Table of Contents
How deep should a window flower box be?
A minimum of 8 inches in depth and 8 inches from front to back is required to have enough room for a selection of plants. Larger–say a foot in depth and width–is even better, particularly if you want to include a lot of plants and want them to fill out enough to overflow the box.
What do you put in the bottom of a window box?
In addition to drilled holes, stones and gravel are essential to proper drainage of windowboxes. Put a two- to three-inch layer of pea gravel or pebbles in the bottom of the planter. This will allow water to filter through the soil and gravel before passing through the drilled holes.
How many flowers should I plant in a window box?
For a 2′ window box, use 2-3 geraniums, for a 3′ window box use 3-4 geraniums. In between the main plants, put in a filler plant- something that stays lower and more compact such as lobelia, calibrachoa, compact verbenas, flowering vinca or petunias.
What wood is best for window boxes?
Because of their rot-resistant qualities, cedar and redwood are two of the best choices of wood for window boxes. Smooth high-grade cedar has a fine grain that looks good natural or stained.
Can you plant perennials in window boxes?
If gardening isn’t your thing or if money is an issue, perennials are the perfect choice for window boxes. In the right climate and environment, they can survive through the winter and grow back the following spring. In climates with light frosts, your perennial choices may seem endless.
Should a window box be bigger or smaller than the window?
For the best visual effect, your window box should be at least as wide as the window but should not extend more than three inches beyond the trim on each side.
Should you line a planter box with plastic?
You need to line your planter box if it’s made from wood or metal. The liner will help prolong the planter’s life. You don’t need to use a liner if the planter is made using plastic, ceramic, or concrete as they are quite durable by themselves.
Should window boxes go on all Windows?
A good rule of thumb: Match the width of the flower box to the width of the window. Use smaller flower boxes on smaller windows, and larger ones on larger windows. Matching the right window box to your home can add curb appeal, but there are many things to consider before making a final decision.
How do you install window boxes without drilling?
The most common method for attaching window boxes to the side of the house involves using screws, but if you have vinyl siding, bypass the drilling by using vinyl siding hooks. Slide the hooks into the seam of the siding, and you’re ready to hang your planter.
What should I line my planter box with?
Line the entire planter with a sheet of plastic, trimming it so that it reaches but does not go over the rim. Staple the plastic all the way around the rim. Using a screwdriver or sharp stick, poke through the drilled drainage holes to let excess water drain out of the plastic liner.
What do you line flower boxes with?
Flower or window box liners are plastic trays or sheets of coconut fiber material used to line the bottom of flower or window boxes and planters before potting plants with soil inside.
Should you mulch window boxes?
Soil for Window Boxes Look for soil mixes that are specifically made for containers. This type of soil retains moisture better than regular soil. Try using mulch on top of your soil to retain moisture and provide warmth to young plants. A good bark mulch or small gravel will work fine in a window box.
How often should you water window boxes?
Frequent watering is the most important part of caring for plants in window boxes. As with most containers, window boxes will need to be watered at least once a day.
Should you put rocks at the bottom of a planter?
This is false. Putting gravel, rocks, or other layers of material in your plant pots, planters, or containers with drainage holes does NOT improve potting soil drainage, it instead increases the water saturation level that leads to root rot.
Are vincas good for window boxes?
Petunias, geraniums, zinnias, nasturtiums, and begonias are good choices for main-theme flowers. Fill in with things like inch plant, ivy, euonymus, heather, or vinca, which will cascade over the edge of the box. Window boxes look their best if they’re packed with plants!.
Are petunias good for window boxes?
Trailing petunias are one of the most popular plants for window boxes. They grow best in a position that receives at least six hours of sunlight a day and they can tolerate hot temperatures and humidity. Petunias come in a wide range of colors including purple, pink, red, yellow and white.
Is pine good for planter boxes?
Natural, untreated pine can also be used to build planters, but it must be sealed to make it resistant to weathering, rot and fungus. Pine is also soft, which makes it vulnerable to nicks, gouges and other damage.
How do you keep a wooden window box from rotting?
The best way to prevent deck planters from rotting is with a liner. Lining a wood planter prevents water and fungi from contacting the wood. Preventing rotting by separating that which is good for the plants, water and fungi from the wood.
Is fir wood good for planter boxes?
Other Planter Box Wood Choices According to the writers from Greenhouse Today, fir is a hardy wood that can last 10 to 15 years with the right care, and, depending on the quality of the wood, may stand up better around screws and nails than cedar. The advantage to fir as a garden material is its relatively lower cost.
What can you plant in a window box in the winter?
Try junipers, arborvitae, False cypress, Japanese yew, spruces, flowering heaths and heathers and boxwoods. Add flowers and pretty foliage for color. Pansies are generally hardy to zone 4 and rebloom in winter in zones 7 and higher, while violas are hardy in zones 3 to 9.
Can lavender grow in window boxes?
Lavender thrives in well-drained soil, preferably in a raised bed or container garden, and requires full sun. Two kinds of mint, chamomile, pineapple sage, lemon-scented geraniums and French lavender star in this window box by Granville, Ohio landscape architect Jennifer Bartley for Country Living.
