The Best Indoor Hanging Flowering Plants to Beautify Your Home

The Best Indoor Hanging Flowering Plants for Your Home

As plant lovers, we all want to fill our homes with beautiful greenery. However, r finding space for potted plants indoors can sometimes be a challenge. That’s where hanging flowering plants come in – they’re the perfect solution for small spaces or areas where floor space is limited. In this article, I’ll explore some of the best indoor hanging flowering plants and provide answers to all your questions about caring for them.

Popular Hanging Flowering Plant Options

Here are some of the most common and easy-to-care-for hanging flowering plant varieties:

1. English Ivy – With its cascading vines and dark green leaves, English ivy is extremely versatile. It thrives in low to medium light and trails beautifully over the sides of containers. Best of all, it’s nearly impossible to kill!
2. Pothos – Also known as devil’s ivy, pothos is another fantastic vining plant. With its heart-shaped green or variegated leaves, it grows quickly to fill out hanging baskets. It’s extremely low maintenance and tolerant of neglect.
3. Purple Waffle Plant – With its unusual textured leaves shaped like waffle squares, this variegated beauty brings visual interest. It flowers sporadically with miniature purple blooms. Provide bright, indirect light for best leaf color.
4. Spider Plant – Featuring long, grassy leaves and dangling miniature white blooms, spider plants send out plantlets that can be removed and propagated into new plants over time. They do well in medium to low light.
5. Petunias – Available in a rainbow of colors like pink, purple, red and white, petunias are a prolific bloomer perfect for hanging baskets. Keep them in full sun for optimal flowers. Deadhead regularly to encourage more blooms.

Caring for Hanging Flowering Plants

Now that you know some top hanging plant options, here are tips for caring for them properly:

1. Light – Provide the level of light stated as preferred for each variety, whether it’s low, medium or bright indirect sunlight. Too much direct sun can scorch leaves.
2. Water – Allow the top 1-2 inches of soil to dry out between waterings. Plants in hanging baskets dry out quicker, so water when the surface feels dry to the touch. Avoid soggy soil.
3. Fertilizer – Feed hanging flowering plants monthly during the growing season with a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer diluted to the label instructions. This ensures healthy growth and lots of blooms.
4. Pruning – Trim off any dead or dying stems or foliage to keep plants looking their best. Regularly remove spent flower heads/blooms to encourage reblooming.
5. Pest Prevention – Check regularly for signs of pests like spider mites or mealybugs. Treat with an insecticide if needed and isolate infected plants.

Hanging Planter Choices

The right hanging planter is important for displaying your flowering beauties. Here are some popular options:

• Wire or macrame hanging baskets give a bohemian vibe.
• Wood or rattan hanging planters add natural texture.
• Metal mesh or closed-top hanging pots work for smaller spaces or indoors on a patio.
• Planters with drainage holes allow for proper watering.
• Choose a size suited to the plant – give them room to cascade over the sides!

From my experience, making sure hanging planters have handles on the top for easy watering is key. You’ll save yourself the hassle of balancing a heavy pot while trying to tend to your plants. A powder-coated metal, wood or plastic planter will also hold up better than cheaper materials over time.

Ideal Locations for Hanging Baskets

Here are some of the best spots to show off your hanging flora:

1. Above a kitchen window to brighten meal prep.
2. On either side of an entryway or inside the front door for curb appeal.
3. Hanging from ceiling beams or rods in a sunroom.
4. Note: Be sure hooks/hangers can support the weight when wet.
5. Along a covered porch or patio using wall brackets or ceiling mounted hooks.
6. In an interior courtyard space to bring the feel of a garden indoors.

Basically, anywhere that has the right light conditions recommended for your particular plant selections will work. Remember, aim for areas with afternoon shade if putting plants in full sun all day could scorch their foliage. I’d avoid above sinks where watering runoff could leak onto counters too.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

No matter how diligent your care, occasional issues may still arise. Here are some potential problems and solutions:

1. Leaf Drop: May indicate too little or too much water. Adjust watering frequency accordingly.
2. Poor Growth: Improve light levels, check for pests, or upgrade to a nutrient-rich soil or fertilizer.
3. Mealybugs or Spider Mites: Isolate and treat immediately with neem oil, insecticide soap, or another organic pesticide. Repeated applications may be needed.
4. Leggy Stems: Provide more light and pinch stems to induce bushier growth.

Don’t get too discouraged if problems arise – hanging plants are generally quite forgiving. With some experimenting, you’ll find what works best for your conditions. Reaching out to local garden centers for guidance is also super helpful!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some other common queries about indoor hanging flowering plants:

Do they need fertilizer year-round?

Most will only need fertilizing during their main growing season – spring through fall. Over winter, cut back watering and don’t feed, allowing them semi-dormancy.

How often should I repot?

For good-sized baskets, repot every 1-2 years as needed when roots begin circling the drainage holes. For pots, check soil annually and refresh if deteriorating.

Are they safe around pets/kids?

In most cases yes, but keep plants like lilies and philodendron out of reach since some varieties can be toxic if ingested. Watch for signs of cats nibbling too.

What if they aren’t blooming?

Give plants time to settle in before expecting flowers. Check light levels and fertilize to promote blooms once established. Deadhead spent blooms to encourage reblooming.

Will bugs/insects be a big issue?

It depends, but hanging plants tend to see fewer pests than floor models. Keep an eye out and address problems promptly if any arise.

I hope this thorough guide has helped provide you with the essential information needed to properly care for indoor hanging flowering plants! Let me know if you have any other questions. Happy planting!

Factors to Consider When Choosing Indoor Hanging Flowering Plants

FAQ

1. What indoor plants work best as hanging plants?

   Kinds of plants that usually grow fine when hung include english ivy, pothos, philodendron, purple waffle plant, and spider plants. Those plants basically don’t care much if their pots are on the ground or dangling from the ceiling.

2. How do I care for a hanging plant?

   Water your hanging plant when the soil is becoming dry. Test it with your finger by sticking it down into the potting mix. Also, hanging plants need light just like others. Nevertheless, be careful not to put them in super sunny spots where they might dry out too quickly.

   
3. What kind of pots work for hanging plants?

   Pots meant for hanging plants often have holes in the bottom for drainage and a loop or clip on top to attach the string or chain. However, sort of pots can work as long as they have a way to hang. Awesome terra cotta or plastic planters from the hardware store tend to do the trick.

4. How do I hang up a heavy plant?

   To safely display a hefty hanging plant, use a sturdy support. Perhaps try hanging it from an eye bolt screwed into ceiling beams or molding. You can run thick wires or chains through the bolt and connect it to the pot. Is that method strong enough? It seems to work fine for me!

5. Will a hanging plant fall if the power goes out?

   As long as you have your hanging pot securely fastened to the ceiling or support with robust chains or wire, it really shouldn’t drop even if the lights turn off. But it kinda makes me wonder, has anyone ever had that terrifying experience of a big plant crashing down in the dark?

6. What if my cat eats my hanging plants?

   Cats do seem to love nibbling on houseplants, don’t they? Unfortunately, many common hanging plants are poisonous to kitties. My advice would be to give your cat other green toys to chew, and put dangling plants where they can’t reach. Maybe hang them from a high window instead of at kitty level.

7. How do I keep dust off my hanging plants?
   

   Dusting Hanging Plants

   Gently wipe leaves and stems with a microfiber cloth when you notice dust building up. Running the leaves under cool water in the sink can also work. For really dirty plants, mix a tiny bit of mild soap in a spray bottle of water. I find spraying and wiping works better than just spraying, but your plant may differ. Just don’t overdo it with the cleaning.

   
8. What if my plant doesn’t look full after a while?

   It’s quite normal for hanging plants to look sparse as they get older. You might try trimming off the leggy bits to encourage new growth. As an alternative, you could add a second pot of the same type of plant next to it for fuller lushness. Or replace the plant entirely – it never hurts to shop for something fresh and stunning!