How To Plant A Hanging Cone
Hanging baskets are a common sight outside homes and businesses and they have been traditionally made in various materials including wrought iron, wire and more recently plastic.
Gardening manufacturers have now started making hanging cones as a more contemporary alternative to hanging baskets in alternative materials such as seagrass and woven banana braid. This means that hanging cones can create a more modern look and a different effect to traditional hanging baskets. As a result, they are an ideal choice for home owners and businesses alike looking for something a bit different.
From a practical perspective the first and main difference between hanging baskets and hanging cones is that cones tend to have an integrated plastic liner whilst baskets are sold with removable replacement liners. The integrated plastic liner makes life easy for the gardener and mean you can plant up pretty much straight away. Our best tip however for hanging cones is to ensure that you pierce the plastic liner two to three times in the lower third of the cone. Why do we suggest this? Well, unlike hanging basket liners the plastic cone liners tend to be completely water tight which means water collects in the bottom. In the summer this can lead to waterlogging of the plants which will affect their health and appearance. In the winter large amounts of water can easily freeze which can again damage the plant roots permanently. If you look carefully you will often see icicles forming on the bottom of the cones demonstrating exactly where the water will gather and how cold it can get.
In terms of planting the hanging cone the approach is similar to a hanging basket. The first step is to ensure the cone is secure and that it will not topple over whilst you are filling it. Placing the cone in a bucket is a good way to deal with this problem. The next step is to fill the cone about three quarters full with compost and then mix in a slow release fertiliser. The fertiliser ensures that the plants can gain nutrients throughout the season. This is especially important as the regular watering involved in all container gardening has a tendency to wash through the soil and reduce the food supply to the plants and flowers.
You can then add your plants in a nice display around the top. It is a good idea to position larger plants in the centre and be careful not to crowd plants and create an instant display. They will grow quickly and find their own space. For a 14 inch cone 4-5 plants will be sufficient. As with hanging baskets you have a very wide choice indeed of plants including begonias, busy lizzies, surfinia, lobelia, pansies, viola, geraniums and many many more. Your imagination really is this limit on these.
Once planted you should water the cone throroughly initially to ensure the compost is completely wet. After that you can hang the cone on a bracket or hook and water it regularly. In summer this means typically once a day or twice on very hot days. Always avoid over watering which can be very damaging to the plants. This means that water should only briefly trickle from the bottom of the cone and not pour through which will reduce the nutrient levels in the soil.
Another point to mention about hanging cones is their form means that they are not suitable for side planting and naturally you will see a lot more of the frame than you may do normally. This makes hanging cones ideal for winter displays where the plants will be less vigorous and the colours more muted which means more emphasis on the container itself.
In summary, hanging cones are a novel and contemporary alternative to hanging baskets. They are easy for beginner gardeners to plant up and make an ideal display for both summer and winter plants.
About the Author:
Simon Andrews is an expert author who writes reviews and how to guides on home and gardening products. For more ideas and advice on hanging cones from Simon then please go to http://www.hangingbasketworld.co.uk
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