The Gardener South Africa – September 2019

38 I http://www.thegardener.co.za

Prepare a soil mix

Hanging baskets are very contained spaces

for robust flowering plants. They also dry

out extremely fast, and once filled with soil

and planted up can be very heavy. You can

overcome all of these challenges with a light,

water-retentive and nourishing soil mix:

Mix together

1 x 5L bucket of best quality all-purpose

potting soil

1L of coconut husk (palm peat)

1 handful of bonemeal

A handful Atlantic

Bio Ocean

2 handfuls EXLGel,

pre-mixed

Notes about your ingredients

• The coconut husk is sold in a compressed brick
  form. Soak it in a 5L bucket of water first to loosen
  the husk, then mix it with your potting soil.


• The EXLGel is a water-retentive product. Simply
  add a 5g packet to 1 litre of water, stir and allow
  to stand for 15 minutes before adding it to the
  soil mix. (There are many different water-retentive
  products available, so simply ask for one at your
  nursery. It is very important to use them to keep
  the
  soil in
  baskets
  evenly
  moist for
  longer).

Prepare the baskets

Garden centres stock a wide range of hanging baskets,

from plastic baskets to woven baskets already lined

with plastic and fitted with chains for hanging up. You

can also choose between different sizes of sturdy steel

baskets with ready-to-use coir linings to fit each size.

• Place the basket on a large empty plant pot in
  order to work more comfortably and to keep it
  steady.


• Punch a few holes if you have chosen a basket
  with a built-in plastic lining for drainage. If you
  are using a coir liner, simply place it in the basket.


• Fill up the basket with a little of your soil mix
  and start arranging your plants before filling the
  basket up with more soil to a few centimetres
  below the rim.


• Water your basket with a gentle rose spray
  afterwards and hang it up on a sturdy bracket.

Aftercare

The first thing to keep in mind is not to hang a basket too high.

It should be just above eye-level for you to enjoy and still be

within easy reach to care for.

• Water regularly, even every day in hot weather. If the top
  layer of soil feels dry, the basket needs watering.


• Feed the plants weekly or biweekly with a water-soluble
  fertiliser at half-strength.


• Remove spent flowers regularly to encourage more
  blooms.

PRACTICAL GARDENING

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