Hanging baskets can be more than just a beautiful way to brighten up the front of your home, they can also be a useful way to expand the space you have to grow food for yourself and your family.
Discover the names of 8 Best Herbs for Hanging Baskets to grow them in small space.
1. Lavender
Fragrant lavender makes a lovely hanging basket plant with its spikes of purple flowers that attract pollinators. Select a hanging basket that is at least 12 inches in diameter, place liner and potting soil in basket, then place seed on plant in the center. Lightly cover seed or plant roots and water.
Place hanging basket in direct sun. Lavender will bloom in summer, keep spent blooms pruned off plant. Water when soil is dry to touch.
2. Mixed Salad Leaves
For a more delicate display, mixed, cut and come again salad leaves in a range of shapes, sizes and colors will look beautiful and is a great alternative to some of the more traditional hanging basket plants. Combine salad leaves with edible flowers such as pansies and violets for more colorful salads throughout the year.
3. Nasturtiums
One of the most attractive and useful flowers for hanging baskets is the nasturtium, which will form large, trailing plants with an abundance of flowers. Not only will nasturtiums look great, they will also add to your salads – the leaves and the flowers are edible. Then, when the plants go to seed, the seeds can be used as an alternative to capers.
4. Thyme
Thyme is just one of the many herbs which are well suited to growing in hanging baskets. All of the Mediterranean herbs will do well in the well-drained environment of a hanging basket. Try rosemary, marjoram, oregano, basil and more. Herbs can be added easily to mixed arrangements can can help add flavor to your food throughout the summer months.
5. Parsley
Parsley is slow to germinate and can take up to three weeks after planting seeds to show signs of life. Its bright green, feathery leaves are worth the wait and this herb will reward you with tasty flavor all summer.
In early spring, plant seeds six inches apart in a hanging basket. Mix one tablespoon of granulated fertilize into potting soil prior to planting seeds. Place basket in a sunny location and keep soil moist at all times.
Snip off leaves as desired to use as a food garnish, or chew to freshen breath.
6. Basil
Basil makes an ideal hanging basket plant. This herb will grow quickly to fill in the hanging container to create a lovely, colorful and tasty plant.
Select a hanging basket, liner for the basket, like coir or moss, potting soil and basil seeds.
Place the liner in the basket, then add potting soil to within one inch of the top rim of the basket.
If the potting soil does not contain fertilizer, mix in one tablespoon of granulated fertilizer per basket prior to planting seeds.
Place two seeds in the center of the basket and lightly cover seeds with 1/4 inch of potting soil. After seeds germinate, remove the smallest plant so the one remaining will have plenty of room to grow. Basil will reach a mature size of 12-18 inches, but can be kept pruned to any desired height.
Basil seeds can be planted in spring. Place hanging basket in a sunny location. Leaves can be harvested any time the plant has reached six inches tall. Allow soil to become dry to the touch between watering.
7. Mint
Mint is one of the best hanging basket plants because of its fragrance. There are many varieties of mint, all are fragrant and good for container growing.
Select a hanging basket, liner for the basket, like coir or moss, potting soil and mint seeds.
Place liner, then add potting soil in basket. If the potting soil does not contain fertilizer, mix in one tablespoon of granulated fertilizer per basket prior to planting seeds.
Plant two seeds per planter, and place in a bright location, but not in direct sunlight. Keep potting soil moist at all times. Snip off leaves after herb reaches four inches tall.
8. Oregano
This fragrant culinary herb with square branching stems has beautiful oval-shaped hairy leaves that look excellent in hanging baskets.
You can grow it alone or with other herbs to create a hanging herb basket.
