Johnson's Garden Centers Text File document - copyright 2002
PDF file available at http://www.johnsonsgarden.com/advice.html#flowers

Hanging Flower Pouches

    For each pouch, you'll need an 8 qt. bag of ferti-lome Potting Mix
and three 4-packs of annuals. Flowers that work well in these pouches
include impatiens, begonias, petunias and vinca ... to name a few. 

1)  Fill the pouch with Potting Mix up to the bottom set of 'holes.' The
holes are actually two crossed slits in one side of the pouch. 

2)  Place one flower cell from your 4-pack into each of the bottom slit
openings. If you need to cut the slits a little to increase the size of
the opening, that's OK. (Smaller rootballs work best when planting your
pouches.) Make sure the rootball of the flower is completely inside the
pouch and is surrounded by soil. 
 
3)  After the bottom two slits are planted, grab onto the top of the
pouch and shake gently so that the soil will settle into the pouch,
eliminating air pockets. 

4)  Next, fill the pouch with Potting Mix up to the next pair of slit
openings and plant as described above. Continue this process until all
slits are planted. 

5)  Add a little more Potting Mix at the top so you can plant a couple
more flower cells into the top opening of the pouch. 

6)  After planting, water your pouch with a mixture of ferti-lome
Blooming & Rooting Water Soluble Plant Food to get your flowers started
off right. Every time you water, it is important to get moisture to the
bottom plants. The best way to do this is to water slowly, let it soak
in, then add a little more. Continue this process until water starts to
drip from the bottom set of slits. Because drip irrigation waters your
plants slowly ... one drop at a time ... it is an excellent way to keep your
pouches watered. With a little bit of planning, you can water all your
hanging baskets, pouches and patio planters with a drip irrigation kit
from RainDrip. Stop by for more information on drip irrigation.

7)  Keep your pouches watered and fertilize them once a week with
Blooming & Rooting. In 3-4 weeks your pouch will be filled in with
colorful flowers and lush green foliage.