Need help for window box

[GreenGardenMom]

I like window boxes so much that I'm going to buy 2 for my house. If you
have experience, would you like to give me some opinions?

(1) In later fall and earlier winter, it often gets windy in our area. I
image that wind will blow the soil in window box and make a mess. Will it
happen? How do you do with window box in that season? Empty it or put away?

(2) Which type is good, vinyl, metal, wood or plastic?And why? Is there
any brand to recommend? Our house is wood outside.

(3) Is white or other light color hard to clean and easy to look old?

Thank you!

 

[AmyRey]

Greetings!

I thought I wanted window boxes until it dawned on me that it might cause moisture/rot issues between the box and the house.

They are SO pretty though.

 

[lesa]

Welcome! Window boxes are great and add so much to the curb appeal of your home. The dirt does not blow out of them. Obviously, you can't overfill them. I leave mine up through the winter, because they are huge and very heavy. Mine are made of treated lumber. Sometimes I decorate with pine boughs, etc.
Mine are painted white. Every couple of years I repaint the front. Leaves that hang down, tend to stain the wood.
They are attached to hangers and thus do not touch the house-rot issues shouldn't happen. There is couple inches between box and siding...
I would love to have some window boxes on the top story of my house- but I am afraid they would be too difficult to water... but, I am still thinking about it!!

 

[vfem]

I only have a metal one by my kitchen window, I use the moss fill liner to plant it. I use herbs only just for me to lean out the window to grab some when I'm ready to cook.

I only remove the moss filler, which can be replaced when it gets too bad... but these are light and held on with metal hooks.

I don't really have good window placement anywhere else for the big pretty boxes I see on other houses.

 

[AmyRey]

Wow - window boxes are expensive. I had no idea!

 

[GreenGardenMom]

Thank you all. Do you have any brand to recommend?

I'm new here and so gald to find so much useful info. A great forum.

BTW, Lesa, I guess you need self-watering window box for upper stpry. And vfem, your blog is nice.

 

[journey11]

My FIL had built some nice window boxes using cedar. He left the bottoms open and stapled on hardware cloth on the bottom (1/2"x1/2 wire). My MIL puts her plants in little containers (or leaves them in the ones they came in) and just has to set them down into the box. Remove them in the winter. No loose dirt to worry about.

 

[sparks]

Love my window box. It is the size of my front picture window. I do not fill it with dirt but use 15 ice cream buckets filled with dirt. They fit perfectly. That way I can take them out in winter and fill it with pine boughs and bird feeders. I am thinking of having two sets so I can plants tulips and daffadils and switch them out when they are done. I like wave petunias and lobelia in them in the summer. :happy_flower

 

[vfem]

Thank you all. Do you have any brand to recommend?

I'm new here and so gald to find so much useful info. A great forum.

BTW, Lesa, I guess you need self-watering window box for upper stpry. And vfem, your blog is nice.

I have no brand recommendations, I don't even remember where I found mine.

We're so glad you joined us!

 

[ninnymary]

I have 3 that hang from the deck railing. My husband build them out of redwood and they are a good size. I usually plant impatients in them even though I have tried herbs and geraniums. For some reason my plants don't flourish even though I add alittle fertilizer.

I did buy one from Gardener's Supply that is self watering. I don't like it because the tube inside takes space away from planting. It also doesn't seem to work as well as they rave.

The boxes are an off white and petals have a tendancy to stick to them. I just wipe them off every spring before I plant. They do add alot of charm to my victorian home.

Mary