Easy fill hanging baskets really are simple to pot up - here are some tips for getting the best out of your Plantopia baskets.

Choosing your plants

There are lots of plants that can be grown in our Plantopia easy-fill hanging baskets, including beautiful annuals, and compact evergreen shrubs that will provide structure and year-round foliage. Rather than planting at random, try to choose a colour scheme like pink or white flowers, or use hot reds and yellows.

Although most hanging baskets are planted in early spring and put outdoors after the risk of frost has passed, they can also be filled with frost hardy flowers and tough evergreens for colour over winter. Because out Plantopia easy fill hanging baskets use mature plants they can be planted when the weather warms up.

What to do

• Prepare your compost by mixing a handful of controlled-release fertiliser granules and some water-retaining gel into peat-free multi-purpose compost.
• Next, remove one of the hanging chains from your (14in) easy fill hanging basket and stand the basket on a pot to keep it steady.
• Place a bed of compost in your easy fill hanging basket - there is no need for moss or to use over-harvested sphagnum moss.
• To prevent too much water from escaping, there is a built-in well. If you are really worried, simply mix some gel crystals into the compost before you plant up.

• Select plants for the sides of the basket and to prevent damage to roots and stems, your easy fill hanging basket has removable windows. You can use plugs or mature plants. Then firm the soil around the rootballs.

• Fill two thirds of the basket with soil and add another layer of plants. Continue to fill with compost, leave a 3cm (0.75in) gap between the top of the compost and the lip of the easy fill basket, and finish by planting the top. Make sure that you water it well.

To watch a video clip of the easy fill hanging baskets in action, click here!

Aftercare

• Hang outside when all risk of frost has passed. Water daily, especially during warm weather.
• Remove spent blooms from your plants two to three times a week to encourage plants to produce a succession of flowers.
• Boost plants with a weekly liquid feed.

Here are some Plants to try in your easy fill hanging or wall basket.

• Lobelia 'Fountain Mixture Trailing' - red, pink, white and mauve flowers
• Dichondra 'Silver Falls' - trailing foliage plant with silver leaves
• Sweet pea 'Pink Cupid' - fragrant pink flowers on compact plants
• Petunia 'Purple Velvet' - rich purple flowers appear on long stems
• Begonia 'Chanson Pink' - long stems with blousy pink blooms

If planting a winter basket, try winter pansies, primula, trailing ivy, heathers and dwarf conifers. Underplant with dwarf bulbs such as narcissus, tulips and iris for a delightful spring display.