A lush, colourful hanging basket looks absolutely stunning and can be a real show-stopper! Whether placed either side of a front door, on a patio wall or on a balcony where space is limited, the ultimate effect is guaranteed to be amazing.
Making a hanging basket is pretty straightforward. You will need to buy a wire basket, with either coir or a sphagnum moss liner, and some good quality potting compost mixed with vermiculite or perlite to help retain moisture.
To this mixture add some slow-release fertiliser and water-retaining crystals.
Balance the basket on a bucket or container to keep it steady while you fill it. Before adding the prepared compost place a small plant saucer at the bottom of the basket. This will help retain some water.
Now fill the basket with the soil up to the top, pressing down firmly. Water well and allow the soil to settle. You may have to top the soil up.
A lush, colourful hanging basket looks absolutely stunning and can be a real show-stopper! Whether placed either side of a front door, on a patio wall or on a balcony where space is limited, the ultimate effect is guaranteed to be amazing.
A taller central plant will add height and a focal point, so fuschias, salvias or upright Perlagoliums are ideal.
Now surround the central plant with spreading, trailing plants like lobelias, petunias, verbenas, violas, alyssum, portulacas, ivy geraniums and bacopas, which will spill over the sides and look fabulous! If you are planting around the sides of the basket put these plants in first, before filling the top of the container. Water well.
Don’t hang the basket too high as you won’t get the full benefit of the gorgeous display of flowers, also it will be harder to deadhead plants and to water it evenly.
Hanging baskets do need watering every day to keep them looking good, either early morning or evening is best.
