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Hanging baskets

terence.mccallumterence.mccallum Posts: 72
in Plants
Hi all, thinking forward to growing some plants for my hanging baskets, I have some begonias for the top of my baskets but was looking for ideas for plants for around the side of my baskets any ideas anyone 
 cheers Terry

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,245
    What a cheery thought at this time of year.
    I've become a fan of Calibrachoa over the last few years. Like a smaller petunia but doesn't need dead-heading at all.
    Bidens  also do well.
    Of course there's always trailing lobelia
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • LynLyn Posts: 21,869
    I always sow Lobelia, petunias and nemesia seeds in large quantities, then find some other seeds I like to infill for baskets and tubs.
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • yorkshireroseyorkshirerose Posts: 574
    If you use trailing begonias you shouldn't need anything for the sides, they hang over the baskets and trail nicely. Very effective.
     Do you have trailing begonias? If not,dry corms will be available from good Garden Centres next month which can be started into growth from March (in a frost free place) . Grow them on and plant into your baskets (3x plants will fill a 14inch basket)   Place them outside when all risk of frost has passed - usually end of May up here in the North.
    Alternatively young plants can also be bought from Garden Centres from around the beginning of April.
    A gardener's work is never at an end  - (John Evelyn 1620-1706)
  • KiliKili Posts: 1,040
    Pete.8 said:
    What a cheery thought at this time of year.
    I've become a fan of Calibrachoa over the last few years. Like a smaller petunia but doesn't need dead-heading at all.
    Bidens  also do well.
    Of course there's always trailing lobelia
    Hi Pete, do you buy calibrachoa plug plants or grow from seed?

    I tried from seed and their a devil to propagate. from about 50 seeds I had two take last year.

    kili

    'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

    George Bernard Shaw'

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,245
    Hi Kili I had the same success rate as you with seed 2 years running
    They're supposed to be quite easy.
    So I bought plugs from a local nursery I was very impressed. They flowered throughout the summer, some were fragrant and best of all no dead-heading :)
    I tried to over winter them, a few came through ok, but I didn't try very hard.
    There's a huge choice of varieties of plug plants on line but only limited selection of seed varieties
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • KiliKili Posts: 1,040
    Hi Pete, 'Supposed to be quite easy' They seem to be anything but!
    Getting the right conditions I suppose . I did try. I used a temperature controlled heated propagator with grow lights but still could not get them to take off enmass.
    Maybe I'll try both this year some plugs and seed. I'll avoid Thompsons as some Surfina plugs I ordered went missing in action last year and the replacements turned up far to late.

    Happy XMAS and good growing in the New Year Pete.

    Kili


    'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.

    George Bernard Shaw'

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 10,245
    Cheers Kili - I also put the seed into a heated propagator but like you only got 2-3 that germinated from each of the 2 packets I had. I will try again next year and if I get the same result at least the nursery is only just down the road.

    Best wishes for Xmas and the New Year to you and yours too, and let's hope for a good growing year in 2020!!
    Pete
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • terence.mccallumterence.mccallum Posts: 72
    Thanks for the advice all, I will try some calibrachoa and lobelia
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