With very little effort and great satisfaction, you can plant a basket of spring flowers to put on a patio table, porch step or coffee table. From pansies to stocks to lettuces, there’s something for everyone this time of year. Use a basket you already have or pick one up at Goodwill or another thrift store. There, you might find a basket with the spring color you want. Or if not, you can always spray paint the basket the color you’d like.
There’s no shortage of flowers for planting in your basket.
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Here’s how to make your spring basket:
- Line the basket with a dampened paper towel or newspaper. Be sure to line the sides of the basket, too. The paper prevents the soil from escaping through the basket’s weave. If the basket has a plastic liner and will be outdoors, remove it or punch holes in it to allow drainage. If you are planning to use your basket inside, there’s no need to punch holes because it’s easier to control watering indoors.
- Think how the basket will be viewed – from all sides or from the front? If from all sides, taller plants can go in the middle. If it’ll be viewed from one side, place them in the back.
- At the garden center, look for primroses, snapdragons, ranunculus, pansies, violas, stocks and forced spring bulbs, such as daffodils and tulips. Be creative – consider other plants, including colorful lettuces and herbs, to enhance texture.
- Stick in snipped branches of pussy willow, forsythia, dogwood or other spring-blooming plants. Or spray paint birch branches spring colors and add in.
- Pot up the spring basket and water well. No need to fertilize because spring is a short season for these plants. For an even more festive look, tie a bow on the handle.
A spring basket is also an easy-to-do project for children. Add faux grass, a bit of candy and a few colorful eggs, and you’ve made an Easter basket.
You can also use these steps to create a basket for any season.
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About the Author: A popular speaker, Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp blogs at hoosiergardener.com. Sign up for her free, award-winning monthly newsletter eepurl.com/gkfb91.
