Growing Alyssum or Basket of Gold in Pots

Which Golden Baskets to plant in pots?

The Gold Basket is one of the first flowers to appear in spring, starting in April. It features evergreen or semi-evergreen foliage arranged in a rosette, which is covered with a multitude of small golden-yellow flowers grouped in corymbs. The flowers measure 5 mm to 10 mm and consist of 4 heart-shaped petals. When grown in pots, the Gold Basket brightens floral displays.

For pot planting, all species of Gold Basket can be used. For example, you can choose:

• Alyssum saxatile Goldkugel or Gold Basket with yellow flowers. Reaching 25 cm in height and 30 cm in width at ripeness, it blooms from April to May. It offers evergreen grey-green foliage.
• Alyssum montanum Berggold or Gold Basket. This small perennial native to the mountains measures 15 cm with a possible spread of 50 cm. It produces small golden-yellow flowers from May to July, creating bright floral carpets on grey-green foliage. It emits a light honey fragrance and attracts pollinating insects.
• Alyssum argenteum. With a height of 40 cm and a width of 30 cm, it offers a later flowering period, from May to June. It produces small bright yellow flowers on green foliage.

Alyssum saxatile ‘Goldkugel’ (photo Wikipedia), Alyssum montanum ‘Berggold’ (photo febs), and Alyssum argenteum (photo Bernhard Friess)

Where and when to plant the Golden Basket in a pot?

• The Golden Basket enjoys sunny locations. Therefore, plant it in full sun.
• It is planted between March and May outside of frost periods, but it is also possible to plant Golden Baskets in pots in autumn.

How to grow the Golden Basket in a pot?

What type of pot?

You can plant the Golden Basket in pots, troughs, window boxes, or any other container, such as a stone trough or even in a hanging pot, for a beautiful trailing effect of the Golden Basket.

Clay or stone pots are nevertheless preferable as they facilitate water evaporation, the Golden Basket needing a well-drained and dry substrate.

What substrate?

The Golden Basket enjoys ordinary soils, even dry and calcareous ones. It requires a well-draining substrate with a mix of soil and sand or gravel, so that water does not stagnate in the pot.

Planting

• The Golden Basket can thrive in little soil. Preferably choose a pot that is wider than it is tall, to ensure good drainage and allow it to spread. Generally, the Golden Basket develops to a width of 30 to 40 cm.
• Place a thick draining layer such as gravel or clay balls at the bottom of the perforated pot.
• Add a mix of ordinary soil or potting soil for Mediterranean plants with gravel or sand to keep the pot well-drained.
• Water to allow the plant to establish well.

Alyssum with white flowers

How to care for the Golden Basket in a pot?

Watering

The Gold Basket is a drought-tolerant and rock garden plant. Once established, it requires little care and minimal watering.
Water the Gold Basket in a pot occasionally and in moderation, allowing the substrate to dry well between waterings.

Fertiliser

Do not use any fertiliser. The Gold Basket prefers poor soils, and adding fertiliser could cause it to decline.

Pruning

• Remove faded flowers as they occur to encourage further flowering
• At the end of May, pinch back the stems to promote branching and the development of compact foliage
• In June, after the first wave of flowering, lightly trim the clumps to encourage a new flowering
• At the end of the flowering period, you can allow it to set seed if you wish to collect them, or cut back the stems by half with clean pruning shears to encourage bushier growth

Repotting and Dividing Clumps

The Gold Basket is a fast-growing plant with a short lifespan of 5 to 6 years.

After 4 or 5 years, the Gold Basket is no longer as vigorous. You can divide the clumps to replant them in other pots and rejuvenate the plants.

• Divide the clumps in spring, in March
• Lift the plants and cut off sections from the perimeter with pruning shears
• Plant the sections in new pots with well-draining substrate
• Water to aid recovery

Discover in this article all our tips on repotting plants.

Diseases and Pests

The Gold Basket is not very susceptible to diseases. It can be affected by downy mildew or powdery mildew if the substrate is not well-drained. These diseases are identifiable by rust-coloured pustules or white fluff appearing on the leaves. In this case, cut away the affected parts and ensure not to water the leaves. Find in this article all our advice on Powdery mildew: prevention and treatment.

In case of aphid infestations, spray the plant with a mixture of water and black soap.

The Gold Basket can also sometimes be eaten by slugs or snails. You can use fern manure or follow our tips to get rid of them naturally.

For further reading

Discover our complete sheet on the Basket of Gold, as well as our collection of Baskets of Gold!

And to avoid any failures, we advise you to plant appropriately. Feel free to adopt our Plantfit web application!