Hanging Baskets

Perhaps no city in Canada has gained the notoriety Victoria B.C. enjoys for its splendid display of hanging baskets. Started in1937 to commemorate Victoria's 75^th anniversary of incorporation, these floral displays create an enormous amount of floral interest in and around the Parliament Buildings and inner harbour of this beautiful city.

Hanging Baskets of Victoria BC.

Many other communities across North America have also taken steps to beautify their streetscapes. One of these is Niagara-on-the-Lake Ontario. Located at he confluence of the Niagara River and the mouth of Lake Ontario, hanging baskets have become an important part of this award winning "Communities in Bloom" town. Hanging baskets in this community are an integral part of the town's community identity.

Niagara-on-the-Lake Ontario
Communities in Bloom award winner.

Two of its residents, Joe and Brigette Merkies, recently shared with me their expertise in creating an attractive Moss Hanging basket.

The Container

The first step is to line a 14" to 16" wire basket with a 2" layer of moist uncut sphagnum moss. The best baskets are made of No. 8 or No. 9 wire with welds where the wires intersect. The moss should be pre-soaked in warm water and squeezed until it is just moist. To simplify the lining process, use an empty 2 gallon pail on a bench as a base to provide a comfortable working height. Set one wire basket on top of the pail and place a piece of plastic over this basket. Place another basket on top of the plastic and proceed to "moss". Layer this material to approximately 1" near the rim and place a 6" to 8" aluminum pie plate complete with drainage holes inside the bottom of the basket.

Proceed to fill half the basket with moistened premixed potting soil. They use Sunshine # 1 but many other kinds are available as well.

Plant Material

The hanging basket should be carefully planned so that complimentary colours are used and the correct textures are achieved in order to create an aesthetically pleasing basket. They use whispy or feathery plants on top of the basket (Ivy Vine Geraniums, Scaevola, Calibracoa "Million Bells", Verbena Topien, etc.) and heavier textured plants such as Senecio Mikanoides "German Ivy", Plectranthus Australis "Swedish Ivy", Zebrina Pendula "Wandering Jew" and cultivars of Hedera Helix "English Ivy" from the mid portion of the basket to the bottom.

For the upper layer of the basket the Merkies like to use plants that are naturally trailing in their habit of growth like tuberous begonias, trailing fuchsias, petunias, browallias, ivy geraniums, ivies and scaevola. They also like the "Proven Winners" because they are very vigorous and excellent flowering. The "Purple Wave" petunias and Bacopa "Snowstorm" fall into this category, as do the following: Calibracoa "Million Bells", Bacopa, Bidens, Supertunia "Sun Vale", Temari Verbena, Tapien Verbena, and Ageranthemum "Cobbity Daisy". There are many varieties of the above and many "Proven Winners" that are suitable for hanging baskets. All are propagated by tissue culture to ensure the most virus-free plant. "Proven Winners" are trade marked and propagation is strictly prohibited. In Ontario "Proven Winners" are available from JVK.

When selecting plant material for use in moss lined hanging baskets, a grower should be conscious of the sunlight level and where the basket will eventually be hung. When planting the actual plants, insert the plant through a hole made in the moss so that the root ball rests on the soil. Position plants about 5" apart along the three levels of the basket. Top up with moistened soil as planting is completed at the various levels. Use tuberous or fibrous begonias, ivy vine geraniums, supertunias for a sunny location or impatiens for the shade on the top level. A dracena is used as a focal point in many of their baskets.

In order to retain moisture around the upper level of the moss basket, place a 2" ring of aluminum foil on the inside of the moss at the top level in order to direct moisture to the centre of the basket. Fill the space around the plants with soil and gently firm with your fingers.

Anchoring and Location

Be sure the moss lined basket is anchored securely to an integral part of the house. The actual location should be sheltered from the wind and sun until it is established. Water well with 20-20-20 fertilizer at 200 ppm and use Benlate and/or Truban as a fungicide if required. Rotate the basket every few days for even light. Once the roots are established and the basket is full and flowering, attach a plastic saucer onto the bottom of the basket by means of plastic pull tabs. Do not do this final procedure immediately following transplanting as the plants will rot before they root.

Care of the Finished Basket

Insects

Watch for aphids, whitefly, red spider mite, and thrips. Control can be achieved by insecticide soap / recommended chemicals.

Watering

Once the plants are well established, watering may be required on a daily basis in a hot or windy location or every other day in more sheltered locations.

Fertilizing

Fertilize with 20-20-20 every other watering.

Pruning

Pruning or selective removal of spent flowers and periodic trimming of a couple of inches of growth will improve flowering and reduce problems.

The above is a simplified guide to growing moss hanging baskets. When starting plants in a greenhouse environment, the baskets should receive optimum care in order to develop a basket that is aesthetically pleasing from May 24^th to frost.

While the Merkies' business is primarily wholesale, they do entertain some retail sales as well. Locally they sell many baskets to a number of municipalities, hotels, homeowners and garden centres from their business in Niagara-on-the-Lake.