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

Yep plastic pipes all at the ready. Bottom of each pipe blocked and drill holes put in every 4'' so water reaches all parts of the bag before draining out at the bottom

 

Nice job Jono !

 

Just read this whole thread. So informative. I love the idea of theses and I got an Amazon voucher for my birthday.

My question is what would you generally put in the top and underneath? Would you put begonias in all of them etc or a plant in the top and some trailing lobelia/petunias in the corners and underneath?

Haven't had great hanging baskets in the past so really keen to get them right this year. Is there a ripple of thumb to amount of plants per basket as the above are obviously pretty large at 15"'s!

Any advice much appreciated!

 

I don't know why but winter pansies in the side of mine all died. I'm hoping for better luck when they're planted up for summer. I'm going for lobelias, fuschia, nasturtiums and petunias.

 

mine in the past have died on the side I think its the wind chill as the ones in the top are more protected

 

I think you're right there! When would you plant up for summer, perhaps mid April then grow on in the greenhouse til may? They've also got dianthus Arctic fire in there which I might just leave and plant round.

 

I start my baskets last week of March and they stay in the greenhouse until last week of April and out for the day then back in the greenhouse overnight and all I do is nip all the buds out to make them produce more side shoots, then depending if all frost are gone they finally go out 1st or 2nd week of May , and I will be using the trick Zig told us all using a cable tie to fasten them on , no one can easily rob them.

 

Finally got round to ordering the plants for the baskets , going hot this year

Begonia Million Kisses Devotion



not arriving until mid April but at least I know what week they are coming, two other leading seed suppliers have them as they are new for 2015 but says anytime from April to late May delivery and that's no good to me.

I may put one upright white geranium in the center as it can look a bit flat on the top,
16 inch baskets so 5 in each.

Tick that off the list of things to do , anyone else growing this variety ?

I will use john inns no 3 75% and the rest multipurpose with added perlite and a handful of vermiculite , a round tray or bowl in the bottom to act as a reservoir with swell jell and slow release mixed in , plus end of the year you can reuse the swell jell in the bowl.

What compost mix are others using ?

Spruce

 

Thanks Spruce, that's super helpful.

I've just put some trailing lobelia into the propogator for the outsides of my baskets and like you planned to use upright geraniums in the centre. What are the other 'classic' plants that I should be placing in my baskets either trailing or in the centre/side and under pockets?

Any advice appreciated. Thanks

 

This year I'm doing a basket with plants that grow in poor dry soils in their natural habitat.
Swainsona formosa...............


And Lotus berthelotii...................

 

@Spruce just a quick question, is your greenhouse heated? I'm going to do some hanging baskets this year, I have most of the plants but I'm a bit worried about starting them off in the unheated greenhouse!

 

No Heat , but but use fleece over night to cover the plants up and during the day when very sunny as the plants can be scorched so easily when young., I have in the past used net curtains but I have caught up with modern methods thankfully
thats why I leave seed planting later than others on here , still the same result but maybe later flowering and fruit ie toms etc
Which plants are you using ?

 

I start moving plants into the GH at the end of March . So after next weekend . The night temps do tend to steady around then . I keep on eye on the forecast and put a heater on if temp is going to be 5°c or lower.

 

Thanks for your reply Spruce. So far I have bought geraniums, lobelia,petunia, fushias, gazinia tiger stripe, merguerite White & nepeta! (All Aldi special buys) I bought them as plug plants & they are all doing ok at the moment, I've been having a look at the various plant websites as I hope to do a begonia hanging basket!
At the moment they are all in my front porch, no heating but it's double glazed so fingers crossed they will be ok!!! What plants are you using?

 

Hi

Just these in the front of the house with maybe a white upright geranium
Begonia Million Kisses Devotion
And in the back Fuchsia Cecile two baskets nothing else or I may have a Voodoo as well

I had mixed last year , if you have a nose at my photo album on here you can see them, I have put you on my follow list