Hanging baskets planted up
By balcony
11 comments
Last Saturday, 9th, I bought 20 little pots of Fuchsias in the local market as I wanted to plant five in each of my 4 hanging baskets.
I had been saving them to put hanging tomatoes in. As the tomatoes didn’t survive I had been left with 4 baskets without any plants. I put one of each in one basket then the other three I planted three plants of the same variety together & two different ones. But in all four baskets I planted Thalia in the centre as I believe its taller & more upright than the others, also it has a more dusky colour to the foliage & should stand out more. I think just one basket of Thalia would probably look terrible!
On Sunday afternoon I planted up the baskets. I took about 4 cuttings off almost every plant. I thought I would try the method explained in a post on 6 or 7 cutting being grown on together & not separated.
I was careful to put cutting of the same variety in each pot with its own label. Then I put them into plastic bags & put them on my bedroom windowsill. Unfortunately Monday & Tuesday’s sun through the window dried up many of the cuttings & by the time I looked at them again on Tuesday evening I found many of them had died! :( If any survive & root I’ll still be able to go ahead with the experiment.
Today, Wednesday 13th, I bought 2 trays of 20 bush Lobelias & put 5 or 6 plants in the sides of each of the baskets. I don’t know if any of the Fuchsias I bought are hanging plants – there’s no more information on the labels other than the name of the variety & its photo. Does anyone know where I can find more information on these different Fuchsia varieties?
I still have one basket to fill, so on Saturday I’ll go back to the market & get another 5 plants to fill it. When they are planted I shall put in the Lobelia & will have all 5 baskets the same.
If you think it is strange putting bush Lobelias in hanging baskets instead of the trailing varieties it is because the bush Lobelias seem to flower longer & being more compact they stick closer to the baskets, besides which on a tiny balcony like mine trailing Lobelias are such a nuisance. I did try it one year but didn’t like it & the following year went back to the bush varieties.
I spent the May Day Bank Holiday Monday reorganizing my balcony, putting away the big white circular table & moving the greenhouse into its place. I normally take down the greenhouse when I put the table away but because of all the Amaryllis seedling bulbs I put into individual pots I had to leave it up as there is nowhere else to put them! That meant moving the pouch with the Busy Lizzies to the other end of the balcony so this year they are side by side behind the door out onto the balcony. They don’t look much yet but as the nights get warmer during June they will grow away very quickly.
13 May, 2009
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Comments
i am sure this will look wonderful when the plants are in flower. well done on the propagating.
13 May, 2009
you are certainly going to brighten up your little area again,shame about your cuttings perhaps you,ll be lucky and save some,I usually put both sorts of lobelia in my baskets for the same reasons,the bush variety always lasts longer especially if you give it a haircut occasionally.Looking forward to seeing this years pics.....
13 May, 2009
Dont forget to repot them in the autumn and keep them frost free. Thalia isnt hardy at all so extra special tlc for that one. I have 'Harry Gray' and 'La Campanelle' still on the go from 3 yrs ago. fresh cuttings every year its brill.
14 May, 2009
Oh thanks searburngirl, i have harry gray and la campanelle this year so will hang on to those!
If you 'Google' them balcony you might find out more about them.
14 May, 2009
I was really interested in your blog. It is very informative for beginners like myself. What happened to your tomatoes? I only ask because I have lost seedlings and had to give a lot away because I have had problem after problem.
14 May, 2009
Joanii, to be truthful I don't really know! They had started to come up nicely & were just beginning to show their true leaves. These were hanging tomatoes I had intended to put in the hanging baskets. Then I sowed the Moneymaker tomato seeds on top of them, not expecting any to grow really, but on the off chance that one or two would make it. I expected to be able to tell the difference as the first sown would be more advanced & ready for transplanting by the time the others, if any, germinated.
As I had to put the seed tray out on the balcony I can only imagine that the cold nights made them weaker & gradually the others took over. Quite a few Moneymaker seeds germinated even though the packet had been open for at least 3 years!
I only have space for about four plants on the balcony & I have at least 20 plants all growing in individual pots.
19 May, 2009
I've bought two growbags & tomorrow I will plant them up with the tomato seedlings that look ever so good on the table on the balcony.
1 Jun, 2009
Angie: I use Miracle grow compost for my hanging baskets (and pots!). This has nutrients to feed the plants for 6 months and my plants always seem to do well with it.
Watering is the biggest problem with hanging baskets. If you can find some plastic tubes and pierce several holes (not too big) and fill those with water, then the plants will do much better. There are some similar devices in lgc, they are green, with lil' holes and sit in the compost too. You can get 6 tubes for about £6. Good luck!
5 Jun, 2009
I water mine from the ground using 2lt water bottles. I have three that I reach on tip toe & 2 that are a little lower so I need only stretch up. I have to go over them a couple of times, starting at the end nearest the door & going along them to the far end of the balcony. Then I go back to the first & start all over again!
I've added water retaining crystals for the first time this year so I hope my watering will be reduced to just once a day during the hottest weather. Other years I've had to water twice a day during the hottest days.
6 Jun, 2009
Craftnutter - thanks for that will give it a go cheers x
7 Jun, 2009
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Balcony you have been a busy bee - look forward to seeing it when it's all finished - I bet you are the envy of your neighbours your other photos are fantastic - I can't seem to get the hang of hanging baskets (no pun intended ;) ) will try again this year and will keep at it even if it kills me.
13 May, 2009