The birds are chirping and bees are buzzing! Celebrate the peak of summer beauty with eye-catching blooms that spill from window box planters. You can create a stare-worthy display for your home's exterior that will be the envy of the whole neighborhood.
Flower boxes dress up your curb appeal and soften the look of your exterior. Secure them below the exterior windows and fill with lush greenery and annual flowers for a can’t-miss pop of color appreciated by passersby and homeowners.
Types of window boxes:
Wood is the most traditional material used to make a window box and it’s also the best. You should be careful about choosing a more resistant wood, like cedar or teak. A soft wood like pine can rot due to moisture when kept outside. Wood tends to be a cost effective, attractive and durable option.
Terra cotta is beautiful, but it can be prone to cracking in freezing temperatures. It’s also much heavier than wood, which can make it difficult to place it back on the window after setting up the box on the ground.
Metal window boxes are also a durable, if not more expensive, option. Just look out for rust and dents, which are common.
No matter what type of window box flowers or greenery you choose, the colors are sure to elevate your home and make people smile when they pass by. Of course, the perfect window box will take some planning and maintenance. It’s a relatively simple but hugely impactful upgrade that can be done no matter the season.
What to plant in your window boxes:
Vegetables: Window box planters serve as the perfect home for edible garden goodies like carrots, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, radishes and bush beans. The key to a successful vegetable harvest from your window box is ensuring that the planter box is 6-12 inches deep and comes equipped with solid drainages holes to avoid root rot.
Herbs: Another idea for your kitchen window planter box? Fresh herbs. Plant your favorite herbs, like cilantro, mint, sage or spearmint in your window box for flavorful meals every night.
Flowers and Vines: These are the most common. They will add color and personality to your exterior with bright seasonal blooms and trailing vines.
Pro tip: Location is everything. Consider the amount of sun exposure to your window box before heading to your local nursery. Popular posies for full sun locations include marigold, lavender, geraniums, jasmine, honeysuckle and periwinkle. Recommended plants for shaded, north-facing windows include ferns, pansy, snapdragon, wax begonia, cascading English ivy, lamb’s ear and clematis.
What to know before setting up a window box:
First, the hardiness zone you live in helps determine what plants will thrive in your environment, so check to see where your area falls. And think about the amount of sun your boxes will get. Consider where your window box will be facing and the direction of sun it receives. A plant that prefers full sun will become overly leggy in a north-facing window box, while a different plant that thrives in lower light will get burned if your window box is south-facing.
Petunias, geraniums, and begonias are classic window box flowers, but you may be surprised to find options like roses, tulips, and hydrangeas being used in these set-ups now too.
Maintenance, soil, and watering certainly depend on the plants you choose, but there are a few good general rules of thumb. Soil should offer good drainage, and be careful about exposing too much water to the walls your window boxes are attached to.
When it comes to watering, setting up self-watering planters or writing down a schedule is smart, as hoses and sprinklers don’t always reach these types of planters.
Remember, when the summer season comes to an end, you don't have to pack up the window boxes for the winter. Swap out summer blooms for hardy fall flowers like mum and zinnias. In the winter, add fresh greens, holly and pinecones. Spring brings the fresh blooms back with bulb flowers like daffodils, hyacinths and tulips. Window boxes are versatile and stunning.
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