Hi Helen

I think at the moment I would leave things as they are. When you say that the 'Dark Eyes' isn't thriving you may be leaching the goodness out of the soil when you are watering as the baskets need more water than pots in most other situations. I would suggest that you give the baskets a good general fertilizer at half strength 20:20:20 for a while, then change to a high potash feed (something like a tomato feed) when the flowers start to show.

The growth will look a bit flimsy as this is the nature of these types of plants they are trailers and make a lot of length on the growth before flowering.

It is a good idea to make sure that the baskets are able to turn (some sort of a swivel like those on a dog leash is useful) or turn them every couple of days by hand so that all sides receive the same amount of light and one side doesn't become 'drawn'.

Hopefully you will have a good show this year... you will have to take a photograph and lets us all see the fruits of your labour.

Hope this helps.

Tight....