I have an obsession with hanging flower baskets, although I am fairly particular about them. I detest arrangements that are basically a begonia in a cheap a plastic pot and instead gravitate to full, overflowing flowers that completely cover the pot…drooping in a cascade of living color and structure.
Not exactly easy to find in a nursery which I am of course banned from visiting anyway, as apparently I cannot enter such places without overextending my budget.
No fair.
Anyway, I have attempted to make my own for a few years now, although I skipped last year as I was just too tired with the babe in the belly and all.
This year, I started my own flowers from seed…heirloom varieties of nasturtium and petunias from the Baker Creek Seed Catalog. Plus I threw some lobelia in the mix that I found at the nursery. The petunias haven’t bloomed yet, so I am anxious to see what those look like. I typically snub my nose at petunias as boring but thought I would give the old balcony mix a try, given it is heirloom and all.
Yes, I am that kind of gardener.
I am weary about the success of nasturtiums in my baskets…it might get too hot for them….but so far so good.
I have four major upgrades this year to ensure my success, all having to do with water. I think my inability to keep the baskets moist has been my downfall I the past, plus it is a pain in the booty and makes it near impossible to be gone for more than a night at a time without hiring a hanging basket waterer…fairly ridiculous.
The upgrades: 1. I stuck a saucer at the bottom of the baskets to hold water. I used the biggest plastic saucer I could find that would fit. 2. I used soil with coco fiber, as I hear that is what you are supposed to do to maximize water retention. 3. I added water jellies to my soil mix. They probably have a more official name…they are little white dots that expand substantially to clear jellies once soaked in water. I used about a third of a pound for six baskets. 4. I am going to hook the baskets up to an automated drip system so I don’t have to water them by hand every stinking day…haven’t quite gotten to this yet, but I will!
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