Planter Projects Planting a Window Box Planter
Window boxes with flowering plants or attractive foliage can add color and style to decks, windows and porch railings in any season of the year.
As the seasons change, you can change your summer boxes to mums in the fall and flowering cabbages in the winter. You can also create an evergreen window box for the winter and develop holiday displays for your boxes.
get startedHere’s What You’ll Need to Get Started
Choose from these planters or others to suit your taste and needs.
Select Your Plants
When selecting your plants consider the exposure and amount of sun the location receives. Choose plants with varying heights and growth habits in complementary colors. Selecting a variety of plants will create visual interest and fullness in the window box.
Select Your Container
Choose containers that fit your decor and available space. They should be at least 8 inches wide and deep. Southern Patio offers a wide selection of window box options. Be sure the window box you select has a hole in it to help with drainage. If a hole does not exist you can drill your own. If mounting on a window, use a box that is a couple of inches smaller than the width of the window for best appearance. Be sure to select brackets designed for the type of windowsill and the weight of the planter. Any type of planter material can be used, including fiberglass or plastic.
Arrange & Plant
Use a potting mix containing peat and other ingredients that improve drainage, aeration, and water retention ability. Fill your window box about half full with the potting mix, and add water to moisten the mix if it’s dry.
Place plants about 3 to 5 inches apart in the box, depending on how large they will get when mature. Don’t crowd plants in your container. Position the tallest plants, such as geraniums, in the back of the box. Let the trailing plants hang over the front and sides. Fill in with plants, such as pansies or impatiens. Fill the spaces between plants with additional soil mix. After planting, make sure to water thoroughly.
Maintain Your Container Garden
Container gardens require frequent watering — often daily in hot and dry weather. Soak the soil completely at each watering. Use a water-soluble flowering plant fertilizer every week or two, following instructions on the packaging. Trim dead flowers and straggly growth regularly. Replace plants that die or are beyond their prime. As the plants grow and fill the container, you may have to thin them out and remove a few plants if the box becomes too crowded.
