Rodger,

Many thanks - will give your tips a try next year! I had been wondering
whether or not I was infecting them with the tobacco mosaic virus when
dead-heading - I am a smoker!

Jordan.

"Rodger Whitlock" wrote in
message ...
On Sun, 10 Aug 2003 10:03:57 +0100, Jordan wrote:

I have had hanging baskets outside of my house for the past 4 years.
Normally I plant a selection of geraniums, fuschias and petunias. The
first
year, no problems but the last three years, all of the petunias have
gone
down with some sort of disease causing them to wilt and die back around
two
months after planting. The disease seems to start with one plant, and
then
spreads to others in the basket and then to other baskets. The petunias
go
brown, the leaves die back and although the end shoots still keep
flowering
(just) the volume of flowers is greatly reduced and the baskets quickly
take
on a 'ragged' look.

Any ideas where I am going wrong, or ideas on plants I can use instead
of
petunias???

It sounds like lack of water to me.

Once the plants in a hanging basket are well-established, there's
a lot of roots competing in not-very-much soil. You must water an
established basket much more copiously than you do when it is
first planted.

Also, you must *feed* hanging baskets. The constant and copious
watering rapidly depletes alll soluble nutrients and if you don't
replace these, the plants will suffer.

Once a week, when you water, water three times, allowing the
excess the drain between bouts. This will remove any fertilizer
salts that may have accumulated, as well as making sure that the
soil mass is evenly moistened.

Then, after the basket has been thoroughly soaked and had a
chance to drain, apply any decent soluble fertilizer. 20-20-20
analysis is as good as any, but some brands are more prone to
burning than others -- I can't tell you which because you don't
get the same brands in the UK we do in BC.


--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada