Q & A: Indoor Hanging Basket

Do you have any suggestions for creative indoor hanging baskets for winter? I’m reusing the plastic pots I had hanging on my porch over the summer.—BD, Ward Hill, Mo.

Do you have any suggestions for creative indoor hanging baskets for winter? I’m reusing the plastic pots I had hanging on my porch over the summer.—BD, Ward Hill, Mo.

Answer: Instead of choosing a single houseplant for your hanging basket, why not make a combined display? Just make sure that the plant you mix have similar light, water and soil requirements. Look at the plant tag or in a reference book to be certain.

A mix of foliage plants will look lush and luxuriant. Try mixing small ferns with foliage begonias and trailing tradescantias.

Small evergreens will make an appropriately winter-themed scene. Look for evergreen sedges and ivies and very small boxwood and sage.

Mix herbs, which you could quickly start from seed, for an aromatic kitchen basket. Try thymes, compact lavender and parsley. Avoid mints, as they tend to take over a pot.

Finally, try combining different varieties of one type of plant, such as African violets or trailing succulents. If you go this route, you won’t have to think much about whether the plants can survive together, as they likely have identical growing requirements.

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