Hanging Baskets

[GardenFan]

Huge fan of hanging baskets, heres one I grew from plugs last year

Seen a number of offers in magazines for basket plugs and growing plugs from seed so hopefully should get a good display. Any pics of your baskets? Whats your plans this year for your display?

[nick the grief]

I usually do about 2 or 3 full ones & a couple of Half baskets GF. I did try the coordinated look one year but hated it, so now I go for the mix n clash look instead

Purples & yellows are one of my favourite s

[Jaxom]

I go for the mix n clash look instead

Sounds about right for me too. I have plans for my hanging baskets this year but so far the seeds I have sown have done little to engender hope on my part. I will sit tight and see what does grow in the end. I will just have to keep my fingers crossed.
GF, I have to say your photo looks really colourful. I will take some photos this summer of my baskets with my digital camera. I do have photos from last year but I have yet to work out how to use the scanner that came with my computer. I don't think it was my direct ancestors who invented the wheel My ancestors more than likely cooked the food that kept them going while they worked it out.
Jax

[SueA]

I've got a few spring baskets up at the moment with mini daffs, pansies, primulas etc. I like to put parsley in some of them as it lasts all winter & I then replace the spring bulbs/flowers with tumbler toms for the summer to go with the parsley. I buy a lot of plug plants cheap from our local Tesco (when they reach their sell by date), I tend to use a bit of everything & don't stick to a colour scheme.

[andrewo]

I have never had any luck with them, I think because I am south facing and exposed, they just dry out too fast. Any tips? Maybe I overload them...

[pigletwillie]

We had the same problem Andrew but now all our baskets and pots are fed via automatic watering, cheap to set up and nae problem for the neighbours when your on holiday.

[andrewo]

Ah one problem, we have 18" thick walls, solid stone, makes it very expensive to get a pipe through and also our garden is a front garden so the pipe would have to be run through the living area. No back garden.

[pigletwillie]

Can you use one of those baskets with a reservoir in it and add a load of water retaining granules to give you a fighting chance. If you use a John Innes soil based compost it will not dry out as badly as multi purpose and will re-wet very well.

[nick the grief]

I always put a plastic plant saucer in the bottom of mine Andrew, & they are ok. In the past I've used the small drinks bottles upside down . nno cap on & a hole in the bottom. If you put this in the middle you can hide it with all the planting. Another trick is to put some ice cubes on in the evening as these melt slowly, the water is taken in rather than just running straight thru the compost. Then you can water in the morning as normal.

[GardenFan]

Some good tips, JI compost does retain water better and if you half mix with general purpose will also work wonders. I also use a eco freindly (not moss) organic liner and also use a product called "basket mate". This has a slow release feed and water retaining gel to help prevent drying out.

[WiZeR]

I'm going to have some tomato hanging baskets, can you mix flowers in with them?

[nick the grief]

Sure can wizer. I had some the other yaer with garden Pearl Toms, Lemon Gem Tagete's, mixed Tr. Lobelia & Basil quite a sight & right by the back door so you could pick them on the way in or out (or both!!!)

[GardenFan]

Sure you can, check out this pic which is a closeup of the basket and shows some unripe cherry toms.

[blackkitty]

I've started some baskets with tumbling toms, rocket and red lettuce seedlings and think I will add some other herbs. I've never tried this before but thought it could be quite fun. I'll have to wait and see how they turn out.

[Becky]

I'm rubbish at watering stuff, so last year I chose some large hanging baskets, put a plastic saucer in the bottom as ntg says, and mixed some water retaining gel crystals in with the compost. I had bloomin lovely baskets all summer, with nemesia, fuscias, petunias and geraniums. The only watering I did was when I applied some tomato feed (only about 4 times over the season). When they finally died back (after several frosts) I just dumped them out the way and forgot all about them until a couple of weeks ago when I came to plant them up again, when I found that the nemesia plants had survived all winter. They had even managed to fend off the hideous vine weevil grubs that I discovered lurking in the compost a hydrangea potted nearby was not so lucky This year I've only got petunias in them which don't seem to be growing very quickly