Create a Moss-Lined Hanging Basket In

Four Easy Steps

What You'll Need

• A wire basket

• Rubber Gloves

• Long Fiber Spagnum Moss (not peat moss)

• Potting Soil

• Plants in Jumbo Six Packs or Cell Packs ( How many will depend on how large your basket is)

• Bucket for water

• Get the Kids Involved!

Always remember when doing any kind of container planting-use plants that have the same or very similar requirements for water and light.  Moss lined baskets are great for annuals that will bloom profusely all season, and are better used for plants that prefer shade to part shade since they have a tendency to dry out quickly. They may require daily watering, and larger baskets will need good support since they can get quite heavy when wet.

Bear in mind that variety adds the strongest interest.  The beauty of container planting is in the limitless possibilities available. Variations in foliage, flower color and plants have the same impact in containers as they do in our gardens.

Step One:

• Fill your bucket with clean water, put on your rubber gloves and immerse the moss for several minutes.

Step Two:

• Line the bottom of the basket with moss, then carefully arrange the new plants so that the rootballs & soil are inside the basket, and leaves and flowers are outside the basket.

Step Three:

• Add potting soil to the center of the basket, making sure each rootball comes in contact with the soil.  Make sure your moss is thick enough to keep soil from falling through.

Step Four:

• Water thoroughly (this is important) making sure that there are no places where the soil might be leaking out.

Don't worry if your plants seem a little wilted for a day or two.  They will start to perk up before you know it.  Keep them well watered and fed for best results.  Annuals as a rule do best with a well balanced fertilizer such as Osmocote®. A bloom booster is sometimes recommended also.  One we like is Sta-Green Bloom Start® with a ratio of 11-40-6.