Nemesia, diascia and pelargonium hanging basket

Prop the basket in a bucket or plant pot, to make planting easy, and line it with sphagnum moss or an alternative.

Step 2

Add a piece of plastic – such as from an old compost bag – to the inside of the moss, to help retain moisture. Cut a few drainage holes in the plastic.

Step 3

Fill the basket two-thirds with multi-purpose compost, and add water-retaining gel, mixing it in with the compost.

Step 4

Add the nemesia and diascia to the centre of the basket, then the pelargonium and diascia plants around the edge. Fill in-between the roots with compost, leaving a gap of around 2cm between the top of the compost and the basket's rim.

Step 5

Add slow-release fertiliser pellets to the compost around the plants. Water in well and leave the basket to drain before hanging in position.

Kevin Smith says...

Line hanging baskets with moss raked from your lawn – it’s just as good as anything you can buy with the added bonus of know it’s ethically sourced. Grass clippings lined with plastic also work well.