Hang flower baskets from your patio or balcony eaves to add colour to outdoor spaces. If you have no suitable structures to hang the baskets from, consider placing hanging plant stakes in your landscape to hang the planters on. If you don’t have any hanging baskets, you can make your own homemade baskets from an ordinary planter and the proper hardware. This also gives you more choice in design and colour compared to store bought versions.
Step One
Choose a planter that is 12 to 16 inches in diameter and 10 to 12 inches deep. Use a plastic or wooden planter as opposed to clay or fibreglass. The planter must have drainage holes in the bottom.
Step Two
Mark three points along the rim that are equidistant from each other. Use a grease pen or a pencil so you can wipe off the marks when you are done.
Step Three
Drill a ½ inch hole in the side of the planter at each mark. Place the hole about 1 ½ inches down from the rim of the pot.
Step Four
Slide a 2-inch diameter split ring through each hole. Attach the end of a 1 foot length of chain to each of the splits rings. The planter now has three lengths of chain connected to it.
Step Five
Attach the other end of all three chains to a fourth split ring. Hang the flower basket from a hook by slipping this fourth split ring over the hook.
Step Six
Fill the hanging basket to within 2 inches of the rim with a soilless potting mix. Soil-less mixes are lighter than soil mixes, making them a better choice for hanging baskets.
Step Seven
Plant flower transplants in the homemade basket. Space them at half the distance recommended on the plant tags.
Step Eight
Water the basket every one to two days. Water until the excess moisture begins dripping from the bottom of the planter to ensure the soil is evenly moist throughout.