Hanging baskets are great, especially if you have a smaller garden or would like to brighten up a doorway, wall or patio. The best plants for hanging baskets will differ throughout the year, depending on weather and temperature, allowing for a complete re-invention of your chosen space every time you plant.
What You'll Need:
Step 1: Select a hanging basket type
Before we get started on how to plant hanging baskets, there are 3 different types of hanging baskets for plants and flowers to choose from:
Rattan hanging basketA rattan hanging basket looks great and has a plastic liner, which is great for water retention.
Plastic hanging basketsGreat for insulation, plastic hanging baskets help to protect your plants from strong winds and sunshine.
Wire-mesh metal hanging basketA hanging wire basket has a traditional design that allows for planting in both the top and sides of the basket.
Step 2: Line the hanging basket & add potting compost
Supporting your hanging basket in a bucket or stand while you work, line it with a wood fibre liner or moss.
Once lined, fill the basket with multi-purpose or moisture control compost that has been mixed with water gel crystals and slow release fertiliser granules, leaving approximately 2cm at the top.
Step 3: Build up your basket with plants
- For the best results, ensure that the plant size suits your basket of choice. Good trailing plants are: Petunia Surfina, trailing Fuchsia and Lobelias. For colour add Nemesia and Pansies along with Fuchsias and Geranium.
- Remove dead flower heads. Not only does it make your basket look tidier, it encourages more flowers.
- Remember that you don't have to plant flowers in your hanging basket. Strawberries and tomatoes grow extremely well in hanging baskets and are easy to pick.
- Generally the basket should be watered once or twice a day, but on hot, dry days water the basket early and hang it in the shade. On cold days, wait until it warms up before watering.
- Ensure your hanging basket bracket is strong enough to hold the weight of a watered basket.
For rattan and plastic baskets with solid sides you will need fewer plants.
- Up to 3 x centre plants
- 3 x plants for colour
- 6 x trailing plants
Put the trailing plants a few centimetres from the edge of the basket and fill any gaps with the compost mix, then firm the soil around the base of each plant.
Standard wire-mesh baskets:If you want to know how to make hanging baskets look fullwith a standard wire-mesh 35cm basket, simply add lots of plants.
- Up to 3 x centre plants
- 5 x plants for colour
- Between 7-9 plants trailing plants (to trail down the outside of the basket)
Step 4: Add more fertiliser
Sprinkle a further tablespoon of controlled-release fertiliser granules over the compost and water well. Fertiliser should be applied throughout the growing season or, alternatively, use a liquid feed alongside watering the compost weekly.
Regular watering and feeding will help you to produce a stunning floral display and, with a great selection of Winter hanging basket plants to choose from, it’s easy to keep your garden full of greenery throughout the year.
Now that you know how to plant hanging baskets, you can create your own green-fingered garden feature. You’ll find everything you need at Homebase, from compost and fertiliser to flowers, fruit and trailing foliage plants. Or, for a quick and easy solution, you’ll love our pre-planted hanging baskets.
Take a look at our range of hanging baskets and accessories and share your results with us @Homebase_UK.