Amateur Gardening – 21 May 2019

42 AMATEURGARDENING 11 MAY 2019

T

HERE’Sa techniquetosettingup
a traditionalhangingbasket.
Followthisarticleandyou’ll
enjoyanexuberantdisplayof
flowersforweeksorevenmonths
throughthesummer– andevenlater
if youchooseyourplantscarefully.
A hangingbasketis simplya
containerforcompostwithstrongchains
attachedsoyoucanhangit froma wall
bracket.A traditionalbaskethasa strong
wireframewitha separateliningthat
allowsyoutoplantintoboththetopand
thesides.Othersarelittlemorethan
largepotsandonlythetopis planted.
Side-plantingbasketsgivea fullerand
biggerdisplaybecauseyoucangetlots
moreplantsintothem,buttheyneed
some care in putting together.

Rightlocationandtherightbracket
First,decidewhereyouwanttohang
yourbasket.Nexttothefrontdooris a
favourite,soyoucanenjoythedisplay
everytimeyougoin orout.If you’re
hangingthebasketfroma brickwallor
similar,you’llneedtoputupa strong
bracket to carry it. A big, wide basket will

How to make hanging baskets

Best techniques to getthe job right with Tim Rumball

How to use tools

needa longerbracketarmthana small-

diameterone.Towork,it mustbemore

thanhalfthediameterof thebasket.

Mountthebracketsothatthebasket

hangsa littleaboveheadheight,

otherwiseyou’llalwaysbewalkinginto

it. Markthescrewholesonthewallusing

thebracketasa pattern,drillthemout

carefullyusinga hammerdrillandinsert

theright-sizedplugs(a snugfit)before

screwingthebracketfirmlytothewall

using screws around 2in (5cm) long.

Makingthebasket

Nowforthebasket.Unhookoneortwo

of theclipsholdingthechainsin place

togivebetteraccess.Traditionalwire-

framedbasketsneeda fabricorcoir

fibrelining.Theseareeasytofit,unlike

sphagnummossthatwasoncethelining

of choicebeforeit raisedenvironmental

issues.Fabricandfibreliningsarebetter

in everyway.Buyonetherightsizefor

yourbasket(usually12in,14inor

16in/30cm,35cmor40cmdiameter),

nestleit in theframeandtrimoff,fold

overortuckin anyexcess.Nowcuta

circle of plastic from an old compost

Basketscanprovidea gloriousriotof colourat eyelevelrightthroughsummer,

but you have to set them up right. Here, I’ll show you how, saysTim Rumball

sackabout8in(20cm)diameterand

positionit in thebaseof theliner. This

will act as a water reservoir.

Compostandfertiliserneeds

Nowforthecompost.Youcanbuya

containercompostthathasslow-release

fertiliserandwater-retainingcrystals

mixedin.Goodfertiliseris essential

becauseit willbesustaininga lotof

plants,andwater-retainingcrystalshelp

to holdmoisturemakingwateringless

frequent.Otherwise,buymultipurpose

andaddslow-releasefertiliserandwater-

retainingcrystalsto enoughcompost to

fill your basket. Mix it thoroughly.

Howtoplacethesideplants

Standthelinedbasketona flowerpotno

biggerthanthecircleof plasticin the

base.It’susualtosettwotiersof plants

throughthesidesof a largebasket,but

justonefora smallbasket.Workout

wherethelowesttierwillgoin the

basketandfillthebaseof thebasket

withcomposttojustbelowthatlevel.

Cuta smallcrossthroughthelinerabout

2x2in (5x5cm) for the first plant, wrap a

Awell-preparedandpatientlybuilthanging

basketcanprovidea sumptuous display if

you follow my guide

Anatomyofa

hanging basket

Han in loop

Ch s

Clips

connecting

chainsto

ba et

Ba

frame

Fabricor

coirl ing

Circle f plasticto

act asreservoir