comosum “Bonnie” is how it is labeled. I really think it is a step above a regular Spider Plant because of that curly almost corkscrew-like leaf. I am hanging mine temporarily in the screened porch area until I see how it behaves. Surprisingly that screen porch is not as well lit as I thought it would be. Maybe that screening really does take away a lot of the light that would ordinarily come from the eastern exposure all the way til noon.
In one of the other pots, I have the regular Spider Plant and it has sent out so many new little spiders. Those things can really grow! I will possibly plant up some of those babies and some of the curly ones so that I can have more plants. This plant collecting is really an addiction, isn’t it? The more I get, the more I want.
Another of my hanging plants in the Hoya carnosa. This is the second one we have and it has grown so much since we bought it. Can I dare hope for a bloom already? This variagated plant is really pretty as it grows in shades of pink at first. As the sprouts age, they change to the regular green and creamy white and reach out and vine by curling around whatever it can reach. These string hangers that I have them hanging from are supporting the plant very well. When I move the plant in the fall, I will need to sacrifice the hanger and just but it (probably) because I really don’t see how I can pull and move the plant very well without causing some damage to the growing vines.
Last but not the least is my hanging pothos plants. I have the golden pothos out on the screened porch and it seems to be doing well with the amount of light this screened porch provides. I am propagating some new plants in water and I will put them up as hanging planters too. These cuttings have been in water for a few weeks and I am late getting them planted. I feel that the longer a plant grows in water, the harder it is to adapt to soil after it is planted.
Hanging Plants Advantages
I think one of the best advantages to hanging plants are that they free up so much room. If a plant is hung from the ceiling or a hook on the wall, that frees up a table or an area of the table for….more plants, of course. Sometimes the plant rooms can get too crowded. It is necessary to have good air circulation between them, so hanging some from the ceiling works wonderfully.
If you do decide to hang, be sure that the hook is firmly into the ceiling with a toggle bolt or screwed into a stud or rafter. It would be very unsafe to have hanging plants above your head that are not securely attached. Most times a planter will have a weight limit written on the package when it is purchased. Be sure it is more than adequate for your plant. Remember it will be heavier after watering!
Another advantage to hanging overhead is viewing the plant to its full potential. Sometimes the flowers or branches that cascade over the side of the planter are best viewed from just to the side of the planter or slightly below. For instance, think how pretty the fuschia looks when you can see up into the colors of the flowers as they dangle just in front of your face. Ikr!
Are There Disadvantages?
In my case, one the the biggest problems is watering the plants. I have to climb on a tall stool to water them plus be careful of any over-run or spillage of the water itself. Not so great having a big puddle on the floor underneath your plants. Even out on the deck or screened porch, too much spillage could cause slippery problems. So I recommend very cautiously watering methods. If I want to water thoroughly, it is worth it to take it down and soak it well, then rehang. Otherwise, water in small increments over a period of 30 minutes or so. Be sure the water is all soaked up or absorbed before giving the plant another drink. It’s an easy obstacle to overcome.
Hanging baskets and containers are so fun, and I am really enjoying them this year. I have some hanging terrariums and other odd hangers but the more you experiment, the more you learn.
Thanks for reading! Be sure to watch the video too!