How to Create Spectacular Hanging Baskets Which Flower All Summer

How do gardeners produce hanging baskets which are the envy of the neighbourhood from June to September? All too often early optimism gives way to dejection as flowering stops prematurely and lush growth is replaced by shrivelled plant remains. This article divulges the secrets of spectacular summer flowering hanging baskets.

Size and Type of Hanging Baskets

The choice of container plays a big part in eventual success or failure. Always go for a large one. Small ones dry out very quickly and once wind and hot sun dry out the compost it can be very difficult to re-wet. Novel containers including metal colanders and old kettles make unusual hanging baskets, but the conventional plastic-coated wire baskets are hard to beat. They should have a diameter of at least 40cm.

Best Growing Medium (Compost) for Hanging Baskets

When it comes to compost there are many makes and types to choose from. Gardeners can opt for special tub and container compost, multi-purpose compost (with peat), peat free compost or use a mixture of composts to create their own favourite blend. Multi-purpose with 25% extra John Innes No 2 compost added gives very good results. The loam in the John Innes helps retain moisture and provides extra nutrients. Even so adding extra controlled release fertilizer to the mix will mean the plants have sufficient food to last the whole season. Pure John Innes, however, is much heavier making lifting and positioning of baskets a job for the super-strong.

Materials for Lining Hanging Baskets

Without a suitable lining the compost falls out of a wire hanging basket. Foam liners and re-useable moulded coconut coir liners are widely available and when the plants mature they are completely obscured. Nothing beats the natural appearance of sphagnum moss for lining a basket. Avoid sphagnum moss that has been gathered from the wild because this is not sustainable. Do make sure it is from renewable sources. Such moss is clearly labelled and available from good garden centres.

How to Reduce the Frequency of Watering

It’s a good idea to line the bottom half of the basket with moss then put a circular piece of pierced plastic or a saucer into the bottom of the basket to aid water retention. Water slices available from Suttons Seeds are clever devices which when put in a hanging basket reduce the frequency of watering. They absorb large quantities of water and release it slowly at root level. Alternatively Swell Gel from Kings Seeds which consists of natural polymer crystals can be mixed into the compost before planting. The crystals absorb water for release by plants as required.

Tips for Planting a Hanging Basket

The job of planting is easier when the basket is set on top of a large pot or bucket. This keeps the basket steady when it is turned around whilst doing the planting.

• To get a cracking display don’t skimp on the number of plants. Simply put in as many as will fit the basket.
• Start by putting trailing plants into the sides of the basket. Thread the roots through from the outside.
• Plants such as trailing lobelia, surfina petunias and busy lizzies are ideal.
• Then add moss up to the rim and more compost before planting the top.
• The compost should finish just below the rim and dip slightly to the centre so that water is retained before it is absorbed.

Suitable Plants for Hanging baskets

Think of the basket as a planting scheme. A simple design which doesn’t contain too many different types of plants and colours is often the most effective.

• The flowers in a hanging basket are mostly viewed from below so it follows that plants with a trailing habit and pendulous flowers are a priority.
• The choice of plants gets bigger every year. In addition to old favourites such as begonias, trailing fuchsias and trailing geraniums recent introductions include trailing snapdragons and trailing sweet peas.

Spectacular Hanging Baskets are Worth the Trouble

Plants in containers need constant care and attention and hanging baskets are no exception. However, if they are watered as needed and the flowers deadheaded regularly the display will delight well into early autumn.