Decorating With Window Boxes
Window boxes are a fantastic way for a gardener to maximize their outdoor gardening space, while also making your window pop with a touch of color. The brilliance of a window box frames the window by adding height through the hanging planter box and the depth through the width of the box and the texture of the flowers. These features of a window box makes them the perfect medium for the gardener to showcase their artistic talent. Some gardeners will choose to plant bright and brilliant flowers, while others may choose the rich darker colors that are framed by a bright window. Planting in these boxes is also a relatively easy process, however, there are a few rules and also a few factors to be mindful of when preparing your window box for planting during the spring and summer.
Drainage To Protect Plants
After securing your window box and deciding what types of plants or different flowers that you want to plant in the window box, you will want to start making sure that your window box is conducive to growing the plants that you wish to display. One of the first and perhaps most obvious parts of planting in your window box will be finding the right soil for your plants.
Climate For Soil
Make sure to choose a soil that will best conform to your own climate and also the needs of the plants that will be placed in your window box. This seemingly small step can have a huge impact on the success of your window box planter.
Drainage In The Planter
However, you will primarily want to make sure that the soil and the planter box are both able to adequately drain excess water from the planter. Drainage is important to prevent a whole host of problems that primarily revolve around root rot, which will destroy the very roots of your plants, literally destroying all your hard work from the roots up. This means the soil should be able to drain the necessary amount of water properly, while the window box itself should have several drainage holes to allow the water to seep out and protect your plants.
Additions For The Window Planter
Now that you have the soil added and your drainage is properly prepared for the water that will be required during the hot summer months, your window box might benefit from some additions. These additions are relatively simple, and include adding water-storing crystals and fertilizing throughout the summer.
Helpful Tips For Busy Gardeners
Water-storing crystals are a great way to help the gardener that has a busy schedule (or just occasionally forgets to water their plants). These little crystals will increase the amount of time needed between watering by soaking up excess water that might drain out of the soil and allowing this water to slowly seep back into the window box. This makes these crystals a powerful tool in the window box gardener’s tool belt.
These crystals are a powerful tool in the window box gardener's tool belt
Planting & Maintenance
Adding fertilizer is a must throughout the summer. Your window box simply won’t have enough soil to replace the nutrients that are used up by your plants as they continue to grow and bloom in the planter box. These plants will use up the nutrients and if you’re not careful, they will starve themselves when all of these nutrients are gone. For this reason it's advisable to add some type of fertilizer in a small dose every two or three weeks during the growing season. Look for some organic options to protect the other plants around your home and create more natural colors and greenery.
Sunlight & Shade
Before you add plants make sure that you have properly assessed the amount of sunlight that the chosen location will receive throughout the day. This factor will be one of the most important to consider what types of plants you want to plant in the window box. Some plants will not grow well in the shade, while still others will wither in the direct sunlight. Make sure to do a little research about the types of plants that will thrive in the sunlight or the shade to make sure your planter box is as healthy as possible.
Filling The Box
Now that you have prepared the window box completely, it's time to start planting in your little window garden. The first thing you will want to do is completely fill the box. One of the keys to creating a visually stunning window box is to eliminate the presence of obviously unused space. Having empty spots in the window box will decrease the depth which is present in the box and will just generally fail to create the desired look.
Classic Designs
For this reason you will likely want to choose more than one type of plant to fill the window box with. Often you will want three different types of plants to create the best artistic piece. These three different types often include, a tall centerpiece, flowering plants, and a spiller plant. These three different kinds of plants together will create a special kind of environment and look in your window box.
Often you will want three different types of plants to create the best artistic piece.
Colors & Contrast
Next, as you are choosing which plants to mix and match throughout the planter, make sure to keep in mind the colors that are present in the flowers, foliage, and the window box. Finding a relatively neutral but strong colored window box will provide the greatest planting versatility. You will also want to take a look at the color of your own window and home to determine which colors will best offset or blend in with the decor and style of your home. Taking the balance of your home into account when creating the perfect window box will make your outdoor spaces look that much better.