Plant suggestions for hanging baskets

[NothingSurvives]

I have many hanging baskets around the edge of a large covered outdoor area.  This area does get a lot of sun during most of the day.  I've changed the plants in these baskets so many times I'm almost bankrupt.  They need to be along the edge of the area is necessary as heads get knocked, so I figure I'm planting the wrong choice of plants that do not tolerate almost all day sun.  I thought geraniums would thrive but not so.  I have to accept my life sentence for plant murder but surely there are some great plants that could thrive in a sunny area in hanging baskets or I give up the whole idea and get pots and keep my feet on the ground.  I'm wearing thin of so often re-doing this.  I have a couple of pics of when it was looking great in early days.  Now RIP.  Poor plants.  p.s.  All plants bought at my local Bunnings.......ooooops  Thanks.

Hopes of herbs RIP

A trial at a cutting - dead

2 of these now drooping - sad

Good days - happy here

[Jason]

Hi @NothingSurvives,

Sorry to hear of your troubles keeping plants alive. Could you please tell us where you are based? I will be happy to tag some of our resident horticulturalists in the Workshop community to provide some easy-to-follow suggestions for you. We have some wonderfully helpful members who will be happy to assist you to transform your garden. 

Welcome to Workshop. We're really pleased you could join us and look forward to you building up your confidence and skills in no time. 

Jason

[ProjectPete]

Burro tails are a nice option @NothingSurvives

[NothingSurvives]

Hello Jason,
Thanks for your response.  Silly of me not to mention but I live in Toowoomba and my closest Bunnings that I use is Anzac St.
Be grateful for advice.
Judith.

[Jason]

No worries @NothingSurvives. 

Let me tag @Noelle for you - there is nothing she doesn't know about plants! I am sure she will be happy to give you some suggestions for hardy plants you can grow in hanging baskets up there in southern Queensland.

Jason

[Noelle]

Oh dear, you are having a hard time! 

What about MIni Bougs - miniature bougainvilleas?  They thrive in full sun, love hanging baskets and flower their heads off for months at a time.  There are lots of colour variations to choose from.

Your zygos should do OK - if they're dropping and losing leaves, maybe you're watering them too often?  They are succulents so should thrive in a hanging planter with a cactus potting mix that drains freely.

Calibrachoa (see pic below) should do quite well - they look like compact petunias with smaller flowers and leaves - they flower for months and prolifically too. Bunnings usually have them in the garden department.

New Guinea impatiens may do reasonably well because of your summer warmth and humidity but they will want some shade during the hottest hours of the day - they are 'under-storey' plants in their natural habitat.

Cape daisies (osteospermums) are another hardy flowering plant that should do well.  Often grown as annuals they are really perennial and can last for several years if pruned back regularly.  They're members of the daisy family so that means they are generally hard to kill!

Avoid plants with soft leaves - they'll wilt quickly in full sun.

Hope that gives you a few new ideas!

[NothingSurvives]

Thank you so much for caring enough to make a suggestion.
Burro's tails sound great.  I'll give anything a go.
This is my last try at doing something.  Our covered outdoor area so large we have 3 table settings and is bare.
Thanks again.
Judith

[greygardener]

Don't be disheartened Judith. Good luck with those fantastic suggestions from Noelle.

[Former Workshop member]

@NothingSurvives 

Burro's tail don't like full, full sun either, in that climate! they prefer morning sun, but bright indirect light is best... do you want something that will spill or what?

Your christmas/easter cactus also needs bright, indirect light - bright shade. Most of the 'full sun' cultivation notes on these types of plants are from places in the UK and US that have a much less uv loaded climate.
calibrachoa are excellent... I'm surprised that geraniums didn't work - what soil mix did you use? They like a lotta food when they're restricted. Dianthus grow well in full sun, but you have to have a lot of lime in the mix. Small creeping mesembryanthemum will hang and spill, and you can put a larger upright form in the middle, if you want something perennial... the smaller ones come in everything from a finer, needle leaf, to a fat jellybean style.
Petunias are tough as tough.
Some of the succulents will take full sun ( you gotta know which!), and can be left to dry out with no problems.
hope that helps and I'm not too late with this post!

[Mathy]

Hi @NothingSurvives  and welcome! I’m a terrible gardener, but I manage to keep Zygo Cactus going. I don’t put mine in the full sun, and I pot them in orchid potting mix for drainage - they do not like being wet, which makes them great, as they don’t turn their toes up very easily if too dry. Now, having said that about the sun, I live in Adelaide, so our”full sun” is like an overnight on after burners, and I see you’re in QLD, so probably different there.

Also, watering is often an issue for us people who can’t seem to get things to thrive - usually either too much, or not enough 😂  Do you also have space to put things in pots down on the ground?

Some good suggestions from @Noelle - is it worth printing/screen shotting those and taking them to the Nursery with you, to discuss?

All the best, cheers Deb

PS: Chuck some water on the Zygos, they will come back a treat.