A recipe for creating a simple side planting wall basket.
Salvia, coleus, and begonias team up to create an easy arrangement – both to plant and to maintain. The salvia forms the centerpiece, and the other three plants are simply alternated around the edge and side. These tried-and-true plants have been high performers for generations. The color contrast of dark purple and lime green give this small arrangement its punch.
For the side layer, alternate
the begonias with the two colors of coleus.
Light: Full sun to light shade. Since wax begonias are sold for sun or shade, be sure to choose those that fit your light situation.
Most take sun until the temperatures hit the low 90’s. The redleafed varieties take sun in higher temperatures, along with some of the newer, green-leafed types that should be labeled as sun begonias.
Plant the two salvias close
together in the center.
Season: Spring through fall for most areas. Also thrives in winter in areas where the temperatures stay above 38 degrees. This plant mix takes temperatures from about 38 degrees to the low 90’s in full sun. In light shade, it withstands higher temperatures into the high 90’s.
Lifespan: Two to four months in this container. Plants in small wall baskets live shorter lives than those planted in larger containers.
Repeat Step 1 around the
edge. Be sure to put different
plants above each other.
Care: Fertilize on planting day, and repeat every three months with a slow-release mix. About every three weeks or so, pinch the coleus to keep it from getting taller than the salvia, . Remove the dead flowers from the salvia if you feel energetic!
Water: Water when the plants show signs of wilt or the soil feels dry when you push your fingertip up to your second knuckle into the potting mix. I watered this one every day in mid summer and every other day in cooler weather.
Troubleshooting: After six weeks, the purple salvia was covered up by the coleus. It also suffered from lack of light because I planted another wall basket too close above it. Luckily, the other plants were so pretty that the arrangement still looked great without the purple flowers! Red salvia is taller than the purple and a better choice when surrounded by coleus.
Quantity of Plants: Quantities for this pot size are given on the plant photos (previous page). See the ‘List of Products’ section in this Web site for quantities needed for other container sizes and shapes.
Arrangement: Alternate the begonias, ‘Gay’s Delight’ coleus, and ‘Dark Star’ coleus, around the side layer. Plant the salvias in the center. Alternate the begonias and coleus again around the top edge.
You can review the Side Planting How To’s ‘Step by Step Instructions’ on our website.