Tips for growing crops in hanging baskets?

[Nikki Arnold]

Fruit and veg might not always be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of hanging baskets but they are a great way to grow tasty crops when space is limited, and will keep precious produce out of slugs' reach!

In preparation for our spring issues, GYO is on the hunt for your top tips for growing crops in these wonderful space savers and asking what edible delights you are planning to raise in your baskets this year?








Please note: comments may be edited and published in the April issue of Grow Your Own.

[Tripmeup]

I am definitely going to try some tomatoes in hanging baskets this year and may chance a chilli plant or two..!!

[VirginVegGrower]

I have purchased some white strawberries, which I intended planting into hanging baskets outside my greenhouse. I thought they would look rather pretty. Tumbling tomatoes would look rather nice too, or an edible lettuce basket. I can see it now with some marigolds or edible nasturtium.

[briggsy2011]

Hi i will be growing my hundreds and thousands toms in hanging baskets. I would also like to get some pepper from Dobies to grow in hanging baskets this year. I wont be growing any flowers in baskets this year.

[solway cropper]

I've grow Tumbling Toms and strawberries in hanging baskets in the greenhouse with great success. The first pick of strawberries was on 2nd May last year, much earlier than the outside crop. You do need a really rich compost for this to work well and I make my own which has plenty of leaf-mould in to help retain moisture.

[veggiechicken]

Watering is the issue with hanging baskets. Line them with water retentive material like your old woolly jumper! Make sure that the baskets are at a height that you can comfortably reach for watering and picking of all your lovely crops.

[Potstubsdustbins]

I have four hanging baskets on a south facing wall. Two for the original Tumbler tomatoes and two for strawberries. I line the baskets with old plastic compost bags to about half way up the basket as this forms a water reservoir without the chance of drowning the plants. Then feed as I would any other container, high nitrogen until the fruits start to form then change to high potash. If anyone should try this way of growing remember they will dry out very quickly in hot weather so a daily check is essential.

Colin

[salilah]

We have 4 baskets on the road-facing side of the house, and a few years ago I planted them up with tomatoes (tumbling type, home sown), mint, sage and a flower (can't remember which).

This was the year that some "person" decided to nick two of the baskets - the healthiest two! Very annoying - but I did laugh at the idea of some local mum, having been very grateful to her dear son for getting her such nice baskets, asking what on earth had been planted and how come it appeared there were tomatoes in with the flowers??? <grin>

[Two_Sheds]

We had toms in hanging baskets at school. They did better in slight shade, simply becoming baked dry if hung in the sun.

I also put them too high, and nobody could reach to water them. I got round this by freezing blocks of ice (in old takeaway boxes) and popping those in.

[Helgalush]

We grew some Tumbling Toms in hanging baskets, one yellow and one red, and then curly parsley in as well. We put a plastic saucer in the bottom of the basket to hold water in, after lining, then filled up with compost.

[Jelliebabe]

I was told once that used tea bags hold a lot of water and these can help with hanging baskets and keeping them moist. I will be trying this out this year and will be planting with a mix of flowers and tumbling tomatoes

[Gemmalaveen]

I grew Tumbling Tom in mine last year and they were a success. I used water-retaining crystals to keep the moisture in.

[hollychap]

i put upturned plastic water bottles in mine with the bottoms removed buried a few inch at the time of planting up, once the plants are established you can hardly see them but they act as a resovoir when filled at watering time, if you leave the caps on and drill a small hole in the cap this reduces the flow to a trickle giving a longer watering period

[JamesM]

I'm prettu sure i've got some tumbling toms to go in this year, need to check my seed tins. I think strawbs would look great but would't expect to get a significant amount of fruit from them

[SarrissUK]

I grew lettuce in hanging baskets and wall-hanging baskets last year, to get them out of the way of the thousands of slugs that inhabit my back garden. This year I'm treating the back garden with nematodes, so hopefully I can leave the baskets to tomatoes and flowers this year! I might put some herbs that doesn't mind drying out in a basket too. I'm not the best at remembering to water everything