Hanging basket

[Naetha]

I'm doing a couple of baskets this year for the first time.

I have some trailing plants (trailing lobelia, bidens, petunia) and some normal bush plants (pelargonium, gazania, marigold etc).

Which should I plant where on the hanging basket? Should I plant the trailing ones on the top, or should they hang out of holes in the bottom? Or vice versa?

hello Naetha.

In no way am I an expert gardener: very much a trial an error one. However, I have had some lovely hanging baskets over the last few years. I tend to plant in a cone shape. Higher plants in the middle, graduating out, with the trailing plants planted round the edge.
I've tried planting the trailers in holes pocked in the sides, but found that when I watered them the water poured out of these holes. So now I plant them around the edges of the 'bowl'.
It may not be what professionals do, but it works for me.

If you want to use the holes, then definitely use them for trailing plants - and use the trailiest ones lowest, or whatever you put at the bottom will just get hidden. Of the ones you've mentioned, that's probably the bidens. Trailing petunias and lobelias can still be quite bushy (the former in a much more substantial way!)

How big are the holes relative to your plants? Be wary of trying to force a plant through a small hole - I learnt the hard way when I used these baskets and all the plants I'd tried to plant through the holes were so abused they died on me .

Make sure you use plenty of water gel and/or a water mat to save it drying out too much