Ambassador Rattan Hanging Basket 14

Hanging baskets and accessories cover the baskets themselves, liners, chains and wall brackets, plus compost, feeds and watering aids for baskets.

Baskets, liners and chains

Baskets are sold by diameter, commonly 12, 14 and 16 inches, in wire, rattan or willow. An open wire frame needs a liner: coco (coir), jute, wool and moss liners are all used, sized to match the basket. Chains hook the basket onto a bracket; check the basket diameter a chain is made for, as heavy-duty four-leg chains suit larger baskets.

Brackets and fixing

Brackets are sold by arm length, often 10 to 16 inches. The arm needs to reach far enough for the basket to hang clear of the wall, so check the basket diameter each bracket suits as well as its load rating, which is often 20 to 25 kg. A planted basket gets heavy once watered. Fix the bracket with wall plugs and screws suited to the wall, and make sure the fixings will take the weight before you hang the basket.

Planting and care

• Compost: use a mix made for containers and baskets.
• Water-retaining granules: help compost hold water. Mix them into the compost, not on top, and keep to the pack rate, as they swell a lot when wet. Some include feed.
• Watering: in hot weather a basket may need water every day. Drip feeders release water slowly between waterings.
• Feeding: give occasional liquid feeds through the season, with high potassium feeds for flowering summer annuals.

Plant summer baskets in late May or early June and hang them out once frosts are over. For more growing media, see compost; for other containers, see pots and planters.