With spring now here, it’s time to think about flower displays in your garden. Here’s a handy guide to help you keep your pots and hanging baskets in great shape:
Watering
Keeping your pots and hanging baskets watered is the key to ensuring they flower well and last as long as possible. The trick is to avoid the extremes of drying out or overwatering, both of which can stress plants and limit their growth. For pots, a good way to judge hydration is to keep watering until just the point that water comes out of the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.
It can be hard to water hanging baskets without soaking yourself in the process, so consider installing an irrigation system. A simple timer device is attached to your outside tap, and you place the flexible piping and outlets where you need them. Inexpensive and adaptable, these systems ensure consistent watering, avoid wasting water and are ideal for when you go on holiday.
Feeding
A liquid fertiliser applied after watering will provide your plants with the extra nutrients they need. Specialist plant food is available and is cheap and effective. If you follow the specific instructions, you’ll find that regular feeding boosts your displays.
Deadheading
It’s important to remove fading and dead flowerheads. As well as making your plants look tidier, you’re also encouraging new flowers to grow. If you get into the habit of deadheading daily, simply using your finger and thumb, you’ll have a sprucer garden and you’ll maximise the potential of your pots and baskets.
Follow this easy 10-minute routine each day and you’ll be relaxing on your Lifestyle garden furniture and admiring your blooming garden in no time.
