Deck Garden & Combination Flower Baskets with Shirley Bovshow

• Potting soil Basket and necessary liner Assorted annual plants Sphagnum moss Watering can Slow release fertilizer Plant hanger Bracket for hanging your basket
• PATIENCE- it takes time for plants to fill-in and drape over the basket!

Design and Maintenance Tips From Shirley
Choose annual plants in sizes ranging from 6-cell pony packs to 4"-6" pots. Choose from upright growing plants, filler plant that spread, trailing plants to put in corners of basket to spill over.
In narrow planting beds, select plants that grow taller than wide or are easy to maintain with "girth control," (pruning outside stems to keep plants narrow). Use containers to create an above ground landscape by setting them side-by-side and planting with combination of tall, medium, and short plants. "Deadhead" or cut old, spent flowers in order to regenerate plant and encourage another flush of blooms. In small garden space, select three "main plants" in complimentary color scheme to create the structure of garden. These plants should be perennials or last longer than one season. (Less than three plants can be boring, more than three too busy). When selecting plants for beds near your house, consider the color of your house, your roof, and other architectural details and make sure they look good together. Put your potted plants on a feeding schedule. Watering containers will leach nutrients from the soil, so make sure your plants have constant access to food. Create A Mixed Hanging Flower Basket From Scratch
Garden Centers usually have mixed flower baskets ready-made, but you may want to create your own combinations. It's easy to do.

• Potting soil
• Basket and necessary liner
• Assorted annual plants
• Sphagnum moss
• Watering can
• Slow release fertilizer
• Plant hanger
• Bracket for hanging your basket

Single Variety Baskets

Use 4 to 5 plants when planting a basket of a single variety, for example, a verbena basket.

One plant is planted in the center and the rest around the edge of the container.

Combination Baskets

Use 7 to 13 plants in combination baskets.

"Center Plants" are upright growing plants that we place in the center of the basket to create a rounded appearance.

"Filler Plants" are compact and spreading. Placed around the center plant, they provide fullness at the top of the basket.

"Spiller Plants" are plants that mound or trail over the side of basket.

Feed your plants with slow release fertilizer and water. Check moisture level of soil on daily basis and water when dry to touch.

Remember that wet baskets are heavy, so make sure your hanging bracket can support the weight.

Visit Shirley Bovshow's EdenMakers Blog for more inspiring ideas!