Late spring and we find ourselves rummaging in the back of the garden shed trying to find our hanging baskets. Once dusted off and chains untangled we can get on with the job of planting up. But wait! No hanging basket liner! What a pain.
Hanging basket liners are a neat and easy way to line wire baskets but after their first year they are either thorn, lost or thrown away with last season display. Most of us are too impatient to go out and buy new liners. So instead we at the garden shop will outline all the ways in which you can line your own hanging basket with items readily available at home.
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- Hanging Basket
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- Shopping Basket
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- Homemade Moss Liner
The job of a hanging basket liner is simply to contain all the ingredients inside the basket. These days moss liners are most popular because they hold the soil and water in place while allowing for a certain amount of drainage, for the roots to breath and also they can be thorn if you want to place a plant out the side.
You can make a simple liner with bag plastic bags. Simply push a bag into the basket. Fill the basket with compost and then cut the plastic bag liner to fit along the rim of the basket. You should then pierce several holes in the plastic liner to allow for drainage.
A more ornamental and plant friendly basket liner would be one made from moss. To do so you would need to collect moss from your garden. This is an easy task – just use a wire rake and scarify a section of your lawn and you will quickly find that you have more than enough moss to work with. Collect a bucket load per hanging basket as each basket would need a thick layer of moss lining to work.
Soak the moss in water for a few minutes until it has become completely soaked. Next you can squeeze out the water and begin filling the wire basket, starting at the first and working your way up. Make sure that you have a thick layer of moss to prevent soil pushing through the wire basket.
You can then begin filling the basket with soil and compost. Take care when lifting and postioning the basket as the wet moss, soil and plants can make the basket very heavy. You will also need to ensure that the hanging basket bracket is sturdy and properly secured before hanging your basket.
This homemade moss liner is cheap , quick and easy to install. It is also ideal for creating the best growing conditions for your garden plants. Your basket will have good natural air flow and drainage ensure the plants roots are happy at all times. Moss liner will dry out quicker than plastic bag liners so be sure to water the baskets every second day