5 Ways to Refresh Your Summer Hanging Baskets for Fall

I take pride in my hanging baskets. They decorate my front door and are the first thing visitors see when approaching my home. Though small, hanging baskets are the perfect spot for seasonal displays that wow guests and bring joy every time you pass by.

As summer winds down, your hanging baskets might look a little tired. But that doesn't mean it's time to pack them away. There's plenty you can do to refresh and revive them for fall.

Whether you swap out the entire arrangement for fiery-colored plants or just do some light pruning and add seasonal touches, here are the expert-approved ways to transition your summer baskets for autumn impact.

5 Stunning Ways to Transition Your Hanging Baskets for Fall

When planning your fall hanging basket, think about fall planter ideas. Many of these can be adapted for a hanging basket, though you may need to adjust based on plant growth habits and basket size.

1. Plant Fall Blooms for Instant Color

This is something I've done myself: remove everything and start fresh with the best fall flowers for pots. It's the quickest way to get that instant seasonal look.

'Summer's heat-loving blooms are often spent by early fall. By completely replanting with cold-hardy flowers, you get a vibrant, fresh display of seasonal color,' says Amy Enfield, senior horticulturist at ScottsMiracle-Gro.

Top picks include chrysanthemums (check out the mums collection available at Walmart) and violas, both of which bloom through fall in gorgeous shades of orange, pink, yellow, and purple.

When replanting, you might wonder about reusing potting soil. The answer is yes, as long as none of your spring or summer plants had pests or diseases. To give your fall plants the best start, mix in some fresh compost for a nutrient boost.

Amy Enfield has 30 years of experience in the lawn and garden industry and has been with ScottsMiracle-Gro for 12 years. She holds a BS and MS in Horticulture from Michigan State University and a PhD in Plant and Environmental Sciences from Clemson University.

2. Refresh Your Baskets with Some TLC

If your hanging baskets are still thriving, there's no need to rip everything out. Fall is a great time to tidy up and freshen them for the season ahead.

Late summer flowers will keep blooming into fall, and deadheading can extend their season.

'Regular deadheading prevents a plant from making seeds and entering its dormant phase, thus tricking it into continuing to bloom,' explains gardening expert Caroline Ervin. 'Keep deadheading into early fall so the plant delays going into dormancy.'

Use essential pruning tools for this, like these pruning snips from Amazon, or just pinch off smaller blooms with your fingertips.

Another trick I used when refreshing my summer baskets was taking cuttings. I propagated pelargonium cuttings (using bypass pruning shears, like these from Amazon) to overwinter in my greenhouse, ready for replanting in spring.

Doing this with tender perennials, and saving seeds from annuals, means you can grow them again next year for free.

Caroline Ervin is a landscape designer. She has worked with clients since 2007 to install and maintain small and large residential gardens in Washington DC, with more than 20 years of hands-on gardening experience.

3. Add Foliage for Texture and Color

When you think of fall color, bronze foliage probably comes to mind. You don't have to limit it to borders and beds — add vibrant vines and foliage plants to your hanging baskets for instant impact.

'By focusing on plants with interesting leaves in shades of silver, bronze, purple, and deep green, you can create a modern, high-impact basket that provides lasting visual interest well into the cooler months,' Amy says.

In between your blooms, add plants like dusty miller (starter plants from Amazon) and coleus (starter plants from Amazon). They'll brighten up your baskets with fall color immediately.

4. Plant Herbs for Fall Fragrance

Fall is a key harvesting season for gardeners, so why not incorporate that into your hanging baskets? Use aromatic herbs to turn your baskets into a sensory display that releases delicious scents as you walk by.

Choose hardy herbs that will last well into frosty weather. Rosemary (plant from Walmart), thyme (plant from Walmart), and oregano (plant from Walmart) are all excellent choices.

Besides smelling great, these herbs add interesting leaf shapes to your basket, boosting the fall feel.

Plus, they offer a unique spin on herb planter ideas, letting you harvest fresh herbs from your hanging baskets through fall and into winter.

You can even add salad crops and microgreens to turn your hanging basket into a true feast. This microgreen seeds pack from Amazon offers a wide variety.

5. Add Seasonal Embellishments

Dried floral arrangement in hanging basket

For a fun twist that embraces both cozy and spooky season, add some fall embellishments to your hanging baskets.

There are plenty of outdoor fall décor ideas you can borrow. For example, this fall decoration kit from Amazon comes with pumpkins, pinecones, and acorns that make sweet additions to your basket.

For something more subtle, swap your planter for one made of earthy materials. Think wicker baskets (like this set of six wicker hanging baskets from Amazon), which fit right into the fall color palette.

I especially love the use of dried flowers and foliage in wicker baskets here. You could even add plants with seedheads to embrace the changing season in your hanging planters.

FAQs

How do you overwinter a hanging basket?

To overwinter a hanging basket, consider what the plants need. If they are tender, provide extra insulation for the roots by mulching or moving the basket somewhere warmer, like a greenhouse. Alternatively, switch to winter-hardy plants that can tolerate frost.

After you refresh your hanging baskets for fall, don't forget other fall garden tasks like collecting leaves and making leaf mulch — a valuable resource for the winter garden.