How to Plant a Window Box: A Beginner’s Guide

• Discover how to plant a window box from scratch with this easy guide.
• Pick the right materials and the best flowers or herbs, and plant them for success.
• Find everything you need to start your first window box garden with Windowbox.com.

Have you ever envied the beautiful blooms spilling over a neighbor’s windowsill — or caught a waft of fresh herbs from a friend’s patio — and thought, “I wish I had a green thumb!”? Well, it turns out that learning how to plant a window box garden is actually pretty easy. In fact, there’s no special gift with greenery required!

For beginners, window boxes make a perfect entry point into gardening. Here’s everything you need to know about how to start a window box of your own.

Why Window Boxes Are Great for Beginners

If you’ve never grown anything before, getting a garden started can feel overwhelming. Where do you plant things? How do you know what to plant? And how do you end up with the thriving garden of your dreams instead of a sad, wilting, drooping mess?

Window Boxes to the Rescue!

Luckily for beginners, window boxes solve most of those worries. They’re compact, manageable, and easy to customize. Here’s why a window box is ideal if you’re just learning how to plant:

Limited space, big impact: No backyard or ground space? No problem! You only need a windowsill or a bit of railing space.

Easy maintenance: With a window box, plants are in arm’s reach, so watering, pruning, and harvesting are simple tasks.ƒ

Instant results: Large gardens can take a long time to take shape. In a window box, you’ll see your space transform the minute your plants are in the soil.

Flexibility: Because they’re small and accessible, you can swap out plants any time you like.

Choosing the Right Window Box

Before you learn how to plant a window box, it helps to understand the types of boxes available. The kind you choose will depend on:

1. Window Box Material

When you shop with Windowbox.com, you’ll find the internet’s largest selection of window boxes. That means you’ll have tons of options in a range of materials:

• PVC or vinyl: These are great, low-maintenance choices that are typically more affordable.
• Fiberglass and fiberstone: Window boxes in this group are lightweight and extremely durable, and you’ll find lots of color, finish, and style choices.
• Wood: Both charming and durable, cedar window boxes add a touch of warmth and can be painted to match your exterior.
• Metal: From elegant copper to rustic wrought iron to contemporary galvanized metal, these window boxes make a statement while delivering great performance.

2. Style and Size

When learning how to start a window box and selecting your first planter, consider your home’s style and how much space you have to work with.

Simple, clean lines tend to look best on modern dwellings, while faux stone or wood works well in traditional settings. In terms of size, boxes should be slightly longer than the window they sit beneath for balanced proportions.

3. Watering and Mounting Options

The next considerations in how to plant a window box address some practicalities. First: mounting hardware. Full planters get heavy, so you’ll need sturdy brackets to support the weight. Be sure to order the right options for the material your house is made of.

In terms of watering, including a self-watering reservoir can take a lot of the guesswork out of caring for your plantings. They help keep soil consistently moist, which is ideal for busy people who may not always stay on top of watering duties.

How to Plant a Window Box: Step-by-Step

Now, for the real fun! Once you’ve got your planter in place, the best part of planting window boxes for beginners is getting down and dirty with the details.

1. Add Potting Mix

What’s the first big DON’T in how to start a window box? Don’t just fill your planter with dirt from your yard. Choose a lightweight potting mix, and add in a slow-release fertilizer to keep your plants healthy and nourished.

2. Choose and Arrange Your Plants

Have you heard of “thriller, spiller, filler”? It’s not a horror movie — it’s a formula for window boxes for beginners and seasoned gardeners to follow. If the “what” part of how to plant a window box has you in fear, this is your solution!

• Thriller: Pick a tall, eye-catching plant for height. In a floral window box, geraniums are a great option. In an herb box, rosemary or dill adds vertical pop.
• Spiller: These plants tend to spread horizontally, meaning they’ll spill beautifully over the edges of your window box. Think trailing verbena for its masses of large, vibrant flowers, and creeping thyme for a prolific herb.
• Filler: For beginners planting window boxes, it’s easy to overlook the importance of fillers. But without them, planters can look sparse. Add petunias or periwinkle to flower boxes, and in an herb box, consider basil or oregano.

 4. Plant and Water

A common fail when learning how to plant a window box is overcrowding. Be sure to leave a bit of space between plants to allow them to grow.

Water well after everything’s in place and fill your self-watering reservoir, or remember to check for soil dryness if you’re watering on your own.

5. Feed and Maintain

Plants thrive if they are well-fed, so apply a balanced fertilizer every few weeks. Remove dead flowers to encourage new blooms.

Grow With Confidence With Windowbox.com

Now that you know exactly how to plant a window box, you’re ready to get started! Visit Windowbox.com today to find the perfect containers, water reservoirs, and more. Armed with the right supplies and just a little know-how, you’ll be on the receiving end of window box envy before you know it!