A pair of well-stuffed hanging baskets either side of a door is one of the cheeriest sights of summer. Plant them up in May, grow them on safely until the frosts have gone, and they will pour out flowers right through to autumn.
The right compost and lining
Baskets dry out faster than any other container, so the compost matters. Use a good multipurpose mix with added water-retaining gel and a moss or fibre liner, and sit a small saucer or piece of plastic in the base to act as a reservoir.
Planting for a full look
The secret to a basket that drips with colour is planting generously and on every level.
- Plant some trailers through slits in the sides, not just the top.
- Put an upright plant in the centre for height.
- Pack the surface with trailing and bushy flowers.
Grow on before hanging out
If you plant tender bedding like petunias and lobelia in early May, keep the baskets in a greenhouse or porch until the danger of frost has passed. They establish faster sheltered, and go out as full, ready-grown baskets.
Water and feed without fail
A basket in full sun can need watering twice a day at the height of summer, and a single missed day in a heatwave can finish it. Feed weekly once it is growing well, snip off the faded flowers, and it rewards you for months.