Create a Hanging Basket of Impatiens
Its fun to create a
hanging basket of
impatiens.
Here we use an Angel Moss Liner - which we will side plant to give us an flowers all over - like in the photo above.. The photos below are designed to be pretty self explanatory. How ever we add comments and share tips along the way. So to start off you take your Hanging Basket and Angel Moss liner and unwrap the packaging, then add some good potting soil. Ideally a potting soil mix that has a slow release fertilizer already in it. Miracle Grow has a good range of potting soils. Click here for more on Miracle Grow and where to find their products.
Add your soil to about half way up your hanging basket.
Then you are almost ready to side plant your hanging basket - but first you need to add a good slow release fertilizer.
We recommend Osmocote Slow Release Fertilizer or their pot shots. Now its time to side plant your Hanging basket
Using your fingers, gently create an opening through the Angel Moss liner. There is no need to wet the moss first. Its a bit like ripping a hole in a sheet of dry cardboard. Start with a small hole about the size of a quarter - you can always increase the size later.
Take your plant and gently remove most of the loose soil - a few gentle shakes will do this. Don't be afraid of taking a little too much soil away, as you are planting the plant back into soil, and with a good water the plant will feel right at home in no time at all. In fact it will love the freedom or more soil to grow. You may need to make the hole a little bigger to accommodate your plant - so gently open portions of the liner like opening a tear in cardboard. Try to avoid ripping portions of the moss liner completely off Then gently push your plants root ball through the opening in the moss liner into the soil inside the Hanging Basket.
Then firm the plant in. Return as best you can any of the torn moss liner back to its original position - prior to making the opening to put your plant into. Don't worry if you can't return all the moss back, as once watered the moss will swell and help lock the plant into the hanging basket.
Continue to side plant the basket - here we are alternating so we plant every other space along the center of the Hanging basket Once you have planted every other space along the center of your hanging basket it is time to get ready to top plant your hanging basket.
Add more soil - but not too much and add another handful of slow release fertilizer. Ideally you want to leave a lip of at least 1/2 an inch from the top of our hanging basket. This can take a bit of guess work to achieve, as the soil will settle down after its first few watering and you may need to top it up again. Creating a lip or space between the top of the hanging basket liner and your soil, so it forms a well is "well" worth the effort. Why you may ask - the answer is that the soil will form a hard crust between watering, much like when baking pastries, the water if your basket is full to the top of soil will run right off and down the side of the basket giving the appearance that the basket is well watered. This is not the case, as the hard crust has diverted the water over the side and not allowed much to penetrate down below. Creating a well - allows the water to sit on top of your basket, to soften the crust of the soil and then to penetrate below, reaching the roots of the plants.
Now its time to place your impatiens plants into the top soil. Don't be afraid to plant a good number of plants - more is better than less. The plants actually help and support each other, and as long as they are feed they will be very happy indeed.
We like to then add a rigid chain - this makes life easy when it comes to hanging your basket. The rigid chain make a really great gift idea for the garden who seems to have everything. Click here to learn more on our Rigid Chain. Position your impatiens hanging basket(s) somewhere where it gets morning sun, or filtered shade. Keep it away from the hot afternoon sun and drying windy spots.
Then its time to water the basket. You will see that there is some soil visible, where the moss has come away from the hole you made to side plant your basket - don't worry to much about this as the moss swells after a couple of waterings and will expand to fill in around the plant. Once the moss has swelled if there is still a hole or two, you can using your fingers move the moss to help cover any holes in your Hanging Basket
Until the moss expands - which can take 2-3 watering, gently water both the top and side of the basket - with a soft mist or trickling water. Don't blast the basket with water or the moss will smash and the soil will fill out. Then all there is to do now, is to keep the basket watered so the soil is moist, but not soggy and enjoy the blooms all summer long. |
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