Please help me find the right hanging plant/s

August 12, 2023 7:38 AM

I have a nice spot and hanging basket and I don't know what to put in it. The spot is full sun. I am looking for minimal work and a perennial if possible, and I am open to a combination of things. I would like to keep it hanging outside all winter and summer in Manchester, New Hampshire (temp range 20 - 80F roughly). I am not sure if that is possible but the planter doesn't easily convert to inside (coconut palm bottom) so if it did need to go inside for the winter, it would probably go to the garage with basically no natural light.
posted by likeatoaster to Home & Garden (5 answers total)

Faced with a similar puzzle I chose annuals after being informed that the lack of insulation in a pot vs the ground means that pots, and especially hanging pots, experience colder effective temperatures at the plant roots, making it a challenging environment to overwinter in. But you might be able to find a hardy dangling succulent of some kind?
posted by deludingmyself at 7:49 AM on August 12, 2023 [3 favorites]

How about mother-of-thyme (also known as creeping thyme? It’s pretty, smells good, and it’s a flavorful herb and very nice tea can be brewed from it.
posted by Kattullus at 9:41 AM on August 12, 2023

How about a fuschia? Since it doesn’t get too hot where you are, the full sun might be fine. It would need to go into the garage for overwintering once you get to a frost-prone time of year. They can last a few seasons or longer if taken care of.
posted by bluedaisy at 11:41 AM on August 12, 2023 [2 favorites]

If you resign yourself to annuals, strawberries do great in a sunny hanging basket!
posted by Rhedyn at 2:07 PM on August 12, 2023 [2 favorites]

Geraniums in pots might survive in the warmest spot in the garage, like next to the house. But I'd just get annuals and replace every year. The old plants will just be raggedy stems and a few roots by spring, easy to pull out. Then use a large spoon or a trowel to make holes for new plants and tuck them in. Top with compost.

Potting soil gets worn out, so I add several cups of good composted cow manure every year to containers. At this point, the plants available will be limited, probably chrysanthemums, maybe geraniums, and maybe some leftovers. Container plants need a lot of water, though with all the rain this year, that hasn't been an issue in S. Maine.
posted by theora55 at 7:53 AM on August 13, 2023