flower pouches

I have used them for a few years and find that normal busy lizzie's work quite well in them. However they are right pain to water and i have never managed to keep the flowers going as long in them as they were in tubs.

Last year my mum gave me two with a reservior at the bottom for the water which worked better for watering but still dried out really quickly.

Whatever plant you use they need to be small when you plant them to get them through the 'holes' in the pouch without to much damage to the leaves. I tend to plant small plug plants straight into the pouches and keep them flat on the ground for a few weeks till the plants are established and then hang them up.

 

we had fourteen of them last year, and MIL had them hanging around her staging in the greenhouse while they got started, until we hung them on the fences in May. It was a bit hard to get round her greenhouse, but otherwise, it worked very well! We have a few more this year, as we've ordered a few more things from T+M and got a few more freebies! :D We'll definitely be using bits of hosepipe down the back in all of them!

 

So what do I do with the hose Dendy??? Do I pour the water down it??? Better get some of those water retaining granule things too by the sounds of it :rolleyes:
Now I'm wondering where I should put them!!!!! Do all these plants need full sun or will they be ok with shade for part of the day???? If they're going to need a lot of water the patio would be easiest, but its in shade for half the day :confused:

 

What we are doing is to put it at the back of the pouch, almost all the way down to the bottom of the pouch. If you could get a little drip tray in that would be great, but we can't with ours......unfortunately. Then put in the compost and plugs, packed in firmly, and one or two plugs in the top to add to the super-abundance of blooms and traily things, and also to disguise the top of the hose ( :D ). Then you can water straight into the hose, but slowly, so it has time to seep through to the bottom, and not just fill the length of hose and splurge out of the top. We put about half a jugful in each morning and evening. We didn't have a hosepipe ban, so we were able to spray the bags too, during that long, hot dry spell - remember that? Seems like some other life..... :rolleyes:

The water-retaining crystals are ok - but don't be tempted to use more than they say on the pack, as they swell up and push your plants out of the container...... Been there, done that!

 

I shall look forward to hearing. A true climbing fushsia could be marvelous.

BTW have you seen the Hayloft catalogue. Nice looking and I'm tempted to add to my penstemons.

 

I've been sitting firmly on my purse, Fran - and avoiding buying things - the last year or so has been VERY expensive, particularly all that fencing we had to put in as dog boundaries and then rabbit defences! :eek: So garden spending is severely restricted this year - just seeds! (I've got plenty of those though - I'll be ok!) The fuchsias were a must, tho....... a business expense!

 

:D :D :D

That reminds me don't forget that I was to send you a stroblanthes in spring, so far the cuttings are doing OK in the greenhouse.

 

Lovely!! Looking forward to that! Thanks Fran. :D

 

If you want cheaper flower pouches check out ebay - there's a few sellers showing them. I've ordered mine - now to find some nice trailing strawberries.....

 

OOh, I hadn't thought of strawberries!!!
Ordered some double trailing petunias for mine so far - big, fat and loud......just like me :D :D :D

 

this is a lady who is nuts about plants.I always use pouches and find that busy lizzies will stand any weather . They will cover the pouch and if you put water gel crystals in the compost they look a picture and keep the compost moist down to the bottom.Glad toc have joined you .carolla.

 

Hi, Carolla and welcome! :D

We found the busy lizzies disappointing last year, but the petunias were great!