What size hanging baskets do I need?

[IndigoElectron]

I will be growing tomatoes and strawberries in hanging baskets, as well as flowers. The ones I am looking at come in various sizes: 12 inch, 14 inch, 15 inch.

What is the best size to get for what I plan to grow? I am guessing that the bigger they are, the less watering they will need. I am not limited with space so have room for the big ones if needed, the only drawback is that they are more expensive.

Thanks!

[AllInContainers]

Unless you are rigging up a drip irrigation system, I'd be tempted to rethink the hanging basket idea. They'll be a real pain to keep properly hydrated. I got a two tier planter to do just that last year (with strawbs), and although they should have been good for three years, I ripped them out as soon as they'd finished fruiting. I had enough trouble keeping the toms watered in pots without having shallow depth and a porous lining to contend with. Obviously if you've a way to keep them irrigated throughout the day, different story.

[IndigoElectron]

Thanks for the quick reply. The reason for growing the tomatoes and strawberries in baskets was that I don't really have room for them anywhere else. I was going to get hanging basket compost which contains water retaining granules, wouldn't this help? I could also add some vermiculite, although I don't know if that would be overkill!

If I do decide to stick with the baskets, what size would you recommend please?

I am assuming you are only talking about the fruit by the way, the flowers will be okay won't they?

[IndigoElectron]

Oh, and I should have mentioned the baskets are the Easy Fill ones, which have an integral water reservoir that's meant to help retain water. I was also thinking about burying some short lengths of old hosepipe in the basket, to reach down to the bottom, and water through that to get to the roots.

[AllInContainers]

Not seen the easy fill ones to be honest so I can't comment on those, and yes I was just on about the fruits as that's the thirsty element - flowers should be fine. Would one of those upside down tomato planter thingummywhatnots work for you? It'll probably hold moisture better (though again, not familiar with the easy fill jobbies, so I could be wrong). However, I must mention that my brother used one of those upside down efforts, only to come home one day and find that the tom plant had snapped and the entire thing was laid on the floor outside his kitchen door with a 2" stub of stem poking out of the bottom of the planter.

As for the strawbs, depending what you are growing and where, you might be able to look at underplanting so long as the sun will still get at them. A potentially good way of recovering otherwise lost space (I'm trying it out with three troughs of ramsons on the shady side this year)

[IndigoElectron]

I think it does have to be the baskets really, as I can fit them to the top of the fence posts, this way I will have room for 8 baskets. We've had external wall insulation at the back of the house so it's difficult to attach anything to the wall.

I'm going to do square foot gardening (only have a small plot), so don't know whether I could underplant there. I will be growing some things in pots (cordon tomatoes, courgettes, squash, maybe peppers and aubergines), could I plant the strawberries under those? I don't know much about underplanting, to be honest.

Oh, and another reason to grow the strawberries in baskets was to keep slugs etc off them.

I would still love some advice about what size baskets to get ;-) The Easy Fill ones do look good and have glowing reviews on Amazon.

[WendyC]

I think you were right first time. The bigger the better. Strawberries need quite a bit of space. In the ground my are a foot apart and could have been further.

[IndigoElectron]

Thanks Wendy, that answers my question then :-)

[Potstubsdustbins]

Hanging baskets will be fine for both tom's and strawberries, I grow both in baskets.

The best I have found and the deep woven one's about 12" square the standard metal type are to shallow to work properly. One tumbler or two strawberries per basket.

Something like this if you look carefully you can just see the strawb's behind the toms in the second picture.

Potty

[Potstubsdustbins]

I have found a better picture of the type of hanging basket I use along with some strawberries in a wall trough which also works well.

Potty

[IndigoElectron]

Thank you Potty. I have read quite a bit about using hanging baskets for these two crops, I am pleased to hear it works for you.

I think I would still like to go for the Easy Fill baskets though, they look really good. Have you tried them, or similar?

[Tripmeup]

Hey Indigo,

I have some of those Easy Fill baskets and have used them here and there....Trick is (as already pointed out) to keep them watered sufficiently during very dry weather...Last year's glorious summer for example, was a challenge!!

Also, in terms of watering them , you need to ensure the water stays in the basket and just doesn't run off them...

[IndigoElectron]

Thanks Tripmeup! Did you find them as Easy as the name suggests? And do they retain water well? How do you stop the water running off the basket?

[Scarlet]

I use the largest hanging basket I can find for my tumbler toms. For watering, I use those small kids plastic drinks bottles with the bottom removed, sunk in at the same time as planting up. The water can't run off then, goes straight to the roots.

[IndigoElectron]

That's a great idea Scarlet, thank you!