Hanging Baskets

[sandy10]

This year i made hanging baskets using the click in sections but have found that when I water them the water just flows straight through. Am i not putting in enough soil when planting them up or can anyone help please?

[jourdain2]

Have had the same problems. This year lined them with plastic bags, much better result.

[Tilly2]

You should have used a liner. I use inside out empty compost bags.

[sandy10]

Thanks for that-will try that next time I plant them up.on the shopping channel where i bought them from they did a demonstration and they did not use liners.

[Jennykenny]

Agree with lining them with liners but you still have to puncture them or the basket fills up with soggy soil.
I found a really good solution is to line them with old scruffy washing up sponges which would normally be thrown out when they got a bit old and useless.
They hold water beautifully.

[Chipchopper]

I know what you mean, Sandy.
They do dry out very quickly in this heat, I'm watering mine at least twice a day at the moment.
I sometimes stand the baskets in a large tub of water for a while, if they're looking wilted.
Failing that, you can buy water retaining gel/crystals that you can mix in with the compos (you don't need many).

[DocHH]

A small saucer or flower-pot holder in the bottom of the hanging basket will stop the water flowing straight out. It will create a little reservoir at the base of the hanging basket. That plus the water retaining crystals will minimise watering needs.

[Togo]

Same as Tilly. I use the old compost bags turned inside out. Some of the bags come already perforated, if they aren't I make small holes in the bottoms.

[julia-mag]

The 'click in ' baskets I bought this year already have water reservoir space at bottom of basket, but I too saw water just flow away out of of 'trellis' portholes, and put plastic covers over the lower rim of holes and left them unused which allowed more compost to retain water, I also used water retention crystals, but I do not understand why as yet all my plants have gone haywire this year, the petunias are 'finished' already but they grew far to talll and went over (absolutely beautiful when first flowered), the trailing plants have really struggled to receive water much as I have tried ! I do not manure my perennial plants and they too have gone skywards this year, much much taller than usual, even the roses have gone over with the weight of the flowers (never had that before). Just looked at row ofleeks that 'bolted' earlier and I had left them just to see the seed heads which are enormous and at the moment covered with bees!. The leek stems stand between 4 - 5 ft. Is that normal? I have never grown them before.