The Flower Blog

Hanging Basket Plants can be a wonderful way to decorate your porch, garden and patio. Filled to the brim with some of our favorite florals such as begonias, petunias, geranium and lush green leafy fern, ivy, philodendrom: these baskets make fantastic gifts for almost any occasion!
Here are a few quick tips about caring for your hanging basket plants so they can be enjoyed all season long! 



1. WATERING
Watering hanging baskets is different from watering plants in the ground. Outdoors, above the ground, in the sun and the drying winds will eat up the moisture before you know it! Check your hanging basket for watering time by sticking your finger inch-deep in the soil. If it's dry, time to water! Another method is lifting the basket: feels light? Time to water!  Most hanging baskets are watered daily whereas potted/ground plants can go a few days to a week without watering. Keep in mind location of your hanging basket. Full sun during the summer may require two waterings daily. Shaded hanging baskets may vary from watering every day to every few days.

2. DEADHEADING BLOOMS
If you're reading this you may be new to plant care. As am I! The first time I heard of deadheading it didn't sound very good. However it is very good for your blooms and plants! Keep surrounding blooms fresh by pinching off the dried and dead blooms where they meet the stem. This also promotes new growth so it's a win-win! We can also add pruning to this category. Cutting back straggling and lengthy stems keep your plants looking healthy and full.

3. FERTILIZING
Hanging baskets need more frequent watering which means they need nutrients more often. There are a variety of options for fertilizer out there so pick what will work best for you! Slow release granules, water soluble and liquid fertilizers are among the top choices. There are plenty of DIY alternatives worth exploring on the internet as well. Moral of the story, your hanging basket flowers will thrive with consistent application of nutrients. 

4. REPLACING MIXED BASKET PLANTS
Some blooming plants, when they're done, they're DONE! Remove the finished blooming plant and replace it with another or add soil instead. I like the idea of giving my mixed plants more space to grow in the basket. Room to breath and flourish. But also, more flowers, more color: sometimes I want a hanging basket exploding with colorful flowers and textures.




5. RELAX AND ENJOY
Lastly, sit back and relax on the porch, patio, swing, whatever you've got and enjoy the fruits (or blooms) of your labor. These are a few basic tips to get starting with hanging basket care. Information flows aplenty online so check your favorite plant sites. With a little TLC, fertilizer and LOTS OF WATER, your hanging basket will thrive. Happy planting!
Our hanging baskets are seasonal however you can find fresh green plants in our store seven days a week.

Good Service is good business.
- Siebel Ad

Gillespie Florists does many things really well, one of them is customer service. We strive for everyone who walks through our door or gives us a call to have the best experience when working with us. Always looking for new ways to improve your experience with us, we've developed a new system for you to see your order before it goes out the door! "Impossible! You're joking" some may say. But here it is, a few FAQs on what we are doing to continue our tradition of bringing quality flowers and service to your door.

1. What Exactly is this Photo Service?

Picture this (no pun intended): You've called Gillespie Florists, your go-to florist. The designers have artfully designed a lovely bouquet for that special someone. Ever wonder what the final product looks like before it's delivered? Now you will know! We want our customers to see the quality we are delivering before it's delivered! We have a procedure set in place to take a photo of your order before it is sent on delivery or picked up at our store.

2. How Does it Work?

1.When you call or visit Gillespie Florists and place your order we ask     if you would like a photo of the bouquet.
2. What method you would prefer to see the photo? Text or Email?
3. Once bouquet has been designed it is taken to the photography           station where a picture is taken and then sent to you per preferred     method of either text or email.
4. The bouquet is wrapped up and sent on back to our delivery area,       ready for delivery. If the order is for pickup, we send it to our 500       sq ft cooler!

3. Are There Restrictions for This Service?

As this is a service of Gillespie Florists, it does not extend to orders being sent out of town.
This is available for Indianapolis area deliveries provided by Gillespie Florists.

4. How Much Does this Cost? 

We offer our bouquet photo service free of charge! 

5. What if I Have Multiple Bouquets in my Order?

If you are placing an order going to different locations with different bouquets, we would take a photo of each arrangement and send separately. If there are multiple bouquets ordered going to the same location with the same card attached, we would take a group photo of your order. 

Since implementing the Bouquet Photo Service in June 2015 we have received a lot of great feedback! Our customers enjoy seeing the final result and having the extra assurance their loved one is receiving a beautiful and artfully hand designed arrangement! Granted, it is one more step in the process at Gillespie Florists to complete an order but going the extra mile for our customers is what we do best and you can't put a price tag on that!

Have more questions? Please give us a call or send us an email at gillespieflorists@gmail.com!