Canux : Home Sweet Home

Posts Tagged ‘Hanging Baskets’

Here’s how to create containers of show stopping blooms for your patio, deck and porch.

Plant Containers can be created from things you would otherwise throw away and this activity therefore has the double appeal of creating an attractive flower display while at the same time going green!

I have found that planting in old ice buckets or flour or sugar containers or pots and pans or even old boots or children’s toys like wagons and doll cribs, produces an amazing effect. I love to put these out on the front of the house and see the number of adults and children that smile and comment to their friends as they pass. The fun is in the looking.

Sometimes the plant may be a little top heavy and unstable depending on the plant variety, but most of the time there is no problem. In fact when I first started I was disappointed to find that midway through the flowering season the plants lost their vigor. I gardening friend soon pointed out to me that I was not fertilizing. Plants in containers won’t thrive if you don’t fertilize. If you find this job too time-consuming, there’s an easy way to do it: just mix slow-release fertilizer pellets into the top layer of potting soil.

You can also create wonderful multi-layered flow display by putting additional planting in hanging containers or by raising the containers to allow drainage on forms and tables. Just make sure that you have devised a watering access strategy for the higher hanging baskets though or you will strain your arms stretching up to water, and quite possibly make yourself wet while doing it to the bargain!

If you don’t have containers that you can recycle, any type of clay planter pots that have drainage holes in the bottom and “saucers” to keep the soil from washing away, will work just fine; pick a size that fits the area you intend to grow your display blooms and how many containers you have. My local garden centre sells a 2O Inch Oval Planter is 6 1/2 inches tall from the bottom of the saucer and about 9 1/2 inches at the broadest point. It holds four or five annuals or small herbs or two large ones, and takes 2 gallons of soil. I have obtained outstanding results from plants growing in this manner.

Another tip is to make an arrangement of plants in your basket at the garden centre before you buy. You may see the other shoppers looking rather strangely at you, but why not? You’ll easily find out whether the combination of colors/leaf textures, and growth habits, plus blooms will work together. Remember, if you cannot make up your mind on what pot would suit the plant, experiment, and don’t be afraid to try something original. You can always re-pot the following year into a more preferred style. I find that a wide-based and tall container can be placed as a contrast, with larger plants to be a focus rather than a background.

In situations where my house plants have obviously had the attention of some leaf munchers, I isolate them in a plastic bag with a no-pest strip overnight. That procedure usually works quite well for me.

If you experiment you will learn how to do intensive gardening in small areas. Moveable containers such as pots and tubs rally are so flexible that all the year round your display can look neat and trim.

In dim areas, or near entryways, try using warm colors (reds and oranges). They grab attention and can be seen from farther away. When planting in exposed or public areas, heavy concrete tubs have the added advantage of discouraging anyone from “accidentally” walking off with your prized plants or pots. Concrete planters can be left outside over the winter in frost prone areas without harm, which is good since you’re probably not going to want to move them. Take care with clay though as one sharp and intense frost can cause many of the unglazed types to fall apart within 3 months.

Wood containers are also suitable. I do not recommend wine or whiskey barrels as they are too shallow and fall apart with the first transplant. Traditional cottage style wooden planters are some of my favorites. Some garden centers sell faux lead containers, and reformed granite planters, some of which offer simple antique rustic looks, and others have period style sophistication.

Planting flowers in containers adds immediate color and liveliness to your yard. They are great for adding color to a spot in a garden that ‘needs something,’ and they can be moved around for when you are entertaining in a certain area.

Displaying flowers and plants in hanging baskets can be traced back to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

Even the Victorians adored their lovely hanging baskets. As people moved to North America, their love of flowers, and diverse cultures brought various ways to display them.

Hanging baskets are an attractive way to decorate porches and verandas with beautiful colors and different plants. Usually the kind of flowers you plant is based upon the position they are in. If they are in full or part sun, or shade, this determines the plants that can be grown.

Use your imagination and likes to decide what flowers to plant. You can go with all one color, mixed colors, and holiday themes. If you want, you can use all the same flowers or mix sizes and colors in your flower baskets, window boxes, and planter stands. If you are in a warm climate you can start your hanging baskets and planters early and enjoy them for many months.

Using Hanging Baskets

To make your house and garden attractive, try hanging baskets in other places besides the front porch. Use a shepherd’s hook with a hanging basket beside your front steps or mailbox. Build an arbor and decorate it with hanging flowers. Frame your sidewalk, patio and entrances with colorful hanging baskets.

When you are ready to plant, decide what kind of planter you want. The sizes vary from 6 to 12 inches. Choose a size that is appropriate for the area where it will hang. When you have the container, then you are ready to put the moss in the pot. Sphagnum moss is used because it holds moisture and helps plants grow better. After the moss is moistened and fitted into the container, then you can add the potting soil and polymers. Potting soil by itself does not hold nutrients, so polymers need to be added periodically.

Hanging Baskets Require Minimal Care

Hanging pots are easy to take care of and come with an external saucer or an internal disk that holds water, which can be pulled into the plant. Just continue watering and fertilizing through the summer and you will be able to enjoy your beautiful plants the entire season. Hanging baskets do not take up a lot of room and are pleasing to look at, being at eye level.

With the Bloom Master hanging baskets, you do not need to use the moss. You buy the pots with growing holes and use potting mix with nutrients to help the plants grow faster and larger. These hanging baskets and box planters produce healthy beautiful plants in no time.

Plant Beautiful Flowers

When you have the pot prepared, place your flowers in and water them. Plant the largest flowers first and follow with the smaller ones and the fillers. Some popular flowers that are recommended for hanging baskets are petunias, impatiens, pansies, ferns, ivy, mums, coleus, fuchsias, and many others. Start planning your flower gardens now and enjoy a creative, beautiful growing season.