Thinking ahead about hanging baskets.

[Wren]

I have seen some gorgeous hanging baskets of flowers in the last few months, my favorite being the single flower verity type that produce a huge ball of smallish flowers. I don't really like busy Lizzie's, or large flowers in hanging baskets, i like the flowers to be about the size of a 10 pence piece tops. I have looked in a few of the seed catalog's and it seem that to produce one of these gorgeous colour balls o flowers you have to buy about 35 plug plants costing best part of £17 and that is before you look at the cost of putting the basket together!
Sooo...as a veg grower i am not afraid of growing my own plants from seed and i figured it would make the thing a lot more afordable if i grew my own plug plants to build my hanging basket with next summer.

Any suggestions for verities that i can get seed for easily enough ?

Wren

[Alison]

Not really sure what type of flowers you mean as it sounds to me like the busy lizzies you don't like fit the bill but obviously I've not seen the ones you like. Why don't you just grow from seed the varieties you've seen as plug plants?

Personally I like my baskets to be a bit wild and informal with things tumbling out of them which varies from year to year. This year had loads of trailling begonias (admittedly bought as plug plants) but last year (or the one before, can't remember) I had petunias grown from seed. A bit fiddly to start with as the seeds were small but easy when they got going. Have also had nasturtiums and dwarf mange tout on other occaisions.

[Wren]

Hi Alison, many thanks for you're very helpful reply! . I am new to growing flowers an this year were my first attempt at trying to grow a hanging basket. It were just one that i purchased from Morrison's and now i have hanging basket envy. The problem is that when i see other peoples baskets that i like, i don't know what plant species or verity that i am looking at yet. I have only seen a few plug plant examples in one catalog because most of the new catalogs are not out yet.
This is the sort of thing i were trying to make a lame description of, not particularly in this colour or veriety but the over all effect.
Google Image Result for http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3063/2862469217_2c90018652.jpg

Wren

[Two_Sheds]

Maybe million bells surfinia? Or lobelia?
Those balls of colour ....? I prefer a much looser arrangement of trailing fuchsia, pelargonium, ivy, trailing verbena etc. all of which I propagate myself from cuttings, just paying for the compost

[karen0711]

Hi, I think it might be trailing lobelia, a neighbour of mine has beatiful hanging baskets just now, one filled completely with this (purples and pinks). I too have been thinking about growing them myself next year since buying the plug plants from the garden centre didn't do the trick this year!

[jackie j]

Try million bells they are a petunia type ( family ) but much smaller flower and is trailing. They come in many colours.

[shirleybobs]

I have quite a few baskets dotted round, ok well 2 of them have toms in which look really good, but the others have nicotina, petunias, fuschias, trailing ivy a red trailer that i dont know the name of lol, and some with cyclamans in.

I love petunias tho ive just bought some striped ones to grow next year.

[Mrs T]

I absolutely love the lobelia and I did buy mine as plug plants from T&M but they were a good price and they've lasted really well...
I like to make up informal baskets with a bit of whatever's around and I use ivy as a backdrop which I cultivate from cuttings year on year (keeps the expense down)..
But I am most pleased with my thyme basket... I did a couple of herb baskets in early autumn last year and although some didn't do too good.. The one I put three different thymes in is absolutely beautiful and still going strong... Made it all through the dreadful winter too...
So I wonder if I'm on to something here... Thyme like free draining soil and I can only think this is why the ones in the baskets have flourished better than those in pots??? I also wonder if alpines - who also like free draining, would like a hanging basket life???
Got to be worth a try???

[Wren]

Many thanks for all you're interesting replies. I never realized that petunia come in so many different sizes and colours! Them and the lobelia look like they will suit my hanging basket envy perfectly . I fully appreciate that we all have different tastes an fancies in hanging baskets style, it's all a matter of taste eh!

My next question is , how many plants do you think i need to grow to get that smothered in flower's ball effect? and what is the best sort of basket to plant them into? I were thinking it would need one o them wire type ones but do i line it with fabric and slit to plant in?

Wren

[busyizzy]

Sanvitalia,Bacopa & Brachycombe would all make good single flower type baskets.
For a 12" basket I would use at least 12 plants - 6 half way down and 6 in the top - hope this helps!

[grannymem]

What about also just having a basket of strawberries alongside your flower ones - the slugs and snails don't gobble the fruit, the strawberry flowers look pretty and the ripening berries not only taste delicious but are also attractive in their own right?

I'm a convert to them and have to admit that I shall be using all my hanging baskets for these fruits this year!

[lainey lou]

Thought I might try some of the new hanging basket sweet peas this year for a change.
Has anyone else had a go with them?

[grannymem]

No,but a friend of mine has - and tghey were a tremendous success. Maybe I'll have to forego one basket of strawberries for them...

[Mrs Dobby]

Cherry tomato hanging baskets for me this year, tho I may be persuaded to do a strawberry one, we tried a couple of those a few years ago, but didnt keep on top of watering, so although we got a crop, it wasnt mahoosive!

[lainey lou]

We always do wall baskets with cherry toms in, they're lush!