What do i do with the hanging baskets?

Hi,
Yesterday i made up two hanging baskets - they are my first ones ever and i'm very proud! Now the problem is this - i have read in GW that i should keep them in the greenhouse at the moment as this will improve growth. I only have a little 4 tier growhouse (with a fleece lining as well a the clear cover provided) so i have removed one shelf to allow space for my hanging baskets. Is this sufficient protection? I open the front up during the day to allow fresh air in and then pull the cover down overnight - is this ok? How and when do i start hardening the baskets off? Presumably i only put the baskets out once the risk of frost has passed?

Sorry for all the questions and thanks for any help.

 

Hi busybee

It sounds like you are doing all the right things. To help your hanging baskets make the transition to the great outdoors, you could start leaving your growhouse open overnight during reasonable weather. Unless we are very unlucky, we shouldn't get much frost in the South now. (Date of last frost is generally late April.) But we are experiencing a lot of nasty dank windy weather at the moment, which can be a bit of a shock to plants which have been cosseted under cover, as they tend to put on soft growth which doesn't cope well with being blown about.

You are taking a lot of care over your plants. I'm sure they'll reward you. I don't have room for a greenhouse or even a little mini growhouse, so I tend to wait until a little later in the season to plant out my windowboxes with summer colour so that I can plonk tender plants straight out without worrying about them. In the spring, pansies, violas, primroses and, for a few fleeting weeks, dwarf spring bulbs, look lovely in containers and cope quite happily with the cold.

 

I think they'll be fine, Loofah.

 

I meant to say to Busybee that the baskets would probably come to no harm at all if they were simply put out in the elements now ... but then, knowing my luck, that would be tempting fate. We'd probably have another snowfall! :lollol: :lollol:

 

:hehe: oh yes, i get ALL the good luck! I will get my OH to put the brackets up next weekend i think. Thank you for the advice

 

I put my hanging baskets out a couple of weeks ago and all are growing really well despite the bad weather....roll on summer bit fed up now need some sunshine...

 

I should have known I was tempting fate. That Fish man has just said we're getting night frosts this week.

 

hmmmm....i may delay the hanging baskets until next weekend. we shall have to keep a check on the weather! Its doing all sorts atm! Weather said snow on the highlands this morning!!

 

i've just had a Pack of 10 Apricot Shade Begonia Corms from a well known shopping channel.Thing is looking on the reviews nearly everyone has had failers with them.All i wanted was baskets with low if any maintance but looking at the reviews dont feel very good about what i bought:dh:not even sure how to plant/look after them either :cnfs: anyone had these in baskets.Cheers guys:thumb:

 

Hi Cyril. We had those last year, as plug plants, and they were absolutely fabulous. Even though they were VERY small when they were delivered, they put on an amazing amount of growth (once they got going). I can't speak for the corms, but I can thoroughly endorse the plug plants. Actually, we're waiting for them to be delivered, hopefully this week.

Cheers...freddy.

 

just hope i dont wreck them thats all.from what i've seen on them they give a good show,thing is dont know if i'll get the same this year though????

 

Hi again Cyril. Assuming they're 'unstarted' corms, then just put them singly in 3" pots just below compost level, in a warm spot. Don't allow them to dry out, OR become waterlogged. Once they've put on sufficient growth, stick 'em in ! I'd say it IS a bit late to be starting off corms, but they'll soon catch up.

ATB...freddy.

 

Ideally Begonia corms should be started off in march in temperatures of around 20c but anything lower just means they will be slower to get going.
If you plant them in a basket and place outside they could be very slow possibly not seeing growth for a few weeks. If you have no alternative ie a greenhouse or propagator,you'll just have to wait and see, just don't buy them so late next time.

 

Agreed.