Growing
Baskets by Biennial Method
Sit
the basket in some form of bucket, for stability whilst planting. Add a
basket liner, moss, plastic or propriety ready made liner. The compost is a
multi-purpose compost, to which has been added, Perlite or Vermiculite,
to open the compost, this being added at one part Perlite to six parts compost.
To this is added water retaining crystals, a tablespoonful, for a 14" basket.
This is then mixed thoroughly together. 
When
making up the basket, some compost is laid in the bottom of the basket then
a number of empty pots, formers, the same size as the plants pots, are arranged
around the outside of the basket, almost touching, in this case 9mm pots
are used.
When all the empty pots are arranged around the basket, compost is filled
in between the pots and gently firmed down. The finished level in the basket,
should be approximately 1" below the rim of the basket.
The beauty of this, is that the plants, in their growing pots can be arranged
for the best shape.The
centre pot should be the tallest plant, so as to give the maximum overall
height. This centre plant can if necessary be left until later when you
have a larger plant. When
the white roots of each plant, in its own pot, has filled its compost, then
the empty pot former can be taken out and the plant taken out of its pot
and inserted into its place.Water in all the plants, when finished.
In
no time at all, the plants will be growing fast. When each branch of each
plant has grown 2 pairs of leaves, pinch out or stop the growing tip. It
is a definite must that when doing this, that all the basket is stopped
at the same time. It is best to do this, if you sit the basket in the bucket
again, and with a small pair of scissors do every growing tip of the basket.
This way you will have a balanced basket that is growing evenly all over.
This
regular stopping provides a close framework for the basket to give lots
of blooms and gives a close structure that will be able to carry all these
blooms, without breaking the stems or splitting the baskets overall shape.
In a very short time, the individual plants will have formed into one canopy.
This growth is carried
on during the first year and by this regular stopping, no flowers form.
At the end of the first year, you should have quite a woody framework to
the basket. One of the reasons for stopping at every one or two pairs of
leaves, is to keep the basket compact and not too large.
The Biennial growing of a basket requires some form of heating during
the winter, to keep the plants ticking over in green growth. Regular spraying
with insecticide is needed, to keep a check on whitefly and other pests.
As
the basket gets bigger, it is necessary the internal structure is checked
for dead leaves, which must be removed in case Botrytis ( Grey Mould )
takes a hold. If it does, spray with a fungicide. Some of the internal
leaves, if not all, can be removed, to give some form of ventilation and
air movement through the basket, especially during the cooler, darker
days of winter.
As the darker
days of winter give way to the lighter spring days, the growth speeds
up again, keep up with the regular stopping. By now, it can take quite
some time, taking out the growing tips, for there will be hundreds.
The final stop
is done by counting back from the show date, or the date you want it to
flower, 7 weeks for a single flowered Fuchsia and 8 - 10 weeks for a double
flowered variety. From this final stop, it takes the plant this time to
produce the open flower. This final stop is only an approximation because
in the 7 weeks, or 8 -10 weeks for doubles, the weather can be dull and
cold, thus retarding growth, or could well be hot and sunny thus accelerating
growth and flowering.
During the first
year growing season, once feeding is needed, a high nitrogen feed is applied
regularly, to promote vigorous green growth, and then in the second year,
a balanced feed is given.
This
method, of course, can be used for half or wall baskets.
The Biennial method of growing certainly produces really floriferous baskets to make your friends and neighbours envious.
G.Foster, amended 16 Sept.2001
