Summer Hanging Baskets

First of all I’m sorry for the absence of my blogs over the past few weeks, Flowers & Foliage had been planning a move to new glasshouses in Dublin from our facilities in Co Kilkenny but we had planned it to happen over the quieter winter months – not just before thousands of plants arrived and needed planting – but we’re well on track now if not totally sorted.

One of the planting tasks I’ve been busy with is the Summer Hanging Baskets. If you have a greenhouse/glasshouse/polytunnel you can plant your baskets now using small bedding type plants for a magnificent summer colour show. Lots of the Garden Centres are selling small summer bedding at present but it’s far too early to consider buying unless you can offer protection against frost. You’d be better off waiting a little while longer and getting slightly larger plants – you’ll lose very little that way in growing terms but stand not to lose the whole lot to frost.

I’m showing how to plant baskets using very small plants (plugs), into 14” wicker baskets. Fill the basket with compost mixed with a little slow release fertiliser; leave enough room at the top of the basket to be able to water without the water immediately flowing out. Start you planting by putting in a centre plant – any of those listed below that you like. Make sure you firm in the plant up to the level it was previously planted at.

Then I place about 6 plants – 2 of each type chosen, from the second list of Side Plants, opposite each other. I think you get better results if you place same plants opposite each other – different plants can have different growing habits and can lead to a “one sided” looking basket .

When picking your plants try to include Trailing Petunia (Surfinia, Whispers, Sanguna - there’s a few different types but they do give a great display) and Trailing Fuchsia as they both spread well and fill the basket to give maximum effect.

DON’T LET YOUR BASKETS DRY OUT – They need watering every day in the summer when mature.

CENTRE PLANTS

·       Pelargonium Zonale Geranium

·       Fuchsia

·       Pelargonium peltatum Geranium (trailing – as vigorous as possible!)

·       Plectranthus

·       Bidens

SIDE PLANTS

·       Surfinia Petunia

·       Trailing Verbena

·       Trailing Fuchsia

·       Lysimachia

·       Lobelia

·       Bacopa

·       Trailing Begonia – either Illumination or Tenella

ANYONE INTERESTED IN A FREE HANGING BASKET KIT?

First 10 people to email me at address given below will recieve a kit containing all required to produce a hanging basket as described above.

Kit contains :

•  14" Wicker Basket
• Compost mixed with 3-4month slow release feed
• All plants required

EMAIL: info@flowersandfoliage.ie

BECAUSE OF THE BULKY NATURE OF THE KIT AND LIVE PLANTS INVOLVED , I CAN ONLY SUPPLY/DELIVER TO DUBLIN AND SURROUNDING AREA - SORRY ABOUT THAT.

Untill next time happy gardening