Homemade Window Box
TIPical Mary Ellen : Episode TIP-168 -- More Projects »
TIPical Mary Ellen host Mary Ellen Pinkham demonstrates her favorite tips for creating a beautiful and functional spring window box.
- Look for a window box with drainage holes in the bottom (figure A). Line it with a commercial liner or use a plastic trash bag.
- Place used fabric-softener sheets or coffee filters over the drainage holes. This prevents the soil from coming out of the holes when watering the plants. Next add a layer of gravel to improve drainage and to help keep the soil in the box (figure B).
- When buying dirt for a window box, ask for a soil mixture instead of regular potting soil. The mixture has just the right combination of moss and other ingredients and is perfect for flowers.
- Buy "moisture-retaining granules" at garden stores and sprinkle three teaspoons into the soil mix and stir (figure C). After watering, the granules plump and retain some water, which eliminates the need for frequent watering. Used tea bags are one alternative to the granules because the bags also retain moisture.
- Another option involves setting the potted plant, pot and all, into the soil of the window box. Terra-cotta and plastic pots help retain the moisture. For pots of different sizes, use blocks of wood to raise the shorter pots to the same level as the larger ones.
- Another way to keep the window box moist is to soak some sphagnum moss in a bucket of water for a few minutes, then cover the soil with it (figure D).
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