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Difficulty: Beginner
A hanging basket is an easy way to add relaxing greenery and a splash of colour in your home. It can also be used to grow plants in compact spaces like balconies or small gardens.
Here is a simple guide to creating a hanging basket. It involves planting out the top of the basket as well as adding plants through holes cut along the basket’s sides. The top and side plants cascade down, creating a 'flower ball' effect.
You can customise the basket with your preferred plants. Our guide on How to choose plants for hanging baskets contains useful tips.
Let us know if you have any questions. We’d be happy to assist.
Video Tutorial
Steps
Step 1
Mark holes in basket.
Mark holes in your basket using a marker pen. These holes are where the plants will go in. Aim to position holes around one-third of the way down the basket’s sides and between the wire.
I marked my holes at four evenly spaced points spread across the basket.
Step 2
Cut holes in liner.
Remove the liner from the basket cage. Use the garden scissors to carefully cut holes at your marked points. Aim for holes around 5cm in diameter.
Now place the liner back into the basket cage. Ensure the cut holes are aligned with open sections of the basket cage and that the liner is sitting evenly.
Step 3
Fill the basket with potting mix.
Place your basket on top of a bucket to prevent the latter from rolling around.
Now fill the basket with potting mix using the scoop. It’s a good idea to wear suitable personal protective equipment (PPE) while handling the mix, like a face mask.
Press the mix down gently as you go. Fill the basket until your mix is just below the holes you cut in the previous step.
Step 4
Add plants in your basket.
Gently remove your preferred plants from their pots, including their root balls. Push them through the holes you’ve cut in your basket.
If the root ball is too large, you can either trim the holes to make them larger or remove some mix from the basket.
Plants in cell-type punnets will be easiest for the sides. I used Petunias for my side plants and Alyssum as my central plant.
Step 5
Add soil.
Fill the basket with soil, leaving room in the centre for planting. Ensure all plant roots are covered.
Now place your central plant in the basket. Add more potting mix until it is around 3cm from the liner’s top edge.
Step 6
Hang your basket and water well.
Determine how you are going to hang your basket. Make sure any materials like hooks can take the weight of your basket.
Carefully hang your basket using your preferred method. If you are using a ladder, climb the ladder carefully and then have someone pass the basket to you.
Once your basket is in place, water it well using a mix of seaweed tonic (e.g. Seasol) and water. Read the label for instructions on how to use the tonic.
Finally, add mulch on top if desired.
Your hanging basket is now ready.
Materials
- Hanging basket with fibre liner
- Potting mix
- Your preferred plants
- Seaweed tonic. e.g. Seasol
- Mulch (optional).
Tools
- Potting mix scoop
- Plastic bucket
- Garden scissors
- Felt-tip marker
- Personal protective equipment, including face mask
- Watering can.
Images
