Households warned over common mistake that will damage hanging basket blooms

The days are warming up, the nights are balmier but don’t get complacent, even a cool night could damage an uncovered hanging basket…

As May draws to a close, it feels summer is arriving. Daylight stretches well into the evening, temperatures are on the rise, and the soil is warm — ideal conditions for getting out into the garden. Now is the perfect time to plant summer bedding in most areas, as the risk of frost is largely behind us.

But keep an eye on local forecasts; if night temperatures are expected to drop below 7°C, tender plants may still suffer. In those cases, protect your plants overnight with horticultural fleece, hessian or even a light sheet. Hanging baskets are a fantastic way to add instant impact and vibrant colour, especially in smaller outdoor spaces like balconies, porches, and patios.

With the right plants and a little care, your hanging basket can become a miniature floating garden that blooms all summer long. For reliable results, stick with tried and tested favourites such as calibrachoa, petunias, pelargoniums, fuchsias, marigolds, verbena and lobelia. These varieties are known for their abundant blooms.

If your basket will be in a partially shaded spot, consider using busy lizzies, begonias, or fuchsias, which all thrive without full sun. For trailing interest, ivy, Helichrysum, or cascading ivy-leaved pelargoniums will create a lush, flowing effect. To plant your hanging basket, start by resting the wire frame on a bucket or plant pot to stop it rolling.

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Then line the basket – traditionally, sphagnum moss was used, but it’s important not to harvest it from the wild. Sustainable alternatives include coir and cardboard. Once lined, cut several small slits near the bottom to allow for planting trailing varieties at the lower level. Next, fill the basket halfway with high-quality potting compost.

For easier maintenance, mix in a slow-release fertiliser and water-retaining gel pellets. Despite these additives, daily watering is a must in warm or windy weather, as hanging baskets dry out quickly. Begin planting by carefully inserting trailing plants through the slits at the base. Gently push each plant through from the inside out, keeping the root ball within the basket.

Space them evenly for a balanced appearance. Add more compost as you go and, if your basket is deep enough, you can add another layer of plants mid-way up. Finish by planting the top of the basket, starting in the centre and working outward, with trailing plants around the edge for a full, cascading effect. Once you’re happy with the arrangement, water the basket thoroughly and hang it in its chosen spot.

During very hot spells, you may need to water both morning and evening – but avoid overwatering, which can wash away nutrients. A weekly feed with a high potash liquid fertiliser will help prolong flowering throughout the season. With a little effort and the right care, hanging baskets can transform any outdoor space into a vibrant, flower-filled retreat all summer long.

Jobs to do in the garden this week…

• You can have as much colour as you like in the garden now – plant out tender summer bedding in containers, baskets and beds. Dead head roses and feed fortnightly. Keep an eye out for aphids and remove.

• Bluebell leaves will be yellowing. If you want to lift and divide and spread them about, now’s the time to do so.
• In the veg patch, you can plant out anything sown indoors and continue sowing seeds outdoors. Pinch out tomato side shoots, tie growing peas and beans to supports, and cover fruit with netting to prevent birds from tucking in.
• Tender herbs such as basil can be planted out in your herb garden or window boxes.
• Thin out sowings of hardy annuals planted earlier – 10 to 20cm apart.
• Protect your crops. Encourage ladybirds, which will hoover up the aphids, by leaving a patch of nettles to grow in the garden or plant some calendula.