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Gardening Basics: Hanging Baskets Keep things looking up in your garden with outdoor hanging baskets. From "Dirt On Gardening" episode DDOG-101

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Using a lightweight potting mix, begin planting your plants in holes larger than the root ball.

Planting Steps

• Set the plants in your soil, digging a hole a little larger than the root ball.

• You can put the plants closer together in the basket than you would in your garden, but leave enough room for the roots to grow.

• Top off your basket with potting soil to cover up all the roots.
  

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  	Fresh vegetables grown onsite at The French Laundry, a restaurant in Napa Valley, California where DIY's The Dirt on Gardening paid a visit.
  	Purple basil.
  	A jingle-bell pepper grown at The French Laundry's vegetable gardens.

• Hanging baskets can dry out very quickly, so check them frequently to see if they need water.

• Stick your finger in the soil. If it feels dry an inch below the soil, it's time to water again. If your soil has dried out too much, you can immerse the entire basket in water.

• Water slowly until the water runs out of the bottom. You might need to do this once or even twice a day.

• Watering wands work great to help you reach high hanging baskets.

• Since watering is such a big issue, consider it when you pick the location for your plant.

• Make sure the support where you hang it is strong and secure. When the planted baskets are watered, they can become very heavy--even with the lightweight soil.
  

• Frequent watering can flush nutrients from the soil pretty quick so you'll need to feed your basket to keep it blooming.
  All spring and summer long give a boost every two weeks with a complete liquid fertilizer diluted to half-strength.

• Do some research and pay attention to the special needs of the plants you select. If you stay on top of watering and fertilizing, your beautiful basket will keep everyone "looking up."

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GUESTS :

Debbie Flower, professor of horticulture