Expert Hanging Baskets Advice Gardening by the Yard : Episode GBY-807 -- More Projects »
Looking for some fun and creative ways to display a lot of color in a little space? Hanging gardens (figure A) give you the chance to put color right where you want it, plus spotlight certain plants. Hanging basket expert Erick Lux shares loads of ideas with master gardener Paul James:
This unusual combination of moss, which requires lots of moisture, and succulents, which require dryness, is made possible by the excellent drainage of a moss-lined wire hanging basket (figure B).
With the wide variety of baskets available, including wire, woven and wood, the possibilities are endless (figure C). The most important consideration in choosing a basket is the expanding root systems of the plants you've selected.
This basket (figure D) is good for cacti, succulents or small plants that don't have a whole lot of roots. For larger plants with deeper roots, a bigger basket with more depth would be more suitable. The more surface area for soil you have, the less frequently you will have to water and the more moisture the soil will hold.
If you're wondering how a wire basket can hold soil and plants, you'll want to know about liners; there are many types of liners that you can buy that enclose the contents nicely. Lux prefers moss (figure E) because it looks great and offers the best drainage no matter how finicky the plant. "In nature a certain number of plants grow on the sides of trees and rocks, and they need perfect drainage," says Lux. A moss basket provides the perfect conditions for plants like this tropical vireya rhododendron (figure F), which is native to Australia.
Orchids (figure G) make great moss basket subjects. Other plants like this staghorn fern (figure H) and even anthuriums also work well in moss-lined baskets.
Once you've chosen a basket, lining material, location and plants that thrive in the chosen location, you're ready for the fun part--planting your dandy dangler. Among the latest trends isn't so much bloom color but colorful foliage. "One thing that's really neat is chartreuse (figure I) with deep burgundy-purple (figure J)," says Lux, as in this sample basket (figure K).
Although you buy moss dry, it needs to be thoroughly soaked in water to create a basket liner. Lux tightly packs small sections of moss between the top two wires along the top of the basket (figure L). He lays larger sheets of moss along the sides of the basket and packs them into the wire. The moss sheeting doesn't have to be too thick, just thick enough to provide a solid netting to hold in the soil and plants. Before planting the basket, fill the container halfway with any premium potting soil. He uses a mixture of fir bark, peat, vermiculite and perlite. "We already know how great the drainage is in these moss wire baskets," says James. "That's why a quarter-cup organic fertilizer added to the soil is so important. Each time you water, nutrients leach out, but a time-release formula makes food available to the plants over a longer period of time."
Once the fertilizer is mixed in, it's planting time. Lux creates three layers: low, medium and high. For the low layer, Lysimachia foliage cascades over the basket edge (figure M).
Lux carefully packs the plants into the outer rim to conserve space. Next he adds lobelia, an annual with vivid purple blooms (figure N).
The next layer adds height, so Lux chooses Barleria (figure O) for the center. He leaves just enough space around it for the medium layer, which features plants that grow taller than the low-growing plants, but lower than the tallest plants. In keeping with the chartreuse and burgundy theme, he adds some coleus and Heuchera on either side of the Barleria, molding the plants into available spaces. He sprinkles soil into any empty areas left in the basket. Finally, he gives the basket a comprehensive watering. Lux suggests watering thoroughly, while still allowing the basket to dry out a little between watering. Before hanging, make sure the basket chain is hanging from a sturdy hook that's rated for the weight of the pot and is anchored in solid wood. Lux warns that a wet basket weighs a lot more than a dry basket. So make sure the structure the basket hangs from is strong enough to support a full, wet basket. Lux's sample basket planting should last three years or more. To help keep it nutrient-rich, you can add an organic fertilizer every four months or so. "Keep in mind that annuals like lobelia may need to be replaced, but as the rest of the plants grow, they'll fill in the holes nicely," says James. If you want to know when to water your moss-lined basket, give it a gentle tap on the bottom. If the moss feels moist, it doesn't require additional watering, but if it's dry and crispy, it needs a good soaking.
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