Hanging baskets look full only when each basket has the right mix: one upright thriller, some filler plants, and spillers that trail over the edge. Baskets also dry out fast, because wind and sun reach them from all sides. This free planner takes your basket count and plants per basket, and works out total plants and how much water the baskets need each week.
What this tool does
This free hanging basket planner runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to a server, and nothing is stored online. You open the page, enter your own measurements, and the plan appears at once, with a simple drawing of the layout below the result. You can try again as often as you like, which makes it easy to test a bigger or smaller layout before you buy soil, pots, or timber. A short plan like this beats guessing, because a garden built on guesses often wastes space, water, and plants in the first season.
How to use it
Start by measuring the real space you have, not a rough guess: length, width, and height in the same units. Enter those numbers in order, then press the calculate button and read every result line, not just the total. If a line looks wrong, change one input at a time and run the tool again, so you can see exactly which input moved the result. Check the drawing too, because it shows whether the layout fits the space you measured. Save or copy the final numbers before you shop, while they are fresh.
Reading your result
The result lines break the plan into parts, so you can check each part against your space and your budget. A total alone rarely tells the full story, but a total built from visible parts does. If a result surprises you, trust the maths first and check your inputs second: most garden surprises come from a mistyped number, mixed units, or a measurement taken from the wrong side of a bed or sill. Fix the input, not the plan, and run it again.
Worked example
Try 4 baskets, 5 plants per basket, 2 litres per basket per watering, and 3 waterings per week. Total plants are 4 times 5, which is 20. Each watering uses 4 times 2, which is 8 litres. Each week uses 8 times 3, which is 24 litres. Knowing the weekly total helps you judge whether you can keep the baskets watered in a hot spell.
Why this matters for a gardener
Basket planning saves plants. Most basket failures come from underwatering, not from poor plant choice, and a weekly water total makes that need visible before you plant. A balanced mix also matters: spillers alone look thin, and thrillers alone look stiff. Counting plants per basket before you shop stops both thin baskets and crowded baskets.
Gardening tips
Line baskets well, and water until a little runs from the base, then check again on hot days. Hang baskets where you can reach them with a watering can without a ladder. Feed weekly in summer, and deadhead often so new flowers keep coming. In a heatwave, water in the morning and again in the evening.
Common questions
Is this tool really free? Yes. It runs in your browser, needs no account, and has no sign-up step. You can use it as often as you like, for as many garden plans as you like.
Is the result exact for my garden? No. It is a planning estimate from the numbers you enter. Sun, wind, drainage, and local frost dates also affect real results, so check those on site before you build or plant.
Who is it made for? Home gardeners, balcony growers, and small-space growers who want a clear plan before they spend money on soil, pots, or timber.
Spanish version: Planificador de Cestas Colgantes Para Huertos Caseros