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Gardening for Amateurs 



Flowers for Hanging Baskets 



BASKETS of varying types and sizes, 

 filled with suitable flowering and 

 foliage plants, add considerably to 

 the attractiveness of the greenhouse, ver- 

 anda, corridor, porch, or window. By 

 growing plants in hanging baskets in 

 small greenhouses or windows, when space 

 on the stages and window-sills is limited, 

 and already fully occupied, the small 

 grower is able to accommodate a wider 

 selection of plants and flowers. A large 

 number of plants, even if not of a trailing 

 nature, thrive better when suspended from 

 the roof of a greenhouse than those of a 

 similar kind not of a trailing nature grown 

 in pots on the stages. Hanging baskets 

 are, of course, used chiefly for plants of 

 trailing, drooping habit, though others 

 more or less upright in growth may be 

 accommodated in baskets for hanging on 

 the walls of the greenhouse, veranda, or 

 window. Baskets are made of several mate- 

 rials. Those of wire are perhaps the most 

 popular and lasting. Wood, usually teak, 

 cork, and terra-cotta are also used for 

 making baskets of various shapes and sizes. 

 Plants in ordinary flower pots may also be 

 suspended by wires fastened to the rim of 

 the pots, or standing the pots in saucers 

 held in position by twisted wire. Proper 

 drainage is essential in growing plants in 

 baskets other than those of wire. Those of 

 earthenware or terra-cotta must have holes 

 in the bottom to allow surplus water to 

 drain away. In wire and wooden baskets 

 containing a good deal of soil, it is generally 

 found necessary to mix some broken char- 

 coal, crocks (pieces of flower pots), or other 

 material into the compost when filling them. 

 These serve to keep the soil open and 

 " sweet " ; if it becomes water-logged and 

 sour, the health of the plants will soon suffer. 

 Wire baskets, as a rule, are lined with moss 

 to prevent the fine soil from trickling be- 

 tween the wires ; lumpy peat or even turf 

 with all the fine soil shaken out, is quite 

 suitable for such a purpose. Peat particu- 

 larly is valuable as an outer layer for hang- 

 ing baskets, in which it is intended to grow 



ferns and Orchids. The composition of the 

 soil must naturally vary according to the 

 requirements of the plants, just as if the 

 latter were grown in pots. 



Making up the Baskets. Some know- 

 ledge of the habit of growth of the plants 

 is necessary when making up the baskets, 

 as in numerous instances it is necessary to 

 insert them between the wires or wooden 

 bars as the basket is being filled with soil. 

 In other cases the plants when placed at 

 the top hang down sufficiently to hide the 

 bottom of the basket. Seeds are sown 

 and cuttings rooted in the greenhouse in 

 the usual way, and the young plants are 

 grown in pots, pans, or shallow boxes until 

 large enough to transfer to the baskets. 

 The tuberous roots of Begonias and Achi- 

 menes succeed better in hanging baskets 

 if first started into growth in shallow boxes. 

 On the other hand, Freesias, Lachenalias, 

 and Allium Neapolitanum are instances of 

 bulbs that should be at once planted in 

 the baskets in which they are expected to 

 flower. The general procedure when mak- 

 ing up a basket is to place a little rough 

 material or moss at the bottom. On this 

 put some of the prepared soil ; then several 

 young plants are next placed round the 

 side of the basket, the growths passing 

 between the wire or wooden bars and the 

 roots resting on the soil. More moss or 

 rough material is then placed round the 

 side and the centre filled in with the pre- 

 pared soil ; more plants are placed in posi- 

 tion until the top of the basket is reached. 

 A ridge of moss or rough soil must be left 

 round the edge of the basket to form a 

 basin, so that when watering the water will 

 soak into the soil and not run down the 

 outside. Several plants may be needed to 

 fill the top of the basket, perhaps only one ; 

 this will depend on the size of the basket 

 and the nature of the plants used. Healthy, 

 vigorous plants in hanging baskets, as a 

 rule, take liberal supplies of water in sum- 

 mer and a fair quantity in winter. If 

 through any cause the soil in the baskets 

 is allowed to become very dry, a thorough 



