Hanging Baskets with Bulbs

Autumn is bulb-planting time and bulbs are perfect for containers. Don showed how to combine them with annuals in a hanging basket. He chose black and white pansies (Viola x wittrockiana) and white jonquils (Narcissus ‘Erlicheer’), and planted them in a wire basket lined with sphagnum moss and filled with potting mix. The pansies will give a long lasting flower display, followed by a wonderful surprise in late winter to spring when the jonquils pop up.

‘Erlicheer’ jonquils

In warm climates, jonquils perform better than daffodils. ‘Erlicheer’ jonquils have double white flowers with a strong fragrance. They flower in late winter and early spring. Plant (pointy end upwards) at a depth of 8-10cm. If planting in containers use a good quality mix, such as Yates Patio and Tub. Bulbs in pots can be planted closer together than you’d normally plant them in the garden.

Pansies

The name pansy is possibly derived from the French word ‘pensee’, meaning thought, because people traditionally sent pansies to their loved ones to remember them by. It was once said that you could predict a romance by reading the rays on a pansy’s face: 4 rays signified hope, 7 rays brought constancy in love, 8 rays forewarned of fickleness, 9 a changing heart and 11 bad luck in love and an early death!

Pansies are generally grown as annuals, although they are actually short-lived perennials. They are fairly heavy feeders and should be planted in a good quality potting mix. They love a sunny position, but in hot climates they may need protection from afternoon sun. Regular deadheading of spent flowers will encourage more flowers.

Planting the hanging basket

1. Cover the base of the basket with a generous amount of sphagnum moss. Bring the moss one-third of the way up the sides. Cover the moss base with a piece of wire flyscreen, and cut 3 x 5cm slits in the bottom. This will help to keep the potting mix in place. Add a layer of potting mix to a depth of about 5cm. Plant a row of pansies. (Note: we used advanced flowering seedlings for television, but it is easier to plant the basket with smaller seedlings. Don wrapped the large seedlings in aluminium foil so that they would not be damaged when he poked them through the basket. Once in position the foil was gently pulled off.
2.  Tuck a large handful of moss around the shoulders of each plant so that no gaps remain. Add potting mix and bring the moss wall two-thirds up the side of the basket or to the height where the bulbs are planted. Plant the bulbs and another tier of pansies.
3. Add more moss to the wall and add potting mix. Plant pansies in the top of the basket. Water and add more moss and potting mix if needed.            
   

Further information

•  The wire basket we used cost $45. To prevent it rusting, Don spray painted it with ColdGal (400g can retails for $18.95). A 5-litre bag of sphagnum moss costs around $17.
• Pansies cost $1.99 per 100mm (4") pot or $17.95 - $19.95 for a punnet of 10.
• ‘Erlicheer’ jonquils cost around 85c per bulb.
  

Bulbs can be purchased in packets or individually from nurseries and supermarkets. They are also available by mail order from specialist bulb nurseries, such as the ones listed below. (Tip: choose firm, healthy looking bulbs – press them between your thumb and forefinger – avoid bulbs that are soft.)

Specialist bulb nurseries

Blue Dandenongs Bulb Farm
Old Emerald Road, Monbulk, Vic, 3793.
Phone: (03) 9751 9599, fax: (03) 9756 7844.
Email: sales@blued.com.au
Website: www.blued.com.au

Bulb Express
470 Monbulk Road, Monbulk, Vic, 3793.
Phone: 1800 677 437.
Email: info@bulbexpress.com.au
Website: www.bulbexpress.com.au

Tesselaar Bulbs and Flowers
357 Monbulk Road, Silvan, Vic, 3795.
Phone: (03) 9737 9811. Fax: (03) 9737 9706.
Email: enquiries@tesselaar.net.au
Website: www.tesselaar.net.au/default.asp

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