Hanging Baskets

North-east would not be the best direction for surfina or similar annuals. Is your neighbour oriented the same way? Did you start them elsewhere or have they been in their current position from the start? They are better for being started in a somewhat sheltered but sunny situation until they are establised. You might do better if you planted up twice as many baskets and rotated them between front and back (ie, give them all a good dose of sunshine for a few days, then a few days out the front).

Are they planted in just compost? Once compost gets dry it is very difficult to wet it again so the water just runs off when you water them. I would use either a compost with John Innes or mix some good top soil through the compost. Are there drainage holes in the plastic liner? You need a few holes about an inch or so up the sides of the baskets.

The year has been a bit mixed for a lot of things though, the hot spell early then a relatively cold and windy spell was not the best.

phormium wrote: »

I have plastic large mineral bottles cut about a third of the way up and the top stuck into the middle of the basket so that when I water I just top up the bottle bit a couple of times, no water ends up on the actual flowers/leaves other than when it rains.

That's a very good idea.

My hanging basket of surfina aren't doing well either.
The leaves are turning a yellowish green and some flowers are turning brown before they fully flower.
I've been feeding them tomato feed and watering well etc.

That bottle idea is very good, I'm going to do that next year.

mickward wrote: »

Is anyone else hanging baskets doing really bad this year.

mine started off strong and i had only Surfina in them hoping I would get a big ball of flowers, i seen my neighbours do this and it looked great.
I water every 2 day depending on the weight of the basket , and when planting added granular fertiliser, for the last 2 months i use tomato food to give them a feed every 2 weeks. dead head what is needed.

They are at the front of the house and get sun from early morning until about midday and then are in shade mostly, the front of the house is North-east facing.

This problem seems to happen me every year to be honest, is there something i am doing or could it be direction house is facing? cross wind etc? the way i water, i always use the shower setting of the hose pipe and aim low centre of the basket.

my tomato plants also the leafs are all curling and they are not producing as much fruit as other years.

i think i am just cursed this year!

Tops of my Tomato plants are curling also.I have a good few bunches of fruits growing but I think I may have got a touch of blight earlier this year.Conditions were not good for tomatoes this summer.