Container Gardening Complete

Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete

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Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete
#175 Dtp: 229 Page: 79

Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete

#175 Dtp: 229 Page: 78

700309 - ContainerGardens_001-272_FINAL.indd 79 6/5/17 2:51 PM

This sweet, three-tiered hanging basket planter uses a combination of

foliage and flowering annuals to make a unique display. But instead

of using an expensive wire hanging basket, the project repurposes an old

set of hanging fruit or vegetable kitchen storage baskets. Styled in the

same manner as expensive coconut fiber-lined baskets, this DIY version

costs a lot less and looks just as beautiful.

Though you can grow any number of small-statured flowering and

foliage annuals in this planter, I chose a shade-loving combination of

begonias and a few spiller plants to tumble over the edges.

This planter includes the following plants:

• 2 golden creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia ‘Aurea’)


• 1 English ivy (Hedera helix)


• 5 mixed-foliage Rex begonias (Begonia rex hybrids)


• 1 trailing begonia for the top tier (I used Begonia
  ‘Summerwings Rose’®)

MATERIALS NEEDED

1 three-tiered hanging

fruit or vegetable

kitchen storage basket

1 yard of natural burlap

(brown or light green)

1 small bag of sheet

moss (available from a

florist or craft store)

Enough 50/50 potting

soil and compost blend

to fill all three tiers

TOOLS NEEDED

Scissors

HANGING

BEGONIA

BASKET

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HOW TO MAKE A HANGING BEGONIA BASKET

STEP 1 Begin by removing the

chain hanger from the bottom

two baskets to disconnect all three

baskets from each other. Then,

place each basket face-down on

the piece of burlap. Use scissors

to cut a circle of burlap that’s a

few inches larger than the rim

of each basket.

STEP 2 Flip the baskets back

over and line the inside of each

of them with pieces of sheet

moss covering all the metal, then press the circle of

burlap down onto the moss. Use scissors to cut off the

excess. It’s okay if the burlap hangs over the edge a bit.

STEP 3 Replace the chain hanger by reconnecting it to

each of the baskets. Hang the baskets from a ceiling

hook, tree branch, or shepherd’s hook, and make sure

the chains are positioned so each basket is level. Fill

each basket with the 50/50 potting soil blend until it’s^3 ⁄ 4

full. Begonias are shade-lovers, so this basket will do

best under trees or in another shady area.

STEP 4 Arrange the plants in the baskets so the

spillers are toward the outer edge. Each basket should

have one spiller and two begonias. Once all the plants

are in place, fill in around their roots with more potting

soil blend until each basket is filled to within 1 in. of its

upper rim. Water each basket well. Rex begonias like

to be watered regularly, but they do not like constantly

wet soil. Since the soil volume is so small, the baskets

should be watered fairly frequently, but Rex begonias

are quite forgiving, even if they’re left high and dry for a

few days.

NOTE: At the end of the growing season, before the

arrival of fall’s first frost, this planter can be moved

indoors and grown as a houseplant. Rex begonias are

wonderful houseplants, though they do like higher

humidity than that found in most homes. If you can, hang

your begonia basket next to a bathroom window where

the humidity from the shower will prove helpful. Indoors,

Rex begonias like bright, but not direct, sunlight.

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Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete

#175 Dtp: 229 Page: 79

Job:06-700309 Title: CPS - Container Gardening Complete

#175 Dtp: 229 Page: 78

700309 - ContainerGardens_001-272_FINAL.indd 79 5/24/17 1:07 PM