Hanging Baskets

Hanging baskets are a wonderful way to have a burst of gorgeous flowers especially if you don't have the time or the space for a flower garden. You can but pre-made hanging baskets or have the pleasure of making your own beautiful creation.

Choose Your Basket
Typical hanging baskets are made of wire or plastic and come in
diameters of 8 to 24 inches. Wire basket liners include sphagnum moss,
coco fiber, plastic, and pressed paperboard. Sphagnum moss and coco
fiber are porous, so they will dry out more quickly than pressed
paperboard or plastic.

Add Soil
Fill the basket with a lightweight potting mix. You can buy a packaged
mix or make your own with equal parts peat moss, perlite, and
vermiculite.  Fill the soil to within an inch or two of the rim for ease in watering.

Plant the Basket
Baskets packed with a single kind of flower have loads of impact.
Combinations can be handsome, too, if there's space for the multitude.
When using multiple species, include tall, midrange, and trailing
forms for variety. Place taller plants near the center and trailing
plants along the edges. Try to include varying bloom sizes. For
example, vinca, miniature rose, and petunia offer large flowers, while
hyssop, lobelia, and calibrachoa have dainty blooms.

Water Well
Water the soil mix thoroughly after planting. Thereafter, you may have
to water daily in hot weather. Break open the crust and rewet the soil ball thoroughly.
Pinch the tops of plants if they begin to look leggy.