Many, many plants are suited for growing in hanging baskets both indoors and out.

Being able to grow plants in a containers you can suspend at various heights adds a huge dimension to gardening and the right plant in the right hanging container can transform an area. Don't stop at patios, entryways and porches. Hanging baskets can be added to many indoor locations including kitchens and sunrooms. A well-lighted window in any room indoors would be great for a hanging plant. Outdoors, take a fresh look around your yard. Hanging baskets can be used to bracket the garage door, and a blooming basket hung from a low branch of a tree can echo the colors from the flower bed below. There are some great wrought iron shepherd's crooks now available so you can hang plants anywhere. The possibilities are almost endless.

Containers
Several types of containers are suitable for making hanging baskets. The most common type is made of plastic and has drainage holes with an attached saucer. You usually find them in green, white and terra cotta colors and in various sizes including 6", 8", 10" and 12". A ten- inch basket is the most common size used. The advantages of  plastic baskets are that they are inexpensive and lightweight. The disadvantages are that they aren't very attractive and they don't enhance the plants' appearance.

Wire baskets have been used for ages. Great for outdoors, they are almost impossible to use indoors in anything but a greenhouse. They are usually only available in the traditional half-globe shape, but you can
occasionally find some interesting variations. Wire baskets require a lining to keep the soil mass intact. Long-fibered sphagnum can be moistened and molded to line wire baskets. It has a very attractive appearance and holds lots of moisture, but it is a bit tricky to use, expensive and can be messy. There are now various fiber liners made of natural materials such as shredded coconut hulls or wood fiber. They are easier and quicker to use, affordable, cleaner and last several seasons. However, they aren't quite as attractive. Molded liners made of papier maché are also available for standard sizes and shapes. They are sometimes dyed an unusual
shade of green that may or may not work where you will be displaying the basket. Maché liners are easy to use, inexpensive, clean and lightweight but they aren't very attractive and some plants don't grow as well in maché as they would in moss. Occasionally you will find hanging containers made of clay or wood. Both types can be very attractive and effective, but they tend to weigh quite a bit and will require a strong support and hangers.

Hangers
There are various types of hangers available for containers. Many baskets come with a wire hanger that has a hook formed into it. Be sure the wire hanger is the right one for your basket. Some baskets have 4 wires, others have 3. A heavier wire is safer than a lighter one. Containers can also be suspended with lightweight chains and S-hooks. Occasionally, lightweight baskets will come with molded plastic hangers. Be sure the
hanger is strong enough to support the container when it is filled with plants and soil and is soaking wet!

 Planting Your Own
When planting your own hanging container, the most important factor is the soil. It should be lightweight and provide water and nutrient retention, plant support and excellent drainage. This can be provided by a high quality peat-based potting soil such as Bachman's Exceloam or a soil-less mixture such as Hyde Park Professional Potting Soil. Addition of a polymer crystal such as Soil Moist makes a hanging basket easier to maintain. Polymer crystals expand to hold extra water and contract as the water is used. This helps provide extra water without making the soil soggy and the expansion and contraction help keep the soil loose. Once you have the right soil, planting a hanging basket is a simple task. With wire baskets, you have the option of planting through the sides as well as the top. This is accomplished by starting with small plants and gently working an opening in the moss or maché into which you plant.

General Care Tips
Watering is an important concern in hanging containers. By their nature, they dry out more quickly than other containers and are often more difficult to reach to water adequately. It is important to learn how much water your container will need and to monitor it closely for changing needs as the weather and season changes. A basket of impatiens may only need watering once every few days in the spring while the weather is still cool and the plants are still young. A few weeks later when the plants have grown and the temperatures are warmer it may require water daily. To determine your plants' needs, try to feel the soil. Press hard and see if you can feel any moisture. If not, water it. If the soil ever gets too dry, it might shrink away from the sides of the container,  allowing water to bypass the root mass and only wet the outside edges. When this shrinking has occurred, take the basket down and soak it thoroughly. Do not rely on water running out the bottom of the container as a sign the plant has had enough. When the soil gets too dry, it pulls away from the sides of the pot and when you water, the water can run straight through. Feel the soil occasionally to make sure and watch the plant for signs of water stress.

Hanging containers will also need a constant supply of fertilizer. Check the needs of the particular type of plant and be sure to use a water-soluble or liquid fertilizer that is readily accessible to the plant. How much pruning, light and humidity your hanging basket will need depends on the variety of plant. Look for additional information on the type of plant you are growing so you can provide what it needs.

Suitable Plants
Almost all plants with a trailing, billowing or vining nature are naturals for hanging containers. This method of growing and displaying plants is effective for indoor and outdoor plants, foliage and blooming plants. Some suitable foliage plants are ivies, grape ivy, philodendron, spider plants, Wandering Jew, bridal veil, ferns, strawberry begonia, coleus, nephthytis, Swedish ivy, German ivy, piggyback plant, pothos, purple velvet
plant, creeping fig and asparagus ferns. Some of the blooming plants that are suitable for hanging containers are Impatiens, New Guinea impatiens, streptocarpus, lipstick vine, begonias, fuchsia, lantana, ivy geraniums, Christmas cactus, verbena, hoya, petunia and tuberous begonias.

Recommended Products
Bachman's-Grown Hanging Baskets                     
Exceloam Potting Soil
Excel Gro™ and Mighty Bloom™ Fertilizers           
Quality Containers and Saucers
Artificial Lights for Indoor Gardening 
Watering Cans, Gardening Tools and Gloves

©Bachman's 2008