Released: February 15, 2002

Also see: Early Spring, 2002 Yard 'n Garden news package

Moss-Covered Baskets Often ’Hanged to Death’

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Emily Nolting has a big problem with cruelty to flowers, especially flowers grown in green plastic, when wire, moss-covered hanging baskets are available.

"All of those baskets were designed to hang from trees, though! So where do most people put them? Hanging from a hook in the soffit, about 12 to 18 inches down from the middle of the roof overhang. The heat buildup there is fierce and the natural rainfall, scarce. And your best view is of the bottom of the basket, rather than the plant," said Nolting, horticulturist with Kansas State University Research and Extension.

Supplying enough water to counter this Gobi Desert effect can seem impossible, she said.

Even if flowers survive, however, they may help create another problem. Whether bought or made at home, many of these baskets have nothing between potting soil and the air outside except moss, a few strands of wire and some reinforcing fishing line. So, watering the basket can cause a dirty drip zone on a walk or patio below – plus provide very short-term help for the plant.

The plant declines because it doesn’t have an adequate, dependable moisture supply, Nolting said. It also misses out on the air-conditioning effect that moist moss/soil and summer breezes create, thereby helping roots thrive and plants survive hot weather.

She recommended several approaches that can improve hanging plants’ odds [See related story]:

* If you must hang the basket from your home’s eaves, place the hook as close to the edge of the roof as you safely can. Also extend the length of the basket’s rope or chain, so that the plant is at eye level.

* Hang the basket from a tree, where the plant will benefit from breezes, as well as the tree’s protection.

* Only buy baskets that are sealed or have some other type of waterproofing in the bottom half, to preserve moisture. Do not buy ones that are totally waterproof, however, since that can lead to soggy soils and root rot.

"Baskets in trees or on long chains are more vulnerable to wind injury, so you may have to take them down before strong storms," Nolting said. "But at least you’ll have that option – long after incorrectly hung flowers have died and gone into the compost heap."

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by:
Kathleen Ward, Communications Specialist
kward@oznet.ksu.edu
K-State Research& Extension News