Whenever I think of hanging houseplants, I can’t help but remember the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. But given its ancient inspiration, you might wonder if this plant style is still fashionable.
Hanging houseplants is still in style. It remains a beautiful way of arranging plants in your garden or indoors. Although the plants inside your baskets may change, it’s still a great way to use your room’s vertical space.
In this article, I’ll discuss why you should have hanging baskets in your home, the plants to put in them, and tips on hanging your houseplants.
Should You Have Hanging Baskets in Your Home?
The short answer? Yes, you definitely should have hanging baskets in your home. They give your space more dimension, depth, and color, and indoor plants also significantly benefit your mental and physical health, according to a 2015 study.
Hanging plants also lead the eyes toward your ceiling–something only a few decorations can do. In doing so, your visitors will subconsciously scan their surroundings more actively and notice how beautifully you’ve decorated your place.
Finally, hanging baskets take up no space on your floor, giving you a sense of freedom that their potted counterparts restrict. To provide you with a better perspective, imagine having ten hanging plants compared to having ten pots of the same plant on the floor.
Plants That Look Beautiful in Hanging Baskets
Below are some of my top plant recommendations for hanging baskets. I’ve also highlighted their most admirable quality to help you pick what’s best for you:
Devil’s Ivy for Easy Care
Devil’s Ivy, also known as Pothos or Epipremnum, is a tough tropical vine that has successfully adapted to indoor life. It’s an excellent choice if you’re a beginner or don’t have much time to maintain plants.
It has wild and cultivated varieties and glossy, heart-shaped leaves. Wild Devil’s Ivy produces flowers, but the plant rarely does this in domestic settings.
Devil’s Ivy typically prefers locations with bright and indirect light. It can still survive in low light conditions but will grow more slowly. Fortunately, it can also thrive with grow lights. Much like succulents, it also needs minimal watering and prefers well-draining soil.
However, one downside to Devil’s Ivy is its toxicity to pets, so this may not be for you if you’re a fur parent.
Basket of Begonias for Pretty Flowers
Begonias are tropical flowering plants that can be hardy when living under the proper conditions.
Basket begonias typically bloom smaller flowers compared to their grounded counterparts. However, they bloom more flowers.
Begonias do well in warm, shady areas, making them perfect indoor plants. They also need minimal watering since they’re prone to root rot in moist soil.
Typically, you should fertilize begonias regularly to ensure they produce beautiful flowers. As a rule of thumb, fertilize them during your watering sessions, which could be weekly or every ten days, depending on the season.
Like Devil’s Ivy, however, begonias are toxic to both humans and animals, making them a no-go if you have children or pets at home.
Boston Fern for More Dimension
A Boston fern is a great plant to put in your hanging baskets if you want to add more dimension to your living space. However, it can be challenging to grow for beginners since it prefers specific living conditions.
Generally, Boston ferns need to be placed in cool places with bright indirect light and high humidity. Take note of the last one since humidity is one of the leading causes of a Boston fern’s death, especially during winter.
You can tell they need more humidity if their leaves turn yellow. Fortunately, you can quickly remedy this by misting them with a sprayer or placing them near a humidifier.
Unlike the begonia and Devil’s Ivy plants, Boston ferns prefer damp, loamy, and well-draining soil. They’ll also die if not watered frequently, so water them weekly or before their soil becomes dry to the touch.
Fortunately, they’re non-toxic to humans and animals.
String-of-Pearls for Hanging Succulents
String-of-pearls, or string-of-beads, is a flowering, creeping, succulent vine native to areas with hotter climates. You can easily recognize this plant by its bead-shaped leaves, which are responsible for its name.
Like other succulents, this plant isn’t very particular about its living conditions and will likely adapt wherever you place it. However, it prefers at least six hours of direct sunlight every day.
It also prefers sandy, well-draining soil, much like a cactus, since it’s very susceptible to root rot if left in moist soil for long periods. Planting it in hanging clay pots can help reduce unnecessary soil moisture.
Like the previous plants on this list, string-of-pearls are toxic to humans and animals.
You should also water this plant regularly to keep its soil dry to slightly moist.
Although you can check the soil’s moisture through touch, it’s better to be more cautious, especially with moisture-sensitive plants like these. This is why I recommend you use a moisture meter, such as this XLUX Deep Use Soil Moisture Meter from Amazon.com.
Tips for Hanging Your Houseplants
Now that you know which plants to hang in a basket and why you should hang them, let’s now discuss some tips on how to do so:
Hang Heavier Plants on Your Ceiling Joists
Hanging baskets tend to get heavier the more your plant grows or after you water it. After a while, this weight could affect the integrity of your dry-wall ceiling if the basket is only supported with a screw and wall plug.
Fortunately, your ceiling has joists, which are essentially supporting frameworks usually made of wood. These joists make it easier for screws to hang onto and support the weight of your basket.
Locating your ceiling joists may be challenging if you don’t know what you’re doing. If so, you can use this Stud Finder Wall Scanner from Tavool Store on Amazon.com. Essentially, the stud finder works by detecting changes in wall density.
It can also help you avoid live wires up to 60 mm (2.36 inches) deep. Not only that, but it also has other search modes that can help you locate rebars and metal pipes.
Use a Plant Bar for Your Windows
Plant bars use the same principle as wall or ceiling hanging fixtures. However, one advantage they have is that you won’t have to drill more holes to add baskets as long as there’s space on the bar.
This video gives step-by-step instructions on installing a window plant bar.
Use Tension Rods if You Can’t Drill Holes
If you want to decorate your rooms with hanging baskets but can’t drill holes because you live in an apartment or don’t have the right tools, don’t worry. You can still use tension rods.
Tension rods are a great way to hang lighter plant baskets between two stable fixtures, such as cabinets or shelves. However, you shouldn’t use them if your basket exceeds the recommended weight limit.
Final Thoughts
Hanging houseplants are timeless plant decors that can brighten and add dimensions to any room or garden. Not only do they save you some floor space, but they will also have your guests looking around and appreciating your space.
Ultimately, your plant choice and means of fixing it onto your wall also play essential roles in how stylish your baskets can get.
