Basket Bonanza!

Basket Bonanza!

Growers Can Gather Moss

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Austram is the originator of the CocoMoss-lined hanging basket as a retail item. The grower line is ProGro, which offers a flat-bottomed, PE-coated basket with the woven liner inserted. There is a plastic dish in the basket to help with water retention. The wire hanger is included but not attached. The hook on the hanger is designed to fit over greenhouse purlins and the baskets have simple hanger attachment guides. ProGro baskets are available in white in 10 inches through 28 inches and green and hammered silver in selected sizes.

The Duchess style ProGro was modeled from one of the most successful retail basket styles. It comes in an antique green powder-coated finish with a zinc undercoat. Duchess is a sweeping flat wire design that adds a volume look to a basket. It’s available in 12-inch, 14-inch and 16-inch sizes.

Lotus is Austram’s newest and possibly best grower’s basket. It is available in black and includes a water miser liner, which retains water and reduces the need for planting in a separate area. It can be used alongside traditional plastic baskets. Lotus is available in sizes ranging from 12 to 20 inches.

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Maximizing Bloom

Bloom Master Planter Corp. offers a wide range of hanging baskets with side openings that increase the potential for flower power by completely covering baskets with blooms.

The 10-inch hanging basket has eight side openings for optional planting. This economically sized basket offers the ability to produce more volume faster for more profit. It holds approximately a half cubic foot of potting mix and is available in green or terra cotta. It includes a four-strand wire hanger.

The 11-inch basket is the most popular Bloom Master basket with 16 side openings for optional planting. Plants finish faster than in moss or lined baskets, resulting in more profit. It holds 3/4 cubic feet of potting mix and includes a four-strand wire hanger. It’s available in green only.

The 14-inch hanging basket is a favorite of growers who grow large baskets and offers 30 side openings for optional planting. This model is perfect for high-end and municipal customers and is used in cities nationwide. Plants grow fast and will live all season. Baskets require less watering than with moss and hold 1 1/2 cubic feet of potting mix with a three-strand chain hanger. Available in green or terra cotta.

Fashioning An Image

In the business since 1903, DCN Plastic is one of the oldest plastic manufacturers in Canada and is privately owned by the fourth-generation LeTarte family. Its design team follows housing trends with regards to brick, siding and popular paint colors.

Its Azura line offers fashion-forward colors and styles with a true self-watering feature. The Distinction baskets are available in 12 to 15 inches with a solid volume of media of 2.49 to 4.81 gallons respectively. The Classique line is simple and solid. The 14-inch basket holds 2.79 gallons of media.

DCN’s products will not be found in the box stores but are offered through the lawn and garden distribution network. The line is upscale, giving garden centers an alternative.

Catch Them At The Shows

See something you like? You can inspect these products and varieties at many of the major regional trade shows this month. Consider the Basket Bonanza as part of your shopping list. For more information on upcoming trade shows, turn to page 147 for details on six winter events, including the Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show and Mid-America Horticultural Trade Show.

Going Saucerless

Dillen Products, a division of Myers Industries, offers growers and retailers options in hanging baskets.

The 10.00 Cascade Saucerless HB is Dillen’s most cost-effective saucerless hanging basket with unique vortex styling. The Cascade has an internal capillary dish and the ability to be hung with a variety of wire or plastic hangers. It is most commonly used by growers who sell to large retailers and allows for maximum density on irrigation lines and shipping carts. It’s available in stock colors of green and white and in custom colors with a minimum order. Outside diameter is 10 inches, height is 6 1âÂ�â€�8 inches and maximum liquid capacity is 1.34 gallons.

The 10.00 Traditional Saucerless and Outside Saucer HB is Dillen’s largest hanging basket style in the 10.00 category with an inside diameter of 10 inches. The traditional basket offers a bowl-shaped design with a large soil volume for longer plant life. Frequently used by growers to differentiate from mass market retailer baskets, it is available in both saucerless (inside capillary dish) and outside saucer versions. Both wire and plastic hangers may be used with either style. Outside diameter is 10 3/4 inches, height is 6 15âÂ�â€�16 inches and maximum liquid capacity is 1.64 gallons.

The 10.00 Roman Saucerless HB is the latest offering featuring classic fluted sidewall styling. It has a matte finish to create the appearance of real terra cotta. While slightly larger than the Cascade, this basket option is still bench, irrigation line and cart friendly. The Roman is furnished with an internal capillary dish and will accept wire and plastic hangers. Outside diameter is 10 inches, height is 6 1/4 inches and the maximum liquid capacity is 1.42 gallons.

Versatile Options

Poppelmann Plastics’ VAA basket is a thermoform polypropylene basket that comes in smaller sizes: 5, 6, 7 and 8 inches. It does not require a saucer or inside reservoir and can have several hanger choices. VAA is a good choice for low price points with an attractive look. The product is coextruded with black on the inside and the finish color on the outside. This allows for better growth patterns, because the roots are not exposed to light. The product is lightweight, which reduces freight cost, and can be printed for additional market appeal.

The TCA basket is traditional and injection molded. It does not require a saucer or inside reservoir and is not suitable for all crops. Poppelmann offers an assortment of hangers to fit with different sizes and shapes. This basket has a decorative look and is very durable. It’s available in 8, 10, 10 5âÂ�â€�8 and 12 inches.

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