Materials

A 14-inch wire basket frame
wire hanger (hook or eye)
Sunshine or MySoil potting soil
1/2 bag or moss
2 tbsp fish meal
2 tbsp 14-14-14 Osmocote slow release fertilizer
Plants for a Sunny basket

1 Geranium (Zonal) for the top
3 Proven Winner trailers for the top
3 fillers for the top
24 plants (trailers & fillers) for the sides (We can show you what we use)
Plants for a Shady Basket

1 Tuberous Begonia for the top
3 Proven Winner trailers for the top
3 fillers for the top
24 plants (trailers & fillers) for the sides
(We can show you what we use)

Method

• Set aside your plants for the top.
• There are twenty-four plants for the sides. Divide up your plants into four groups of six each that will be the four layers of your basket. In each group you will have 3 trailers, like Supertunias, trailing verbenas and bacopa and 3 fillers like fibrous begonias, lobelia and gazanias. I like the plants mixed throughout the basket so I would mix them for each layer and also vary placement around the basket.
• Line the bottom of the basket with moss.
• Fill the basket about 1/4 of the way full with potting soil.
• Sprinkle ½ tbsp of fish meal.
• Now begin to plant the bottom layer by passing the roots through the wire and laying the roots onto the potting soil. Do all six plants this way.
• Add moss to the edges going up the sides about 2 inches.
• Add more potting soil for the second layer, sprinkle ½ tbsp of fish meal and repeat the planting.
• Add more potting soil for the third layer, sprinkle ½ tbsp of fish meal and repeat the planting.
• Add more potting soil for the fourth layer sprinkle ½ tbsp of fish meal and do the last layer of the sides.
• When the sides are all planted, you can add enough moss to make a nice crown or top edge for your basket. Then fill with potting soil and put the remainder of the organic fertilizer and the Osmocote in the soil and gently mix.
• Now you can plant the top. The Geranium or Tuberous Begonia sits in the middle with the three Proven Winner trailers evenly spaced around and the other three plants between the trailers.
• Water the basket with a liquid transplanter fertilizer (or ½ strength 20-20-20 or liquid kelp).

Caring For Your Basket

The secret to a beautiful basket is good quality plants, planted carefully with regular watering and fertilizing. Do not let your basket dry out even once.

Feed your basket weekly with a liquid such as Plant Prod 15-30-15 or liquid kelp as the label recommends. Feel free to come to the Garden Centre we're always happy to show you our favourite fertilizers for more flowers!

Remember not to put your plants out too early; in our area, we usually hang our baskets out around Mother's Day.

Shauna Lambeth ©

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