The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 3 Summer 2012 | Page 10

Hanging baskets

By Kari Olivey
and with thanks
to Patsy Keevil

Don’t we all dream of having a hanging basket
burgeoning with colour and adorning a dull
corner? This can be achieved with a little creativity
and by following these simple guidelines.
TypeS of hanging baskets available
There seem to be more and more hanging baskets
available in Zimbabwe. Before you go out and buy one,
think about how long you want it to last, how you want to
use it as well as the aesthetics.
Monkey puzzle baskets from the Monkey puzzle tree aren’t
as strong as some of the others as they tend to rot at the
base; however, these are attractive, cheap and ideal for
annuals. Reed baskets are not only strong and sturdy, but
the reed material absorbs the water well. These are a good
buy and seen in many nurseries in Harare.
Wire baskets, if carefully made with thick gauge wire, will
last a long time. You must make sure you line it with shade
cloth to hold the medium in. These are great for making
round balls as you can plant seedlings on the top, bottom
and sides. The only problem is the aesthetics, so you need
to grow trailing plants to hide the wire. In times past, wire
baskets were lined with moss, but as this medium is now
no longer legally available, I have had good success by
using weaverbirds’ nests instead of shade cloth.

Preparation and planting
Preparation is key to a healthy and blooming hanging basket. First of all, make sure
your hanging baskets are lined with shade cloth, newspaper or sacks to prevent
water from draining too quickly.
You don’t want a heavy hanging basket so use a light medium such as a mixture of
compost and pine bark or potting soil, which is available at most nurseries. It is a
good idea to mix two teaspoons of super phosphates and 2 teaspoons of vegefert
to the medium. Before planting, thoroughly water your baskets.
After filling your basket with the correct medium mix, plant your seedlings quite
close together to create a more compact look. Carefully place the tallest plants
in the centre, surround these with about five of another kind and finally, fill
in the remaining outside spaces with cascading plants such as lobelia or
alyssum. Once the hanging basket is planted, water well and hang it up.
If you would like to try your hand at creating a ball effect with a hanging
basket, it is best to use a wire basket lined with shade cloth. Plant on the
top, make holes at the sides and the bottom in the shade cloth and plant
the seedlings. Petunias, cascading ivy geraniums and busy lizzies make great
balls.

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A fun idea is to us
e an old colande
r
as a hanging bask
et. Plant it up with
thyme, coriander
, oregano, parsley
and hang it outsi
de your kitchen.
Remember, neve
r include mint in
any
herb medley beca
use its roots are
so
aggressive, so wh
y not plant a min
t
basket; a herb we
use so frequently
.A
novel idea is to pl
ant up a basket wi
th
strawberries or ch
erry tomatoes.