# Advice on Annuals!?



## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

I have a couple of hanging plants that my wife waters daily and they always seem to not do so well.

Im wonder if its their location under the over hang not getting enough sun.

Or it needs some Nutrients.

Anyone have a procedure or link, maybe old post that I can read up on ?


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## tgreen (Oct 20, 2018)

What is the type of annual and how much sun does it get (e.g., 2 hours, 4 hours, none, etc.)? Also, watering every day sounds excessive and might be the problem right there.


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

Yea, idk what they are, total newb with them... also tought to say with the sun, they are under the over hang.... im guessing ill need to move them put periodically.

Found this: https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=528&p=174353#p174353


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## tgreen (Oct 20, 2018)

Thick n Dense said:


> Yea, idk what they are, total newb with them... also tought to say with the sun, they are under the over hang.... im guessing ill need to move them put periodically.
> 
> Found this: https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=528&p=174353#p174353


OK, happy to try to help if you want to send a picture. Otherwise, see if you cut back on the watering to maybe once every three days might help. Good luck.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Hi, T and D!

Annual hanging basket. Everybody gets them at the big box every spring and by July, they're toast.

There are drainage holes on the bottom of the pot. The potting mix just lets water pour right through the soil.

Feel the soil. I bet it's dry right now. The basket hangs there and the soil just dries out like a towel flapping in the wind on a clothesline.

I bet you will have to water twice a day. A little MiracleGro season-long style will be helpful but be very careful not to overdo it. The nursery might have already included it with the soil.

B


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## krusej23 (May 8, 2018)

Just a little tip that someone told me. If you buy the plant at a store and that plant is sitting out in an area that would get full sun, it needs lots of sun. A lot of times the hanging baskets are plants that need a good amount of sun. You'll find shade plats up against the building or under an overhang somewhere.


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## JDgreen18 (Jun 14, 2018)

I usually water once a day for annuals in pots especially when its hot. The ones in the sun dry out fast. All the annuals I plant I water once a day for the first 2 weeks then 3 times a week or more if they need it, I put a little fert every other week as well.


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

So plug the holes? Or hydretain the only good option?

We have comitted to watering once a day regardless.

Anyone transplant into better soil?


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## FuzzeWuzze (Aug 25, 2017)

Don't plug the holes you will just drown them. It doesn't take much water to water them each day.


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## pennstater2005 (Jul 17, 2017)

Move them into the sun for a few days and see what happens. Stick with your watering schedule.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Definitely don't plug the holes.

In terms of nutrients, I don't know what kind of annuals they are, but I don't know of any hanging basket you would buy that wasn't composed of heavy feeders. You definitely need to fertilize a fair amount them to get them to do well. Pick up some water soluble fertilizer. Miracle-gro is fine if you want to stick to big box. The 20-20-20 like you saw in the other thread is great too. I use a 20-20-20 for pretty much everything and I buy it in bulk. I have a lot of annuals and buying 25 lbs at a time is way cheaper.

https://www.amazon.com/Grow-More-5010-Fertilizer-20-20-20/dp/B00S7IM3UC/

IMO the high phos bloom booster is not required.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Thick n Dense said:


> So plug the holes? Or hydretain the only good option?
> 
> We have comitted to watering once a day regardless.
> 
> Anyone transplant into better soil?


I suppose plugging the holes is an option. Or mount a plate under the basket to retain a reserve just in case the plant needs it.

I have been getting into drip irrigation for my vegetable and flower beds. I thought it was impossible to figure out but even my simple mind is figuringing it out.

It's a pain in the neck the first time. Too much reading and worrying. As usual, I overbought what I needed but thankfully, I'm talking $20 bucks here, $10 bucks over there.

The hardest part for me was unrolling the flexible 1/2" main line. It wanted to re-roll and wipe out the delicate plants that were already growing.

I put out stakes to protect the plants, rolled out the tubing behind the stakes, and then started stapling it down.

TLDR;

I might run a drip irrigation spaghetti line to the pots to keep them watered. 

Murph


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

krusej23 said:


> Just a little tip that someone told me. If you buy the plant at a store and that plant is sitting out in an area that would get full sun, it needs lots of sun. A lot of times the hanging baskets are plants that need a good amount of sun. You'll find shade plats up against the building or under an overhang somewhere.


Hi, krusej23!

There might be something to that or... maybe not.

A lot of these places just don't have space and stick them in wherever there is room... they may even cycle them in and out of the sun throughout the day. The stock should move fairly quickly as the season ramps up.

Most of the baskets I have seen need sun. Especially the flowering kind. Ivys might get by with some shade.

Anyway... there should be a tag. Go by that. Or ask the staff about the requirements. After all, they put them there and they want happy customers to come back for more.

Murph


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

Ive thought of putting the dripline down.

I bought some of these. For 7$ worth a try and seems easier than integrating the stuff into the soil. 
https://www.amazon.com/Soil-Moist-Hanging-Planters-Containers/dp/B001DC3O48/ref=asc_df_B001DC3O48/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=216532910363&hvpos=1o1&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3282199215655021339&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9016883&hvtargid=pla-351118528945&psc=1

Although, not sure of the difference between this and a diaper.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Hmmm... mulch mat. Big sponge.

I hate mulch partly because it keeps moisture close to the plant that wants to stay dry. The only part of a plant that wants to be wet is the roots. Soggy plants means rotting.

You can try it but it seems gimmicky... a way to make a quick buck by cutting up a sponge, putting it into a fancy bag, and calling it an easy way to water. Which it isn't because all you will be doing is watering a sponge and not the soil.

Just my thoughts...

How about just properly watering your plants? 

B


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

BXMurphy said:


> Hmmm... mulch mat. Big sponge.
> 
> I hate mulch partly because it keeps moisture close to the plant that wants to stay dry. The only part of a plant that wants to be wet is the roots. Soggy plants means rotting.
> 
> ...


Haha yea but a couple of spunges woukd cost just as much... i mean 7$ though? 
I guess I just believe in soil moist due to the help it gives when seeding. Or maybe thats a gimmick too ! :shock:


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Thick n Dense said:


> Haha yea but a couple of spunges woukd cost just as much... i mean 7$ though?
> I guess I just believe in soil moist due to the help it gives when seeding. Or maybe thats a gimmick too ! :shock:




Yeah, but that's seeding and not watering, right? Seeds want to be moist because their roots haven't even emerged yet.

I still say keep the moist parts moist and the dry parts dry and you should be fine.

(Man, $7 bucks?!?)

B


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

Soil Moist is legit. I have never used the mats, but have used the seed coat (for grass seeds) and the granules for my containers, window boxes, and hanging baskets and they work great. It is very much like the inside of a diaper, although I'm not sure if they are the same polymer.


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## SNOWBOB11 (Aug 31, 2017)

As has been said already, annuals are heavy feeders. Get a balanced fertilizer and fertilize them every week. With plants in pots, there is so little soil that the nutrients wash out so fast you need to continually replace them. Also most potted annuals do need at least 4 hours of sun unless you get specific plants that are shade tolerant. Even if there in some shade you still usually need to water daily as potting soil dries out very fast being it's made up of mainly peat moss.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

gm560 said:


> I have a lot of annuals and buying 25 lbs at a time is way cheaper.


Man, I loves me some annuals but they get pricey. Do you start from seed?

B


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## Kballen11 (Mar 26, 2018)

Anything in a hanging basket is going to dry out very quickly. The sun will dry the soil out but the wind also plays a factor in this. DO NOT plug the holes. As others have said you will drown anything in the basket. Daily watering at the same time is key. Also look into getting some watering bulbs. You fill them up with water turn them over and stick them in the soil. They will water your basket at a slower more even rate.


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

BXMurphy said:


> gm560 said:
> 
> 
> > I have a lot of annuals and buying 25 lbs at a time is way cheaper.
> ...


From cuttings in my basement with a few grow lights. Most annuals root up pretty quickly.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

gm560 said:


> BXMurphy said:
> 
> 
> > Man, I loves me some annuals but they get pricey. Do you start from seed?
> ...


Perfect. Why didn't I think of that?... 

That's what I'm going to do. Thanks, man!

B


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

BXMurphy said:


> gm560 said:
> 
> 
> > BXMurphy said:
> ...


Might be a little late this year, if that is what you are thinking. Even the ones I started in April are a little behind one you would buy at a garden center. If you are interested, I can make a post or something detailing my whole process. It's actually a lot of fun.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

I would definitely start a thread on the topic. A lot of newbies (myself included) struggle with this.

To my mind, a lawn is nice but the real jewels of a yard are the flowers and vegetables. The lawn is an emerald necklace on a beautiful lady of flowers and bounty.

I'm going to do cuttings for next year's gardens. Will Supertunias root or are they proprietory?

B


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

BXMurphy said:


> I'm going to do cuttings for next year's gardens. Will Supertunias root or are they proprietory?


Those are two separate questions.

1. Will supertunias, root? Absolutely. That is how every supertunia you have ever seen came to be. Since they are hybrids, they either do not produce seeds, or the seeds would not produce the same plant as the mother plant.

2. Are they proprietary. Absolutely. They are patented, so you are not allowed to asexually reproduce them (ie clone from cuttings.).

However there are some Waves that are not on patent. I don't know if they never patented them, or if they expired. Those, from what I understand, you could clone to your heart's content.

I have also done sweet potato vine, geraniums, and verbena to name a few. As well as some shrubs and perennials. Its a ton of fun, I just wish I had more than a postage stamp lot so I could try a real greenhouse.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Greenhouse. That was going to be my next question! 

I suffer from a space challenge, like you. 6k lot. A lot of it house and garage. Then, neighbor's trees (we get a lot of that in New England) shading goodly areas.

I was going to start looking for a temporary greenhouse. Set it up in late winter (brrr), pull up stakes at spring planting time. Maybe wireframe wrapped in plastic sheets?

Any ideas?

Murph


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

gm560 said:


> BXMurphy said:
> 
> 
> > I'm going to do cuttings for next year's gardens. Will Supertunias root or are they proprietory?
> ...


Geraniums!

Gosh... you had best start that "Easy Way to Fill Your Garden with Eye-Popping Color for FREE!" post like, yesterday or... it's 10 lashes with a wet noodle for YOU, mister! 

Murph


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

No, at least not yet... should be easy right?

I think pulling soil from the lawn with a known amount of nutrients would give the flowers a competitive advantage unlike the store bought potting soils which is laregely unknown.

Will probably try down the road.


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## BXMurphy (Aug 5, 2017)

Thick n Dense said:


> No, at least not yet... should be easy right?
> 
> I think pulling soil from the lawn with a known amount of nutrients would give the flowers a competitive advantage unlike the store bought potting soils which is laregely unknown.
> 
> Will probably try down the road.


Easy? Writing a "thing?" Sure! Look at the mess *I* make of most of my posts... 

I like that idea of using my garden soil instead of potting mix. Put that in there.

See? Easy! 

Murph


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

So I put the soil moist sheets in successfully without destorying the plants.

I like this idea not only for the water retention but also for the fac that water doesnt just flow right throw. It stops it enought to allow to be absorbed bythe soil.

Also, I have andersons 191919 balanced product and something isnt dissolving properly in water ... anyone know if its the N P Or K?


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## gm560 (Feb 22, 2018)

I don't see a 19-19-19 on their site. Does the label say it is intended to be water soluble? If not, trying to do so is not going to go well.


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## Thick n Dense (May 7, 2019)

gm560 said:


> I don't see a 19-19-19 on their site. Does the label say it is intended to be water soluble? If not, trying to do so is not going to go well.


Got it from a local feed store. Dont imagine its much different from their other balanced ferts just at a different rate.

I have 3 bags of so just figured I can mix it up opposed to buying fertilome. I did order some fertilome anyway, but just curious which component is the one not disovolving immediatly.

I left the next dosage in a G of water, itll probably dissolve by the time its ready for use.


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## Jconnelly6b (Mar 4, 2018)

Get some fish + kelp fertilizer from amazon. It will help the potting soil maintain water.

Organic Fish and Kelp Blend, 32... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A2A2GT6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share


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