I need help with my hanging baskets of annuals?

I have bought two hanging baskets from Costco. They were previously made up of petunias and some other purple flower that is tiny. Anyways they are dying and I have been watering them, but it seems that they just can not get water. Every year I seem to go through the same thing with pre made baskets. I am wondering if there is anything I can do to help them survive throughout the summer?

I need help with my hanging baskets of annuals?
if you can find a really big tub...fill it with water and soak them there for 20 mins
Reply:hanging baskets can be a problem....read Francois answer. I take my hanging plants down everytime I water the rest of the garden, and really soak them good. dont just reach up with a cup of water and pour it in. You have to really soak them every couple of days because they do not have any surrounding soil to help hold in the moisture. Also, I really fill my planters and the leaves help protect the soil from drying out from the sun and they look better. good luck
Reply:There might be a problem in the potting soil. If the soil is too porous the water just runs on through. You may need to add some moss to your soil mix to hold the water longer.Or if there is no drainage the plants may be getting too much water.That will do as much damage as as not anough water.Ask at your local nursery for ideas.
Reply:Hanging baskets are usually aproblem but it can be solved. The lining of the hanging basket is made either of a porous material which keep the soil in and let the excess water drain or it is made of coconut hair(course hair - look great but dry out the soil quickly. Both these linings create the same problem - quick water loss. You can either place a water retaining container (quarter of the height of the basket) inside the basket and replant the flowers (creating a reservoir of water at the bottem of the basket) or mix the basket soil with a clay containing soil for better water retention.





Also plant seedlins in between the existing flowers. As soon as the existing flowers start to die, the seedlins will start to flower and you will have a continious flowering hanging basket. Remember to put plant food into the water every now and again to ensure beautiful flowers.





Happy gardening
Reply:Always, always pull off the dead flowers. Don't rip the stems, just pull off the flower. This will allow another flower to regrow in its place. Also, you can puchase plant food sticks that you can just shove into the soil. You want to water them once everyday until water starts to seep out of the bottom. Good luck!
Reply:I have found thru experience with pre-made hanging baskets that the gardens usually put such light weight soil in their baskets that it is virtually impossible to keep them moist as they are. I think they do this because some people have a tendency to hang their plants on precarious perches and with out the light weight soil the planters can get quite heavy. To remedy this, I suggest planting your own baskets( which I do now) and use heavier soil and/or line baskets with plastic with some holes for drainage. The plastic helpsretain moisture. If you want to save the plants you have now, try putting some moisture retaining material in them. I can't remember the name of it, but most garden centers have it. It's small round and expands when water is added. It helps hold the moisture for slow release. If I remember the name, I'll send it to you.