Flowers for haning baskets.

[WiZeR]

Hi all

Because I now have the polytunnel, I have decided not to put tomatoes in the hanging baskets this year. I have 6 baskets and have no clue about flowers, so would really appreciate some seed recommendations. I'm not that fussed about every basket being the same. I guess maybe long flowering varieties?

Any help greatly welcomed

TIA

[shirlthegirl43]

Hi WiZer. Busy Lizzies are pretty in a hanging basket if you are able to keep them out of the wind. You can just 'pinch' them out to keep them bushy and stop them going too straggly and they last ages if you keep them well-watered. I would suggest going with just about anything you like - geraniums look nice in baskets - again just trim them to keep under control. I am no good at remembering names of plants but I love all the little daisy type plants which trail and look lovely. I am sure much more knowledgeable folks will be along to answer your question shortly.

[smallblueplanet]

We grew some petunia's from seed last year, very easy pretty flowers, long-lasting too. Just a pkt of 'mongrel' mixture so you weren't sure what colours you'd get, but there was lots of variety including bi-coloured ones.

Lidl had a good selection of annual seeds cheap, including bizzy lizzies.

[Nicos]

Petunias??
One colour per basket. Simple and easy!

[Nicos]

Great minds Eh??

[smallblueplanet]

Great minds Eh??

or 'fools never differ'?!

[WiZeR]

thanks very much guys, will give me something to do tonight

[lyndap]

Serafinas are brill and long lasting(they are a smaller 'petunia')

[nick the grief]

I prefer to make an imact ( bit like Christopher Lloyd) so I love gaudy clashes, Last year I had Trailing Lobelia, petunias (limelight) variagated geraniums (pelargoniums). Fucshias, Trailing pelargonium (Tomke - dark purple) - I don't do Subtle

[wellie]

lyndap, Surfinias are definitely larger than normal Petunias, and they will trail to 4ft plus if molly-coddled, and the pale blue with deeper blue veined one has the most extraordinary perfume! Sticky to deadhead though, and anything you put in a hanging basket needs deadheading at least once a week to prevent the plants running out of steam (coz they'll go to seed and lose energy otherwise). Busy Lizzies tend to deadhead themselves by exploding their seed pods, which saves you doing it....!
I agree with Nick, put loads of all your favourite patio plants in! Baskets are there to be enjoyed, and a boring 'one-variety' basket doesn't really blow my particular frock up personally. But it may yours'. There's room for everyone's likes and dislikes, and I'd just plant in there what takes your particular fancy, and see how it goes.
If it doesn't really work, try a different mixture that blows your frock up next year. Nothing lost, and no shame in disappointment, eh?

[Alison]

Had trailing ivy geraniums last year - in fact a basket was still flowering last week (haven't checked since today's frost!). Beautiful flowers all summer (and autumn) and hardly any maintenance needed as they can withstand a fair bit of neglect.

[lyndap]

Wellie, been growing serafinas for years in hanging baskets with no probs.They can trail rather alot(which I like)but you just snap them off at the length you want.The flowers are def smaller than petunias and they flower alot more.

[nick the grief]

surfinas

If you get them early enough you can pot them up & give them a feed and take cuttings just the same as fuchsia's and thay way you only need one plant rather than having to buy 3 or 4. The only thing you can't do is sell them or give them away as they are subjact to Plant Breeders Rights.

[lyndap]

Thats interesting Nick,I've not tried that. Anything to save money.....

[valmarg]

Last year in B&Q they had small hanging basket plants for 75p each or 10 for £5.00. The had petunia million bells and surfinias, quite a large collection of fuchsias, bacopa, etc. I intend going in the next few days to see if they have a similar offer this year, perferably a Wednesday so I can get my 10% discount!!

As nick says, you can take cuttings, and they root very easily. I use a 50/50 compost/vermiculite mix, and for the initial outlay of 50p per plant can get at least another 10 plants, eventually taking cuttings from cuttings from cuttings, ad infinitum.

Busy lizzies I find are best bought as plug plants from the seed companies. They may seem expensive, but the show of colour you get from them is worth every penny.

I agree with the splash of bright, mixed, clashing colours. I have tried 'colour schemes' in the past, and having bought plants that have not been 'as labelled', have given that up.

OOOH eck Nick, your bit about plant breeders rights. Oh dear, Oh heck are you saying I'm a crim for giving my family and friends rooted cuttings? Who polices that, and when can I expect PC Plod with his 'key' at 4.00 a.m? I can only hope that they will be as thorough as they are with the enforcement of using mobile 'phones while driving!!

valmarg