Table of Contents
What kind of wood should I use for a planter box?
Cedar, white oak and redwood naturally resist termites and other insects. They stand up very well to the elements and last season after season. They can, however, require more upfront investment. Soft woods such as pine work best for indoor planters.
Do I need to line a wooden planter box?
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.
Is it cheaper to build your own planter box?
Building raised planter boxes is very easy, and usually more cost effective than purchasing them.
How do you keep wooden planters 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.
Can I use pressure treated wood for a planter box?
Yes, the “new” pressure treated wood is safe for use for raised garden frames with a few precautions! Up until 2003, the most common preservative used for pressure treated wood was chromated copper arsenate (CCA), a compound using arsenic as its primary rot protectant.
How deep should a planter box be?
For most plants, a 6-to 8-inch-deep planter box is sufficient. The depth may vary for some vegetables, however. Turnips, cucumbers, broccoli, beets, lettuce and green onions can all grow well in a planter box at that depth, but other vegetables, like cabbage, need a deeper depth of at least 10 inches.
Should I put rocks at the bottom of my planter?
A: For years, experts told gardeners to put a layer of gravel, pebbles, sand or broken pieces of pot in the bottom of the pot before potting up houseplants or outdoor plants. The idea was to improve drainage. But research shows that this advice is wrong. Water doesn’t travel well from one medium to another.
What do you put in the bottom of a wooden planter?
Place a sheet of plastic or metal screen cloth over the entire bottom of the pot to keep drainage holes open. Alternatively, put shards of broken flowerpot or other pottery over the holes.
What do you fill planter boxes with?
Possibilities include crushed aluminum cans, plastic milk jugs, plastic water bottles, plastic soda pop bottles and crunched, empty potting soil and soil amendment bags. Upending a stack of nursery pots inside a planter box also works well.
What do you put in the bottom of a planter for drainage?
Put a layer of gravel in your plant’s drainage tray, or down inside a decorative planter, then sit your plant pot on top. The gravel will hold water and increase humidity, while keeping your plant’s roots up out of the puddle. Gravel comes in handy when sitting a plant inside a decorative planter.
Should you stain a planter box?
Semi-transparent penetrating stains can be beneficial to soft woods like cedar and can prevent the planter or raised bed from being damaged by rain or sun. Some stains may have an adverse effect on plants, so either stain the planter when it’s empty or protect the plants inside.
Can I use plywood for a planter box?
Untreated plywood is safe to use on your garden bed, so it is the best option. you’ll need to replace it every few years, but you’ll not need to worry about the toxic chemicals getting into your garden. If you go with the treated plywood, it is best to line some thick plastic to help keep things safe.
Can I use untreated wood for raised beds?
Wood is one of the most common material for use in raised beds. Untreated pine or spruce (whether heat-treated or kiln-dried) are good, inexpensive options. Unlike pressure-treated lumber, untreated or heat-treated wood contains no questionable chemical compounds that may leach into the soil within the bed.
What is better pressure treated wood or cedar?
When it comes to comparing treated wood vs. cedar, pressure-treated wood is the sturdier and more weather-proof of the two. It’s highly resistant to insect attack and rot, and special versions rated for “ground contact” can be buried in soil and will continue to shrug off decay for decades.
Is it safe to use treated lumber for raised garden beds?
According to the American Wood Protection Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, lumber treated with ACQ is safe for garden use. Its durability and nontoxicity make it among the best woods for raised garden beds. The risk of chemical exposure from pressure-treated lumber is very low.
How deep should a planter box be to grow vegetables?
Eight to 12 inches is usually adequate. If drainage is a problem, or if the plants you are growing prefer drier soil, the bed could be taller and filled with a porous growing medium. Vegetable beds should be 12 to 18 inches deep.
How wide should a planter box be for tomatoes?
3. Choose the Right Pot. Those seedlings may look small now, but a full-grown tomato plant needs a lot of space for a strong root system. For maximum production, the ideal pot size is 18-inch diameter for determinate tomatoes and 24-inch diameter for indeterminate tomatoes.
Do planter boxes need drainage holes?
Do Planter Boxes Need Drainage Holes? Yes. Planter boxes need very good drainage holes at the bottom of the container. Any water that stagnates will choke out the oxygen that is channeled to the roots.
What do you put in the bottom of a planter without drainage holes?
Some experts suggest using a layer of pebbles as a sort of drainage layer in those pots without drainage holes. This technique allows excess water to flow into the space with the pebbles, away from the the soil and therefore the roots of your plant.
Can you put plastic bottles in planters?
2) You can use less dirt to plant. 3) Plastic bottles at the bottom of the planter allow for excellent drainage. 4) Plastic bottles at the bottom of the planter promote air circulation and will help to keep the roots of your plant cool.
Can you put Styrofoam in the bottom of a planter?
Bottom Line on Foam Foam doesn’t break down easily in the environment, which means it’s unlikely to degrade in a vegetable gardening container so it’s safe to use as filler.
