Summer bedding hanging baskets - help and ideas

james-HYumfQs

Hi everyone. I need some advice for 18" hanging baskets for the school I work at. It's my job to take over from the previous suppliers. I agent any photo references, but they were beautiful last year, a fountain and waterfall or cascading colour. I'm guessing the knack to these are quality compost, liquid feed like seaweed and the best plants? They plugged trailing plants and had loads of colour. I guess gold candidates

Petunia, lobelia, bacopa, nemesis, trailing geraniums and normal geraniums, surfinia, verbena ?

Also, what's the best liquid feed and is there any other feed to use when planting. We need to keep the plant life for as long as possible throughout the flowering season. 

They plugged trailing plants into the sidewalls too. Is there a maximum amount of plants per basket ? Any tips as this would be my first time. My winter bedding and bulb layering has worked great, but these need to be the showpiece and we have a good budget. Thanks all 

Jenny_Aster

Go for double flowers, such as double petunias, imo they give a more colour splash. Trailing double begonias also work well. Black eyed Susan, trailing double fuchsias, white alyssum gives a contrast. I like to pack the plants in (within reason) which the plants then will need lots of feeding.   

JennyJ

For flowers you want a high potash fertiliser. Tomato feed is good and a cheap brand will do fine.

Sufficient watering is more important, directly into the compost not over the flowers/foliage, every day even if it rains once the plants cover the top of the basket because rain will run off the flowers/leaves of a full basket without getting to the roots. Twice a day if it gets hot or windy or both. When we had high 30s to 40 C with hot wind last summer I watered mine 3 times a day they were drying out so quickly. You'll probably need someone to do them at weekends if you don't have an automated watering system

james-HYumfQs

Thanks, would liquid seaweed work at all? Otherwise I'll use the above..thanks so much for the help

james-HYumfQs

Could I use liquid seaweed along with potash fertiliser ? 

JennyJ

I don't see why not but I'm not sure whether it would make any difference. I've never tried seaweed feed on baskets but check the NPK - you want the K value to be higher than the others. Maybe someone who's tried it can comment.