hanging basket suggestions please?

[buzzingtalk]

I have rigged up 2 14" hanging baskets outside my house with the intention of putting trailing toms in both. I have filled one with the toms, but upon inspection of the second one, I don't think the toms will be suitable - there is not enough room to trail, and they won't get an awful lot of sun.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can grow in a semi shaded basket? it gets the morning sun but then the sun moves past it at about 11am. it is situated against a white wall of my house so is lovely and warm, and the sun is reflected onto it.

Would chard work?

[buzzingtalk]

I am finding it hard to get information online about the depth plants need - which is not really necessary when planting into the ground, but a pain for container gardeners to know how much depth things need!

[chris]

I ake it you want edible stuff in there?

[buzzingtalk]

Oh yes please, should have said so! No room for flowers in my tiny garden.

[Jo Sara]

Would you get away with a small salad crop? They don't need to trail. I wouldn't imagine they need much depth. Not sure how much sun they need, but if they get it until nearly midday and then the reflected heat of the wall, that's probably enough heat, isn't it?

I'm guessing all this, can you tell?

I'm thinking about it like I would think if it was something I was doing. I would experiment with salads. Not least because it gets them up out of the way of slugs.

Depends if you want decorative, or practical, I suppose. And how high the baskets are hanging. Too high to snip off a few leaves as you need them?

[chris]

Salad is a good suggestion (I've done it in the past) - just watering from above when they're small is a bit of a pain.

I've had strawberries in there too (alpines + full sized ones). Herbs (have seen basil in with toms in one before, that looked quite cool). Chard grows reasonably tall, so unless your chains are long I'd probably not grow it(though be a good experiment)...

Don't forget you can fix some guttering to a wall, and grow salad in it, I'm doing similar on a fence.. 3 tiears of guttering, salad along them all I'll post a picture when it's done.


What about peas?

The weight of the pods would cause them to trail, you'd need to keep on top of watering though.

[buzzingtalk]

i have some salad trays (in seed trays, so no they don't need much depth at all, although I don't grow them on to full size) on a blowaway frame next to where the basket is, and they do fine. slugs aren't a problem here, I've only ever seen two in 2 years, which is thankful!

the basket isn't high really, about chest height (no ladder to put it higher!!) so watering/harvesting won't be a problem.

peas would be lovely! might be a bit much buying a whole packet of seeds just for the one basket, i think I'll go for 1 chard plant (theres a bit of the basket with no chain above it, so it could fit there) and some salad and herbs around it, always a winner How is basil and coriander at coping in semi-shade? Two of my favourite herbs, can never have enough.

thanks for the suggestions guys!

[mrpaulbradley]

slugs aren't a problem here, I've only ever seen two in 2 years

lucky you! Find it incredible tho! Are you sure the wee blighters are not just hiding from you? If not then a move to Norwich is on the cards for me!

[mrpaulbradley]

Ps ill happily send you a few pea and bean seeds if you'd like to experiment. As mentioned before though - you'd need to keep on top of the watering. Some of that basket gel stuff might help?
Send me a pm if you want seeds. Good luck with your experiments!

[buzzingtalk]

oh thanks for the offer, i shall take you up on that! Are there any seeds you'd like? I have a LOT of seeds. let me know what veg you like and I'll send some up with an sae if you like. will get PM sent

I don't think its Norwich that is slug free, its just my 'garden'. It is a small bit of concrete out the back my house, there are no plants, grass or flowers apart from my pots and the ground is gravel and concrete, so slugs have a hard time getting across. i regularly move pots about to clean and never find slugs...lots of aphids this year though!

[chris]

By the way, there are edible flowers too, you know? They can spice up a salad, but aren't as "maincrop" as other veg I guess.

[Snadger]

I'm growing Gartenpearl tomatoes in three hanging baskets. I've grown them in baskets before and they seem to do well.

Some people say they are tasteless (Flum!) but the ones I grew were very tasty!

[Davyburns]

I have 8 Maskotska toms in 4 hanging baskets that have been outside for the last month (bar 1 night) and there doing great, all of them have fruit, and they seemed to have weathered the cold 5c very well. they get early morning and late afternoon sun

[Potstubsdustbins]

My hanging baskets are 12" square and 12" deep 1 tumbler in each have used these successfully for the last 5 years.


Colin

[JamesM]

I read this thread with interest as i'm in a similar situation. I was thinking of bunging a bunch of different herbs in i think they look nice all bunched up together. They might need starting off in a sunny spot though and then moving the basket when established. I think ultimately this is what i'll do although i do already have herbs growing in other pots