I was able to get my hanging baskets planted this week, so I thought I would share a gardening How-To. I love the naturalized look of moss lined flower baskets. They are so much prettier than a plastic pot and surprisingly easy to do.What you will need:
* Wire basket (mine is an 18 inch)
* long fiber sphagnum moss
* rubber gloves
* potting soil
* small plastic garbage bag
* bucket of water (for soaking moss)
*pretty flowers and trailing plants
Step 1 - Wearing rubber gloves (and a mask if you're sensitive to dust), soak the long fiber sphagnum moss in the bucket of water. Squeeze out the excess water and begin lining your basket.
Step 2 - Once your basket is lined with about 1 - 1 1/2 inches of moss, place a small circle of plastic with holes punched in it, in the bottom of the basket. This will help retain soil and moisture. (BTW, at the end of the season, keep your plastic piece with your basket and reuse it next year. I've been using this same circle of plastic for 7 or 8 years now)
Step 3 - Fill with potting soil and press in up the sides. I use a soil with a slow release fertilizer.
Step 4 - Now start putting in your plants. I start with my larger anchor plants. This year I used Chartreuse sweet potato vine and a pink and green coleus. 
Step 5 - Fill in with smaller plants and flowers. My baskets are in filtered sun all day, so I chose bright multi-colored impatiens. 
Step 6 - Hang your basket, water, and enjoy!
Some people like to trim the the moss close to basket, but I prefer the look of the little hanging pieces. :)
Enjoy the weekend, everyone and Happy gardening!
12 comments:
I think I am going to try this. Thank you!
I remember finding your site last year on a blog garden tour. Beautiful again this year.
Great tutorial
Debra
These are so beautiful and cheerful... just what a house needs to make it feel homey! Thanks so much for sharing the step-by-step... makes it seem very doable... is that even a word... I sure think so.
Your blogger friend,
~Kimberly
Kimberly, your baskets look beautiful. We got our flowers for the porch and front walk way planted yesterday. I'm having a group of friends over, including our visiting speaker and his wife, today so wanted the front to be in true Summer form.
Wish you guys could be here, too, wouldn't that be fun?
Have a great day!
Marilyn in NM
Your moss-lined baskets are beautiful. Thanks for the tutorial! I would like to try that. I like the little hanging pieces, too.
it looks lovely and of course as the plants grow it will only get better and better.
Thank you for sharing your potting of your hanging basket. I've got to try some.
I really like your bag in your last post.
Keep Stitchen'
Bonnie
Oh wow! That's a pretty great "how to!" Thanks for showing us!
Hi Kimberly-- Just wanted to let you know I gave you an award today on my blog.
-Stacy
I've always wanted to know how to do this. While these beautiful baskets won't survive at my house here in Tucson's climate, I plan to have them when we move back to Florida. I'm printing out your instructions and putting them in my "new house" file. Thank you so very much.
I attempted to make a smaller version of this... homemade chicken wire baskets lined in spanish moss. I liked the final outcome... although its not near as pretty as yours. Thanks for the inspiration. I can see I need to stuff them full of plants for a nicer effect.
Your friend in blogland,
~Kimberly
Nice flower basket you got there.. and thanks for the idea on how to make it..
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