Hanging baskets, containers and window boxes are a great way to add colour to your home during summer. 
There are lots of different ways to fill hanging baskets depending on your budget and the type of flowers you like.
Now is the time to start preparing, planting and planning how to maintain them throughout the summer season.
First you need to decide where you would like to put the hanging baskets around your house and garden.
It is best to look for nice sheltered, sunny positions. Choose the size of baskets you would like – 12 inch up to 16 inch in diameter are the most popular.
Then pick the type of basket you are going to use.
There are lots of different types available, from the traditional wire with a moss style liner to a decorative metal or rattan material. You can even get self-watering baskets.
Once you have chosen your basket you need to fill this with good quality compost.
Use compost with a slow release fertilizer so that your plants will be fed slowly throughout the summer as they need it.
Compost should also contain water retention gels. This means that the baskets will not dry out as quickly as ordinary multi-purpose compost might.
Westland’s Container & Basket Compost contains both of these for optimum results.
Now it’s time to choose your plants. Start by deciding what colour scheme you would like, there are so many options.
You can go for one colour, a mix of different colours or a colour scheme depending on your taste.
Pick an upright Fuchsia or Geranium for the centre of the basket, and then choose a selection of foliage with flowering basket plants for around the edge.
There a so many plants to choose from. Surfinia (trailing petunia), Verbena, Sanvitalia and Million Bells are very colourful plants that will spread throughout the basket and several feet over the edge if well looked after.
Choose a Nepeta for a large trailing foliage plant which will fill out your basket and trail down to the ground.
If you use a wire basket it is possible to plant some lobelia or trailing basket plants around the side of the basket as you fill it with compost.
Remember to push the plants through from the outside so the leaves don’t get damaged.
Planting an upright plant in the centre with lots of trailing plants around the edge ensures a uniform shape to your hanging basket.
For a 14 inch basket you will need 1 centre piece with 6 basket plants around the edge.
Please contact any of the team at Robert Kee Garden Centre for suggestions and advice on other sizes of baskets or plant choices.
David’s Top Tips for happy hanging baskets
· Water your baskets well as soon as you plant them
· Feed weekly with Levington Tomorite – always a good choice for flowering plants
· Plants can be thirsty, just because it’s been raining doesn’t mean your baskets have had enough to drink.
Water them every day and twice a day during hot weather but not when the sun is shining on them.
To check if your basket has been watered enough, place one hand underneath it and try to lift it.
If it is very heavy it’s well watered but if it’s quite light, water more.
As flowers fade, cut the old flower and a bit of the green stem off. This will keep your baskets flowering in abundance.
During stormy weather it may be best to lift down your baskets to prevent them getting damaged.
If you have any questions or gardening queries feel free to contact us at Robert Kee Garden Centre, Laghey. Tel: 074 9721805 Ext. 4 E:davidperry@rkee.ie W: www.rkee.ie
Talk soon, David Perry HND. Hort, Garden Centre Manager, Robert Kee, Laghey.
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