Are your fingers greener than mine? Hanging basket

[Steve Maskery]

I like to see a nice garden, but I am no gardener. I used to have Staff for that sort of thing.....

3 or 4 weeks ago I bought a hanging basket. I've used the nursery a few times before and been very happy. It looked promising when I bought it, but now it looks a bit sad. A lot more foliage than flowers.

There are surfinias, a fuchsia, million bells and a couple of others I don't know the names of. They are all surviving rather than thriving.

The basket gets watered every day. I've forgotten once or twice, but it has never dried out. The lady in the nursery told me to feed it 3x per week, which surprised me. 1T Growmore to a watering can. I've not done it religiously, but certainly very frequently.

It is in full sun all day, but it is not flourishing. What am I doing wrong, please?

 

[Trainee neophyte]

Roots need oxygen as well as water. Perhaps too much water?
Also, too much (nitrogen) fertilizer will promote leaf growth over flowering - hold back on the miracle grow, and see if things improve. I have had hanging baskets for years, and only geraniums survive ( 45degree Celsius plus failing automatic watering systems are my bugbears) - it is a very inhospitable environment for plants.

 

[skelph]

Steve, find a local supplier for Chempak No8 plant food. It's a water soluble, low nitrogen plant food that encourages roots, flowers and fruit. Increased root growth means the plants can take up more of the potash needed for flowers and fruit. If you can't get it locally it's available on the internet through either that big South American river firm or the infamous 'Bay. The whole Chempak range is top notch.
Happy gardening.
skelph (one-time manager of a proper DIY and Garden Centre)

 

[CHJ]

Perhaps too much water and food, need to be moist not sodden.
Might be better to switch to Tomato food might be better if the plants have started flowering to promote flowering , less nitrogen.

Make sure you are not over dosing with fertiliser, plants want food but not indigestion err on higher dilution.

Full Sun? cooking them by any chance, are roots shaded.

 

[sunnybob]

I have consulted the expert ('er indoors) who used to have people travel to see the hanging baskets around our house when we were in England;
Feed ONCE per week at most.
Daily watering is good, but have you taken into account natural rainfall? If youre in lincolnshire for example, hanging baskets are already under water and the last thing they need is another drenching.

Out here, as stated, hanging baskets lives are measured in days, so she really misses them. Shame youre not a multi millionaire cos she could fly over once a week and dead head them for you.

Like Trainee says, watering systems here are continually failing due to stone scale in the water. Tiny nozzles block up almost weekly, so count your blessings :roll: =D>