Hanging baskets are great for small spaces and a brilliant way to add colour to otherwise drab walls and fences. They are also fabulous for brightening up around doors.

They are also the ultimate container for growing trailing varieties of exotic plants whether they are flowers, vegetables or just interesting foliage.

Planting

1. Line the basket with fresh moss or a special liner made from cardboard or fibre.
2. Place a saucer in the bottom of the basket to stop water draining straight through.
3. Half fill the basket with a good quality potting compost.
4. Slip trailing plants through holes made in the side of the liner and cover the roots with more compost.
5. Plant up the top of the basket with upright bushy plants, making sure you have plenty of trailing ones around the edge too.
6. If you make the basket look full at planting time it will produce a much more colourful, dramatic display.

Feeding

Good quality composts such as Moisture Control Pots & Baskets Enriched Compost contain slow release plant foods that will feed your plants for up to six months. Most other composts will run out of steam and weekly feeding will be necessary if your plants are to flourish throughout the summer and autumn.

To feed just once a season push All Purpose Continuous Release Plant Food Tablets into the compost to feed your plants for the next six months. Use four in a standard 30cm (12in) basket, five in a 35cm (14in) and six in anything larger. If you prefer to feed your plants regularly and want fantastic results use All Purpose Soluble Plant Food or a liquid concentrate All Purpose Concentrated Liquid Plant Food. Regular feeding will reward you with big, beautiful baskets full of colour.

Plants for hanging baskets

Flowers: Fuchsia, Petunia, Verbena, Geranium, Impatiens, Lobelia, Tuberous Begonia, Bidens.

Foliage: Coleus, Cineraria, Felicia, Helychrysum, Lamium, Nepeta, Sage.

Vegetables and other edibles: Tomatoes (Tumbler), Strawberry, Chive, Thyme, Marjoram.