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Post by wendya on Jan 7, 2014 12:44:59 GMT
I all very new to this and looking for advise, when is the best time of year to make up a hanging basket for the summer months, I was thinking petunias and not sure what else, I have had 3 baskets bought me for Christmas but have no idea what time I should plant out, I am worried about frost etc, I live SE England have only a balcony NW facing, can any advise me please.
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Post by Rosefriend on Jan 7, 2014 14:05:52 GMT
I all very new to this and looking for advise, when is the best time of year to make up a hanging basket for the summer months, I was thinking petunias and not sure what else, I have had 3 baskets bought me for Christmas but have no idea what time I should plant out, I am worried about frost etc, I live SE England have only a balcony NW facing, can any advise me please. You may have to check the flowers that you want as if your balcony faces NW it won't be suitable for all the really sun hungry flowers. Petunias can, as far as I know, be grown in half shade but they probably won't get as many flowers.I am wondering about Begonias and busy lilies etc. You will of course get the sun in the evening I presume?? When does the sun really get to the balcony, do you get any sun in the winter??? Someone that lives in the UK will have to give you an idea of when to plant as things are a little different in Germany. RF |
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Post by Auricula on Jan 7, 2014 17:39:04 GMT
Trailing begonias, trailing fuchsias, ivy as a filler would be a good starting point  You can buy small plants of these in the spring, from lots of gcs. |
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Post by Jilly on Jan 7, 2014 19:00:50 GMT
Hi wendya I'm on the south coast too with a North facing garden & I've grown Begonias in my shadiest hanging basket for the last couple of years & they do really well. And luckily they're becoming really fashionable again this year so there should be a bit more of a selection around this  . Down here we can get away with putting baskets out a bit earlier, but I wouldn't chance it until at least the middle of April. |
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Post by Chuckles on Jan 7, 2014 20:31:16 GMT
Hi wendya  I have baskets and pots of Petunia, geraniums, lobellia and fushia in a shaded area outside my back door, they get a little morning sun and thats about it. I normally plant mine up as soon as they are available in the GC and keep them in the GH until we are frost free. As you only have balcony you may able to plant the baskets up and then protect them by wrapping garden fleece around them, it would give them some protection in the early colder months. |
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Post by wendya on Jan 8, 2014 10:05:05 GMT
Thank you so much everyone, so End of March April is the time to plant thank you Rosefriend, I have grown putunias no problem as have had window boxes for a while, NW facing balcony sun comes around 14:00 to 19:00 in summer, so not bad at all. Thanks Jilly i must try begonias as never had them I will have to wait then a little longer but thanks for your help all. |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 9, 2014 12:46:07 GMT
 wendya you've got some good ideas there for hanging baskets. As you seem to get a fair bit of sunshine, you could grow a few herbs as well if you fancy them. Something like Rosemary and Oregano both have varieties that trail.
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Post by wendya on Jan 12, 2014 12:36:08 GMT
I have herbs growing too rosemary and parsley in containers, i did buy some sage, oregano and thyme but seems its dead, but hopefully it may come back, i was told Thyme would be ok and survive winter but it hasnt, maybe too young, as i do still have golden thyme growing in another wall container. Doe anyone else have herbs still alive other than parsley or rosemary? |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 13, 2014 6:40:02 GMT
Yes my mint and variagated mint as well as my thyme and lemon thyme are all still going wendya. |
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Post by Auricula on Jan 13, 2014 9:29:53 GMT
I have mint, thyme, chives, oregano and golden oregano still going in pots on the patio |
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Post by wendya on Jan 14, 2014 9:11:07 GMT
I don't what i have done wrong,, all i can think of they were not mature enough as only bought in October and planted.,  |
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Post by Rosefriend on Jan 14, 2014 9:49:07 GMT
I don't what i have done wrong,, all i can think of they were not mature enough as only bought in October and planted., Well you are South but I couldn't keep Sage, Thyme and Co in the winter - they are actually summer plants for me, that's all. Rosemary has to be kept in the GH smothered in fleece and then it is more luck than anything else.. This year really is the exception - I needn't have binned them, - I bet I would have got them through... RF |
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Post by Ladygardener on Jan 14, 2014 9:51:34 GMT
I have Sage growing as well. Perhaps yours were too young as you say wendya, they might have gotten too waterlogged.  |
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Post by wendya on Jan 15, 2014 9:51:13 GMT
Yes i think this is what happened as only plants that didn't die were Rosemary cutting and parsley. But as you both say this year is a bit weird, its like spring already. and i still have some thyme growing in my old window boxes that never dies, its been there maybe 4 years, so do think the reason i lost was too young or waterlogged. |
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. Down here we can get away with putting baskets out a bit earlier, but I wouldn't chance it until at least the middle of April.
