Contain yourself: secrets of winter basket success
Winter hanging baskets need better drainage than their summer equivalents, so line wire baskets with the synthetic moss that looks like strands of coarse artificial fibres. This lets water through faster than the liners used in summer baskets.
Plant winter containers as soon as possible so the roots have time to establish before the end of the growing season. Put more plants into each container than usual, as the tops won’t grow much more this year. A container that looks gappy now will look gappy all winter.
Don’t try to reuse the compost, it’ll be full of old roots and exhausted of nutrients. Tip the lot out and refill the container with fresh potting compost. But don’t use a water-retaining gel or slow-release fertiliser, either. Neither is needed in winter.
Put winter containers in sheltered spots where they’ll get any sun that’s going. The best places are by front and back doors, close to a wall or in a corner of a patio.
Check containers once a week throughout winter in
case they need watering. Rain can’t always reach containers as it is deflected by walls or bounces off leaves in a well-filled receptacle. But make sure the containers aren’t left sitting in puddles, either. Use pot feet to raise them up a few inches.