Making A Hanging Basket For The First Time (what you need to know)

 

If you are planning to make a hanging basket for the first time, here are a few tips to guide you through the process.

Hanging baskets are easy to make, they are a great addition to any home. The great thing about hanging baskets are the fact that you have them on nearly all types of properties from terraced houses to country estates.

 

Basket Location

The first thing you probably need to work out is where you would like to have your hanging basket. Most people have them hanging from external walls, but they can also hang off a beam or roof. Although you will need to consider that hanging baskets need to be watered quite a lot, especially during the summer months and the majority of the water that you will apply will drain from your basket, so make sure that the water is not going to go somewhere you don’t want it to go.

 

Hanging Preparation

The next thing to consider is how you are going to hang your basket. A hook from a beam, or a bracket from a wall? The important thing is that whichever means you use, you must ensure that this can take the weight of the hanging basket, considering it contains fully grown plants and has just been heavily watered.

Buy brackets or hooks that are suitable for the size of hanging basket you are filling.

When attaching the bracket to the wall, use wall plugs and screws that are adequately sized. (Usually use screws that just to fit through the holes and go to the full depth of the wall plug). Also make sure that you apply screws to all the holes. Any concerns about this, you should seek advice as you really don’t want them falling on anyone.

 

Basket Choice

There are all kinds of hanging baskets to choose from, with different affects that you might want to display. Solid plastic, Wire mesh, cast Iron, widely spaced metal bars. They come in all different sizes but you will need to not get too carried away. The larger the basket it is, the heavier the basket will become.

 

 

 

 

 

Type of plants to use

There are many plant types that you can choose from when deciding the type of basket you would like. Please see this article about What are the best plants for hanging baskets. This will help you not only decide on the look you want, but will point out the type of conditions that your basket will need to be kept in.

Please also see our video, for a more visual guide of the plants you can use CLICK HERE.

 

 

The Type of Hanging Basket Liner to Use

A hanging basket liner is required on most types of hanging basket. There are some baskets that don’t require them, but these can have a very plastic look about them and most people decide to go for a more attractive alternative.

It should be fairly obvious if the basket you have requires a liner, if you are unsure ask the people who sold you it, but generally the basket will need a liner if there are spaces or holes in the basket.

There are numerous different liners to choose from, such as Sphagnum moss or Coco Coir, but we always recommend the Amateur’s Answer Hanging basket liner. These liners aren’t expensive. They are durable and re-usable and look great.

Basket liners need to allow drainage, so that the water doesn’t stagnate, but it also needs to be able to retain moisture and be flexible to fit all shapes of basket. Click here for more details on this product.

 

Filling Your Basket

Once you have chosen your basket and installed your liner, you are ready to fill it.

The main things required are a good quality compost, slow release fertiliser and your chosen plants.

Firstly, place your hanging basket on a large tub or bucket, this will keep it steady as you move it around.

• Start by putting a few handfuls of compost into the basket.
• Secondly, add a handful of slow release fertiliser and mix in to the compost (8-9 month fertiliser will be enough for the summer season)
• Continue to fill the basket to the top with compost and firm it down.

(To help keep your basket retain moisture through the drier seasons, you can add water retaining gel or granules at this point also)

• You can also apply wetting agent to the top of the compost. This will stop the basket from creating a crust further into the season and continue to allow watering. (CLICK HERE to see this product)
• Now you can start to apply the plants. The amount of plants you apply, depends on the type of plants you have chosen and the type of plant that you are doing. (CLICK HERE to see how to plant your basket)
• Once all of the plants are applied, give the basket a good watering and leave on the bucket for a few days, preferably in a greenhouse if you have one.
• If there is any chance of a frost, leave the hanging basket in a green house or under cover to protect it as best you can. The basket will develop a lot faster in a greenhouse, so take advantage of one if you can.
• Once the weather is suitable for the type of plants you have used, hang your basket up.
• Water at least once a day, sometimes two on hotter days and that’s pretty much all there is to it, other than to stand back and admire it.

 

I hope this has been helpful for any first time hanging basket maker.