Hanging baskets

Does anyone know when I can make up my hanging baskets and hang them. We have had a couple of belting hot days but not sure what the forecast is for the rest of the week?

I'd be grateful for any input

 

has no-one got any ideas :rolleyes:

 

Depends what you are putting in them Mimi

You can make them up now and hang them in a greenhouse until posibilty of frosts have passed...this is usually said to be end of May but i usually find end of April is ok for me

If you put them out now after a few nice days then they will be ruined as soon as the weather turns again...which it usually does late march early april

Steve

 

Hi Mimi...if you have a greengouse, best start now,and let them grow on,you can just keep them on benches if you got room, lol otherwise hang them, by end May you have a wonderful show.Get plugs from a local a nursery at a fraction of the cost for up to 15" basket, I put 2 diff. col.Petunia Surfinias in with blue or mixed trail.lobelia,a Begonia semperflorens in centre for hight, 2-3 busy Lizzis around the Begonia not too near edge.Chose your own colour scheme. Don't attempt to put Fuchsias or Geraniums in with them,not suitable with the other plants. they all blend in well together and flower non stop till frost, providing you water them almost daily, unless it poors down all day, Remember wind dries them up and when they are full of foliage very little rain gets to the root.Also feed them weekly with a high potash fertiliser, like Phostrogen.Best get ordinary plastic baskets with drip trays and chain, not plastic hangers,they wont last many seasons,if at all. No deadheading required.
Or you could make it all mixed col. Busy Lizzies with Lobelias, or 2-3 trail. Fuchsias or trail. Geraniums ( Ivy leaved )on their own, but you wont get such a show and mess on ground lol
Hope it helps.

 

Do you not have to dead head petunias? I've been doing it for years and they're disgustingly sticky.

 

Revin I have grown them for years, you sure it's the Surfinias ? the ordinary ones stick ...never liked or grown them. If I had to deadhead them would spend most of day doing it, as I have loads about, only reason i grow those. No time for deadheading lol May just have one window box with Ivy leave Geraniums,can just manage that.

 

Thanks for your advice, unfortunately I don't have a greenhouse, I could make them up and put them in my house which has an extension which is made up of a lot of glass. I'll print this thread out so I know what to buy, I already have four trailing fuschias which I love so can you help me build around those please. Thanks

Mimi

 

Mimi just put some trailing lobelia with them and make 1 large or 2 medium baskets with them.Put them 2" from edge and maybe you could put a Begoinia semperflorens in centre for hight, pick contrasting colours, come in all cols even bronze foliage. Your extention sound brilliant I guess its double glazed, better then any greenhouse this time of year. From about end of April put them out on sunny days to slowly harden off and bring in at night. Depending where you live, I can put my plants out end of April early May normally. Still got some come back from last year. This Petunias are quite tough, and you can take cutting from them in late Autumn with very little heat overwintering but only for your own use, I believe still a breeders right, they call it illegal to sell lol. I grow them from seeds too, 8 weeks from seed to flower. GOOD LUCK!

 

Ladybird they're definatly Sufinias I always grow 'Blue vein' because it smells so good. The rest don't smell. It produces seed pods so I pick them off. I've only got 2 baskets so it doen't take that long and I get a good sniff while I'm doing it but they are definatly sticky. :eek:

 

Re hanging baskets,
I thought I would try nasturtiums, they are all growing nicely indoors and they would hang about well wouldn't they? just an idea. :rolleyes:

 

I have been trying to take all of your advice but can't get hold of many of the above listed plants, I've tried a couple of good garden centres and they say its too early.

I'll have to wait a few more weeks it seems.

Thanks again

 

If you can't wait try these, though bedding will probably be in the shops by the time the order gets delivered!!!!
http://www.suttons-seeds.co.uk
http://www.jparkers.co.uk/

Also, do you have any markets nearby. We have one, that is already selling bedding plants (he is warning people not to put them out yet)!
Still, its always good looking at plants

 

rosietu

Nasturtiums make a good basket but are prone to blackfly and catterpillars

on the upside..all parts of them are edible...leaves, flowers, seeds

Steve

 

Too early? I bought my plants at the end of Febuary.I get them really small and bring them on in my porch(I don't have a greenhouse)I pinch them out as I want to feed them as I want to and end up with a plant 3 times the size as I could have bought when it's time to plant out.It's no cheaped and it's a lot more work but it's worth it. If your local garden centrs aren't selling them yet try your local DIY stores, our Focus has had bedding plants for the last fortnight.(they're always willing to sell plants early so you can buy a replacment lot when yours get caught by a late frost if you chance putting them out.