How to Plant a Hanging
Basket
Well planted hanging
baskets will look great throughout the summer. They're perfect for
restricted spaces, balconies or a 'dead' wall that you can fix something
to. But they are not things you can plant and forget - you'll need
to devote some time and effort to watering and dead-heading to maintain
their looks. If you get bitten by the hanging basket bug, you may
want to install a self watering irrigation system; these are readily
available for keen container gardening enthusiasts. Hanging baskets
don't have to hang on wall brackets - more contemporary hanging
baskets can be found hanging from branches of mature trees. If you
plan to do this, choose shade tolerant plants. Both annuals and
perennials can be used to plant hanging baskets. This workshop gives
you the basics which you can adapt to suit your needs.
What You Need:
A coated wire basket of the right size; a bucket or plant pot large
enough to support the basket while you work; chains for hanging;
sphagnum moss; potting compost or loam based John Innes type; selection
of plants including a feature or central plant; a mixture of other
plants that includes scrambling or trailing plants; watering can
with rose; a greenhouse or frost free place to hang after planting;
bracket, hook or branch to hang from in final position outside.
Optional: plastic to make a lining; plant saucer; water retaining
gel to mix with compost prior to use; thin garden or rubber gloves.
.
Step 1
Place the basket on top of a bucket or large pot. Take handfuls
of moss and line the bottom, making a thick layer of at least 2.5
cm, finish about a quarter of the way up the sides. Place a circle
of black plastic punctured with holes, or a plant pot saucer inside
the moss layer if you wish. Add a layer of compost to a depth of
about 5 cm. Firm this level with your hands.
Step 2
Take trailing plants out of their pots and gently guide their roots
through the sides of the basket. They should rest on top of the
compost layer. Use enough plants to do this around the whole basket,
turning it as you work. Add handfuls of compost around the roots
and firm in.
Step 3
Add moss and compost in layers and work your way up the sides of
the basket. Finish the compost about 2.5 - 5 cm below the rim of
the basket. Plant more trailing plants as you go, staggering their
positions to give your basket a good covering. Firm compost around
the plants.
Step 4
Position your central plants on top of the compost in their pots.
These will be more upright in habit. Give the rim of the basket
a moss edge. Plant central plants, removing excess compost to make
planting holes. Firm compost around all the plants when you have
finished, making a slight dip in the centre of the basket for better
watering.
Step 5
Water the hanging basket really thoroughly and leave it to drain
on the bucket. Either leave it on this support or hang in a greenhouse,
or a frost free, well lit place to grow for a month to six weeks.
You might need help to hang it as full hanging baskets are heavy.
Hang from its permanent support outside when frosts are finished,
to protect tender plants. After planting, you'll need to water your
hanging basket regularly, both while it's growing inside and when
it is outside. For this reason you may want to choose permanent
hanging sites that are close to taps for hoses.
Source: Greenfingers
