Help! I cannot get Verbena to continue to bloom

[farmboy@heart]

This is the second time I've tried to get a hanging basket of trailing verbena to grow in my garden, but it stops blooming!

Any suggestions?

[Grey]

Hey Farmboy!
What soil medium are you using?
How much sunlight are you getting for it?

[farmboy@heart]

It's hanging in full sun from 11am until 4pm. The soil mix is regular potting soil, with some perolite mixed in. I've read that Verbena likes to dry out a little before watering, so I've only been watering every other day. And I'm wondering if I need to deadhead the plant to get it to start going.

[opabinia51]

Okay, here's the skinny on Verbena:

Water only occasionally because the you are correct that the plant likes the soil on the dry side. However, this does not mean to allow the soil to completely dry out all the time. Just keep it less moist the you would for other plants.

The sunlight sounds fine because they like full sun. If you can find a spot that gets sun all day, that would be better.

Trimming the flowers will extend the bloom time. When removing deadheads, you want to remove just the dead heads and not surrounding foliage.

Fertilize every two to four weeks with an organic fertilizer. Liquid kelp and fish fertilizers are the best.

Now, are you sure that you have Verbena the flower (Verbena x hybrida) and not Lemon Verbena the herb (Aloysia triphylla). The herbs flowers are apparently barely noticable.

Anyway, I hope this helps.

[farmboy@heart]

Will do! Thanks.
Yes, it's definitely flowering verbena, as I've had lemon verbena in the herb garden before.

[opabinia51]

Good luck with your Verbena! Send us some photos.