We just did a semp co-op for chicks from Walters. I'm making a hanging basket. It's a wire basket with the coco fiber liners. Filling it with soil and filling the top was no problem
but I would like to poke holes in the coco fiber and add more chicks. Is there some thing I can use to anchor the chicks into the fiber until they take hold?

I've used the large hairpins (not the smaller bobbypins) to anchor strawberry plants down to the
ground so they would take root quicker and better. They would probably work well for the sides
of your basket because they are about two to three inches long and 1/2" wide. The best place
to find them is an old fashion five&dime store, or maybe the Dollar Store.

Please share a picture of your basket when you hang it.

Louise

When I do these, I use chicks with long stolons, which you may or may not have from your swap, but if you grow them on you'll get lots over the summer. These are waaaay easier to get into holes poked with a screwdriver or something. I want to see pictures too!!

Thanks, they were all bare root, some have long stolens, but they are very plump and they weight is pulling them loose. I'll look for the hair pins or try some wire.
Here's some photos so far. I tried pulling little 'pockets' out of the coco, but their weight is still too much. I know I could start with smaller chicks, but I really wanted a nice full look to start.

Woodthrush that is an awesome hanging planter. I love with you are doing with the semps in it. Can't wait to see it finished.
How about strips of bird netting to hold them in place until they root?

lol - lightbulb moment! I thought of birdnetting UNDER the chicks but not Over them! That should work! I have netting here. I'll try this later this afternoon

Yes, that is cool! I didn't realize it was cone shaped, what fun! I have a globe that was two round baskets stuck together, and I had a heck of a time with getting the bottom ones to stick in. I'll just add more chicks with long stolons over the summer to fill in the blanks. This is a long term prospect...

It's working. I couldn't wait to try the netting - lol. I've started at the bottom filling in and using clothespins to keep the netting tight as I work up. I haven't made up hanging baskets of any kind for a couple of years and once I got into the shed looking for some pots, I found a lot of neat planters I had forgotten I had - lol

woodthrush, that project is so exciting. Can't wait to see the finished project. This type of planting takes time in creating it and waiting for it to fill in.

Jacki that looks really big. It will be amazing when it fills in. Those thousands of seedlings will come in handy.

This one is big - too big to hang! I did have it hanging in the greenhouse last year, but I couldn't even lift it. HH had to carry it out to overwinter in the garden. I took the chains off and now it's going to be sitting in the pot. I'll add more chicks as they start to produce.

Woodthrush, we expect to see more of your planters...boy, you've really started something here...

Hey Blue Fox, how would your ball look on a pedestal - like a gazing ball pedestal?
that would be cool too.

woodthrush said:Hey Blue Fox, how would your ball look on a pedestal - like a gazing ball pedestal?
that would be cool too.

Oh what an awesome idea woodthrush.

That would be cool - I'll have to come up with the perfect thing. If it falls off it could kill someone rolling down the hill

Especially in the winter, it would become a giant snow ball.

lol - I can see it rolling down hill, picking up all the local sedums and semps as it traveled along, maybe a small dog or two! lol

Here's how far I got yesterday. I'm also using small cable ties to keep the netting fairly tight.

Wow, woodthrush that is going to look like a fully mature planting when you get through. Awesome. How heavy is it and how are you going to hang it?
I love the cone shape.

Yes, I will thin it as needed but I wanted it nice and full to start with. You can see the chain hanger in the very first photo up top, the chain all goes to one S hook and I'll hang it off a hook from the edge of the pergola. T hat should be a nice sunny spot for it. It's not too heavy yet. I want to add just a bit more soil to the top so the chicks in the middle are raised just a bit.

I just love it woodthrush. Can't wait to see it when your finished planting it and it's hanging in it's permanent place. : )