Hanging Baskets

Well its been a gorgeous Sunday in Peterborough but too damn hot. We nipped out to our local garden centre and came back with a few plants to sort out my hanging baskets as I do my own most years although on a couple of occasions I have been bought them as presents.

Anyway here's how I do them:








Get all your plants together - not sure what to use I normally make a selection from the following plants:

Nasturtiums, Trailing Fuschias, Trailing Pelargoniums, Bush Fuscias, Bush Pelargoniums, Bacopia, Trailing Ivy, Helichrysum, Tapien Verbena Trailing, Brachycome, Lobelia, Aubretia to name but a few

I personally prefer to use sphagnum moss to line the baskets with - I got a big bag for £7.50 today and I have done two baskets and I think there is enough for at least another three.

Never done them before - they are not terribly complicated just a little fiddly at times.

Take your empty baskets


I always make sure the basket is supported on either a bucket or a planter


Line them with the sphagnum moss - this usually comes in like lumps or sheets and it is about manipulating it so that it lines the wire basket. Its a case of patching and pieceing the moss so that no soil can come through.




then put more compost on and then totally fill the top layer with lots of plantsput a fushchia or a geranium in the centre of the basket. You might also like to add some water retaining crystals I use a handful of vermiculite in order to help keep some moisture in the basket so it does not dry out. Fill with more compost and pad down tightly. Then water and hang up.Then start putting the compost in stop about half way and put a few plants like lobelia or aubretia then cover with soil. Lay out your plants around the top so that the growth of the plant is put in the best possible position to trail its contents from the basket. Its all about layers of plants and making sure that they are used as best as they can be.










Now you have your basket planted let it grow a little and you will be delightfully pleased with the way it comes out.

Keep well watered and enjoy

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