Hanging baskets
By Wohlibuli
gwinnett county, georgia,
United States 
I want to make some hanging baskets this year and the ones you line with moss all seem to be round. I was thinking of using wire poultry netting and making cone and cylinder shapes. Instead of lining with moss I was planning on trying it with burlap. Can anyone give me any tips? Will these shapes hold enough soil for the plants? Do I need a resevoir in the bottom to hold water? Any advice welcome (and needed)!
2 Mar, 2009
Answers
It also depends on what area you live in and weather they will be watered regularly naturally or not, your best bet is judge your basket soil quality with the needs of your intended plants. Trailing plants often look beautiful if the basket is above head height if it is slightly lower down try mixing trailing with either bulbs or annuals. Spend an hour or so at a garden centre or b&q and read the information on all the plants. Trailing plants also require reasonably well drained soil so you have less reason to worry.
As an example of one we have done, we made a manger using twisted steel and lined the manger with thin chicken wire. Inside this we placed a simple black bin bag, peicred at regular intervals. Underneath this we used fibourous bulbing compost, then layers of leaf mulch and potting compost to give an even drainage. The trailing plants covered the unslightly chickenwire and bin bag and all of them flourished! then again, i live in a very wet climate...
3 Mar, 2009
Thank you for your responses. I live in the southeastern US and it gets very hot in the summer, but is usually still quite humid. These will be watered daily and will be about 6-6 1/2 feet off the ground or patio. I can only assume, Tigerlilly that a manger is a rectangle shape? It is not a term used here except in a religious connotation. But a shape out of chicken wire and steel wire would be what I am doing, so I guess I will need something more to retain moisture then just moss or burlap. Hmm, I will have to ponder what to use. Thanks again to you both
3 Mar, 2009
a manger in this context is the metal holder on a wall for hay for a horse etc. some are half moon shape and others are longer with rounded edges.
3 Mar, 2009
Thank you Seaburngirl.
3 Mar, 2009
Seaburn has it right its like a long basket ours is fixed to a wall. Moss is probably a fantastic idea, also if you have any old jeans or any thick cotton or wool fabrics rip them up and layer the bottom with them, it helps retain moisture fantastically, denim works especially well as I'v found so far!
4 Mar, 2009
Old jeans huh? Got quite a lot of those, great idea. Thanks!
4 Mar, 2009
I always put a layer of pond liner in the very bottom so i have about 5cm deep area that acts like a resevoir. you could also add water retaining crystals. as for will there be enough soil, it depends on how big the holder is and which plants you grow. sorry that isnt much help. i have seen fantastic hanging arrangements using succulents like sempervivum. they dont need much water.
2 Mar, 2009