SUMMER BASKETS AND WINDOW BOXES - "BITS AND BOBS" - 2015

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by ARMANDII, Feb 4, 2015.

  1. Spruce

    Spruce Glad to be back .....

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    We need info what size baskets and what compost are you thinking of using and how much sun a day and will they be sheltered or not.
     
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    • Fat Controller

      Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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      Just to add a bit of meat to the bones - the photo here shows where I would like to have blooms

      fr.png

      Yellow - flat roof - I would like trailing flowers over this edge. A couple of years ago, I put three troughs up there which had trailing nasturtiums in them, but they worked out as a bit of a nightmare because they didn't trail, they barely flowered and were seemingly permanently infested with aphids. Getting them up there was one hell of an expedition also (did them already full and planted like an idiot - if I do put them up there this year, they will be taken up empty and the compost roped up in a bucket one at a time)

      Green circle - trellis and 2 x hanging baskets, one at either side of the trellis

      Pink line - half basket screwed to the wall

      Green line - planted 'tree' which consists of a large pot with a 5ft pipe in the middle, and the pipe has planting holes all the way up (lost my photo of it - will try and find it)

      Orange - hanging basket tree that holds 4 hanging baskets

      Blue line - I would really like some (inexpensive) way of planting along here - something like geraniums with trailing petunias in front for the petunias to trail over the wall. I was thinking of trying to tie buckets to the inside of the wall (wrapping the ties around the gaps in the upper bricks?)

      Also, I would like to have trailing flowers on each of the gate pillars at either side of the drive. I have used flower pouches with moderate success in the past, but they dry out quickly

      I do also have a window box style trough that lives under a window on the side of the house (the side to the left of the front door)

      Any and all suggestions gratefully received.
       
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      • Fat Controller

        Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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        Baskets 15cm, lined with old inverted compost bags with drain holes - seemed to hold onto the moisture reasonably well last year. Compost - generally I use MPC with some vermiculite added. Sun - full sun in the morning, part shade in the afternoon with the baskets on the basket tree being mostly in shade from mid-day onwards
         
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        • Spruce

          Spruce Glad to be back .....

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          so basically just under 6 inches , and here lies the problem just too small, it may accommodate one plant but no more than that .they end up drying out too quickly and if you miss one day watering thats the end of them plus they will quickly flower and not produce much after that ..... you need to go bigger if you want a decent display with a mix of plants at least 14 inches 35.56 upwards.

          Spruce
           
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            Last edited: Feb 22, 2015
          • Fat Controller

            Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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            Sorry, I meant 15 inches, not 15 cm doh.gif
             
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            • Freddy

              Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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              Hiya FC.
              You said that 'Apricot Shades' didn't do very well, were they started from tubers? In past years I bought 'plugs' which did rather well.
               
            • HarryS

              HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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              As spruce said possibly the best basket size is 35cm (14" ) . The 25cm (12" ) is good as well.
              Just to give an idea of planting area , I'll do it in square inches easier to get a scale idea
              40cm 16" 201 sq inches
              35cm 14" 154 sq inches
              25cm 12" 113 sq inches
              15 cm 6" 28 sq inches

              You can see the huge difference in planting area as you go up a size . I have never used a 16" basket . But for your 35cm 14" one , I find a plant in the middle and 6 around the perimeter works well .:blue thumb: ( other more adventuresome planting schemes are available :biggrin: )
              I have had a go at side planting baskets , but prefer all my plants on top these days.
               
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              • HarryS

                HarryS Eternally Optimistic Gardener

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                That should be good conditions for B. Apricot shades / Illumination FC.:scratch:
                 
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                • Fat Controller

                  Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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                  Hiya Freddy :)

                  They were plugs - pretty sure they were from T&M, but it could have been Mr Fothergill's. Don't get me wrong, they flowered but they didn't excel....

                  Here they are just before I moved the basket tree to the front - they didn't really do an awful lot more than this to be honest

                  2014-07-14 16.57.07.jpg
                   
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                  • Freddy

                    Freddy Miserable git, well known for it

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                    At this stage, they look pretty good to me. So basically, they just stopped? If so, did they show signs of stress?
                     
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                    • Sheal

                      Sheal Total Gardener

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                      • Spruce

                        Spruce Glad to be back .....

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                        looking good , I would say if they stopped flowering you never fed them enough to keep them going.
                        mine are 16 inch but you have to make sure you have the bracket to fit , I dont plant in the side anymore as the top lot tumbling over would shade them or kill them being smothered
                         
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                        • Fat Controller

                          Fat Controller 'Cuddly' Scottish Admin! Staff Member

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                          They were fed along with everything else - tomato food for the most part - and the petunias etc all did reasonably well

                          I think I just have to accept that begonias don't like me
                           
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                          • Spruce

                            Spruce Glad to be back .....

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                            I think the problem was the variety of begonia and maybe too much sun , as shaded part of the day is best , we had a good summer so all the heat and sun made them bolt and that was your lot its a pity you didn't have the crackling series in those baskets instead here mine

                            crackling fire[​IMG]
                             
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                            • "M"

                              "M" Total Gardener

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                              :grphg: But *we* do and that's what really counts :pathd: (and ... *we* don't need you to feed us :heehee:)
                               
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