Flower Planting for Colour
With flowers chosen to suit the season a hanging basket or window box can add a wonderful splash of colour to an outside wall, patio or balcony area. Although most baskets or boxes are planted in early spring and positioned outdoors after the risk of frost has passed (usually mid May around Newbridge), remember baskets and window boxes can also be filled with frost hardy flowers and tough evergreens for winter colour.
People began erecting window boxes and baskets back in Roman times, and were particularly common in cities and urban areas where gardens were not available to the majority of the people.
Hanging Baskets / Window Boxes
Materials Required:
- Baskets and Window Boxes come in various sizes, choose a size which suits your location.
- Brackets also come in various sizes, choose brackets which will support the weight of the Basket / Box you have chosen – remember when filled with soil, flowers and water the Basket / Box can be quite heavy.
- Liners for Baskets can be purchased in local garden centres you can opt for a synthetic or natural liner e.g., moss, coconut fibre etc.
- Compost is probably the most important component, and fresh compost / potting compost, with if one chooses natural manure (now available in bags from your garden centre), or slow release fertilizer.
- And finally Flowers , having chosen the basket, liners, and compost if you purchase poor quality flowers, or unsuitable flowers the Basket will not thrive.
Once you have chosen the location for your baskets or boxes, ensure that your brackets are securely attached to the wall or railing, particularly if they are being positioned at a height or on a second story location, if the basket / window box falls it could injure a person below
Choosing plants:
Choose the plants carefully, and choose plants to a definite colour scheme, there are lots of plants which can be grown in baskets and window boxes, and when complimented by some trailing evergreens can look wonderful.
- Lobelia (Trailing) or (Ball effect / bushy)
- Geraniums (Trailing)
- Fuchsia (Trailing)
- Pansies
- Petunias
- Campanula (Trailing)
- Begonia
- Impatiens / Busy Lizzies (Ball effect / bushy)
- Clematis
Planting-up your Basket:
- Prepare your basket by covering the inside of the basket with your chosen liner, if you are planning to grow plants from the side of the basket make some small slits in the side of the liner.
- Place a small amount of manure (if you choose to use manure) into the base of the basket, otherwise loosen the compost (and mix in a handful of slow-release fertiliser if you so choose) and insert it into the basket.
- As you build up the soil select the plants you have chosen for the side of the basket and lace them through the slits in the lining, covering the roots and firming the soil around the roots.
- Place another layer of plants into the basket, firm the soil around the roots. Ensure that you leave a couple of inches of free space between the soil and the top of the basket.
- When planting a basket which will be positioned with a wall as background, plan the position of your flowers to ensure they bloom to the front.
- Water well, hang on the bracket and enjoy.
Planting-up your Window Box:
- Place a small amount of manure (if you choose to use manure) into the base of the window box, otherwise loosen the compost (and mix in a handful of slow-release fertiliser if you so choose) and insert it into the window box.
- Place your chosen plants into the window box, firming the soil around the roots. Ensure that you leave a couple of inches of free space between the soil and the top of the window box.
- When planting a window box which will be positioned with a wall as background, plan the position of your flowers to ensure they bloom to the front.
- Water well, hang on the bracket and enjoy.
Aftercare:
Unless you take care of your baskets or window boxes, they will not last very long, here are some tips on maintaining your baskets and window boxes:
- Baskets will require daily watering, especially during warm weather
- Dead-head / remove spent blooms plants each week, as this will encourage plants to produce a succession of flowers.
- Periodic feeding with a liquid feed will help the flowers
- Monitor the flowers for pests and where necessary treat appropriately
- If going on holiday – enlist the help of a neighbour or family member
Newbridge in Bloom
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Newbridge 200
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Planting for Colour
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