Can You Put Zinnias in a Coco Hanging Basket?

Coco Baskets

• Coco fiber is used to line wire hanging baskets before plants are placed in them. It is sold preformed and ready to put in baskets. Coco liners give a neat, natural look to baskets, but they do not retain moisture. The baskets' potting mix dries out even more quickly than it does in plastic hanging baskets. Zinnias are a good choice for planting in a coco hanging basket because they are drought-tolerant. They will survive if the soil dries occasionally. They look better and bloom more profusely, however, if the soil is kept uniformly moist. Some coco basket liners are fabricated with plastic between the layers of coco fiber. Purchase that type of liner, if possible, or line the inside of your coco basket with plastic sheeting before filling the basket with potting mix. Poke some drain holes in the bottom of the plastic sheeting, or cut a small circle out of it so excess water can drain freely.

Zinnias for Baskets

• Zinnia hybrids in the Small World Series grow to only 6 inches tall while those in the Short Stuff Series grow to 10 inches tall. They have an upright habit but are small enough for a hanging basket. Creeping, Mexican or narrow-leaved zinnias (Zinnia angustifolia and Zinnia haageana) are suited for a hanging basket. They grow to a height of 6 inches to 3 feet and drape over a basket's sides.

Planting Process

• Zinnias grow best in soil that is high in hummus. Plant them in a peat-based potting mix that contains perlite, vermiculite or course sand for improved drainage. Vermiculite also helps retain moisture. Moisten the potting mix thoroughly before putting it into a coco-lined basket. Fill all but the top 1 to 2 inches of the basket with moist potting mix, and plant the zinnias. Multiple plants can be planted in one basket; they can be planted closer together in a basket than in a garden, but they should still be spaced 2 to 3 inches apart. Zinnias also can be planted around a basket's outer sides. In order to do that, slice a small hole in the coco liner each place you want to plant a zinnia. Pour potting mix into the liner up to the holes. After each zinnia's roots are fed carefully through their own hole in the liner, they need to be covered with another layer of soil. Plant the zinnias at the top of the basket last.

Care Requirements

• The potting mix should be checked for dryness every morning and afternoon during normal weather. During very hot, dry weather, check the potting mix several times each day. When the potting mix is dry at a depth of 1 inch, pour water over it until water drains from the basket's bottom. Daily watering leaches nutrients from the potting mix very quickly. Therefore, the zinnias need to be given fertilizer every two weeks. Mix a 10-10-10, water-soluble, flowering plant fertilizer at a rate of 1 teaspoon of fertilizer per 1 gallon of water, or one-half the fertilizer manufacturer’s recommended rate. Water the zinnias with plain water first, and then give them the diluted fertilizer.