How to Grow a Donkey's Tail Plant

Place a 1-inch layer of pea gravel in the bottom of the hanging basket or other well-drained planting container.

Fill the container with potting soil to 1 1/2 inches from the top of the container.

Plant the donkey's tail plant in the potting soil at the same depth it was planted in the previous container. Use care when handling the plant so you don't knock off the fragile leaves. Any leaves that fall off on soil take root and grow.

Add a 1-inch layer of pea gravel over the top of the soil and around the stems of the newly planted donkey's tail. Leave a 1/2-inch space between the top of the container and the pea gravel. The 1/2-inch gap will prevent water from overflowing from the container when the plant is watered. The pea gravel helps secure the heavy cascading stems of the donkey's tail plant and keeps the moisture level from fluctuating.

Hang the hanging basket containing the donkey's tail plant in a location where it receives the hottest sun of the day. This will normally be in a southern or western location. The location should also have good air circulation to prevent fungal problems.

Water the plant by drenching the soil and allowing it to dry until barely moist between watering. Reduce the applications of water during the winter when the plant is growing slowly or dormant. Do not over water the donkey's tail plant. Over watering a donkey's tail plant will cause the roots and stems to rot.

Fertilize the donkey's tail plant with a water soluble fertilizer appropriate for container plants. Fertilizer once in spring and again in mid-summer.