How to Care for Container Gardens and Hanging Baskets
Posted by Jessie Jacobson on Apr 26th 2026
How to Care for Container Gardens and Hanging Baskets
At Tonkadale, we're known for planting resplendent hanging baskets each Spring that are absolutely bursting with color and life! We want those baskets (and you!) to be successful from the moment they leave the greenhouse until the end of the season - check out our care guide below for our top tips!
Light
Shade Baskets: 4 hours or less of direct morning sun, dappled light, or intermittent light throughout the day. Usually in a covered area or the North side of the house. Indirect light.
Partial Sun Baskets: 4-6 hours of morning sun, or late day sun. Not exposed to the full heat of the day. Usually the East side of the house.
Full Sun Baskets: 6+ hours of direct sun. Usually in an exposed area or the West and South sides of the house.
Water
- Check pots, window boxes, and hanging baskets daily until you are comfortable with the rate at which they dry out. Plants in the shade will require less water while those in the sun will require more.
- Water when the top 1-2 inches of soil are dry, and/or if plants show wilt.
- Planters, boxes, and baskets in the shade will require less water, while those in the sun will require more.
- Wind can be very drying. Do not count on a rain event to give good watering coverage. Best practice is to water long and deep to provide adequate moisture.
- Extreme heat will increase watering needed. Check twice daily during the peak heat of the summer.
Fertilizer
- Fertilize your pots, window boxes, and hanging baskets at least once per week to encourage robust blooms and green growth. Combination planters in deep shade will require less fertilizer.
- At Tonkadale, we recommend an all-purpose liquid fertilizer like Miracle-Gro Bloom Booster. For containers planted with petunias, calibrachoa, hibiscus, and mandevilla: use an acidic fertilizer such as Mir-Acid.
- For containers that are difficult to reach, use a slow release fertilizer such as Osmocote.
Prune & Deadhead
Your containers, window boxes, and hanging baskets will really appreciate some extra love and care. Make sure to deadhead spent blooms: pinching back all the way to the stem - especially bloomers like petunias, calibrachoas, geraniums, and begonias. Prune and pinch foliage of vining plants to encourage fullness and a shapely appearance - vinca vine, sweet potato vine, and ivies. Pinch back taller plant such as coleus to keep their height in check and to create a fuller plant.
Outdoors In
Many of the containers planted at Tonkadale include what are traditionally used as indoor houseplants. These can be repotted and enjoyed in the home when the season is over. Simply wash clean, cut back if needed, and treat with insecticidal soap to avoid possible insect populations coming inside.
Share your Success!
Send or tag us in photos of your containers when they are at their peak, we love to see them flourishing! Check out our Instagram here.
If you have any questions about container garden or hanging basket care, feel free to stop in and ask! Otherwise, email us at hello@tonkadale.com - we're here to help!
Happy Growing!