5 Easy Tips To Better Gardening In Planter Boxes

Not every home or office space has the space to be able to put flowers, plants, or trees in. This is especially true in more urban areas, where there's a lot more concrete than soil to go around with.

One solution to this dilemma has been planter boxes. You'll often see them around, those rectangular or square planters that house all sorts of flowering plants, bushes, trees, and ferns.

Planter boxes have been around for quite a while now. The technology and designs around them have vastly improved from their meager beginnings as plain pots and baskets. These days, many modern planters are designed with technology and materials that can better withstand changes in the environment and still keep plants healthy and strong.

Even then, gardening in planter boxes has its challenges. And so in this article, we've listed a couple of quick and easy tips to help you make the most out of your planters.

1. Choose The Appropriate Planter Box

As you take a look around your landscape, you might already have a few ideas in mind when it comes to the size, shape, and color of the planter boxes that you want to get.

Shape

When it comes to shape, choosing between circular, rectangular, or square planters all depends on how you want to arrange the planters in such a way that they complement your space. Drafting a layout of your planters is a good way to make sure that they won't be a hindrance and will best complete your aesthetic.

Size

Size also matters, particularly with regards to the types of plants that you'll be putting in your planters. If you're planning on planting trees in your planters, for example, you want to get larger planters that will give their roots enough room to grow and thrive.

Square planters that are 16x16 inches, for example, are perfectly suited to house either one large plant or a few smaller plants such as herbs and flowers.

In terms of your plant choice, you can be more flexible if you have planter boxes that are 40x40 inches, for example. The additional space allows you to freely mix and match a variety of flowers, herbs, and greens to create more variety and complexity in your display.

Material

Most important of all when it comes to choosing the right planter, however, is the material. Modern planters are made of different types of materials, including: wood, metal, ceramic, concrete, and fiberglass. Each type of planter has its pros and cons in terms of durability, adaptability, and longevity.

Our recommendation for large planters is that you go with either wood or fiberglass, as these types of planters usually have very long lifespans and are better-suited to adapting to the changes in temperature and seasons. Wood and fiberglass are generally able to keep from breaking and cracking even under freezing and scorching temperatures. The breathability of their material is also helpful for the overall health of your plants.

2. Choose the Right Types of Plants

Do your planter boxes have enough soil depth for the types of plants that you're going to be putting in them? Do they need more or less sunlight? Can they survive under direct sunlight?

If you're planning on putting several different plants together in one planter box, make sure that the needs of each type of plant are similar to one another. Putting together a plant that requires a lot of sunlight together with one that thrives better in the shade will only spell disaster for both plants.

3. Choosing the Right Type of Soil

There's a difference between using garden soil and soil that's designed for planters and containers. Knowing the difference between the two can save you and your plants a lot of trouble, and even keep them from sickness and complications.

One important difference between garden soil and planter soil is that the sterile mixes used for planters and containers usually contain ingredients that help the soil retain its nutrients. These mixes also contain certain ingredients that lighten the soil and leave more room for your plants to breathe.

Mixtures that contain a 3:1 ratio of topsoil and organic compost are a good choice when it comes to planter boxes.

4. Make Sure Your Planter Boxes Have Proper Drainage

One of the most common causes for plants dying is overwatering. And one way to make sure that the soil in your planter boxes aren't waterlogged is by making sure that excess water has a place to escape. That's what the holes on the sides of planter boxes are often for.

Most planters come with drainage holes already in them. And even when they don't, you can always usually request the store you're purchasing from to put the drainage holes in them.

The recommended size of these holes is usually at least around 3/4 inches in diameter. Any smaller and it would be much more difficult for water to be drained out properly.

5. Observe Proper Watering Techniques

There's a right way and a wrong way to water the plants in your planter. Generally, the rule of thumb is to go slow and deep. This means that you don't necessarily have to water your plants every day. It also means that you shouldn't just randomly splash water in varying degrees into your planters. Be careful and methodical how much water you give them so that they'll be able to stay in peak condition.

In fact, it's recommended that you allow the first two inches of soil to dry out first before you start watering again. You don't want to put too much water into your container that your roots begin to get infected and rot. 

Choose Fiberglass Planter Boxes

We hope that these five tips have helped give you a better understanding of what it takes to get your plants to grow and thrive inside a planter box or container. After all, the more equipped you are with the right tools and knowledge, then the higher the chances of survival your plants will have under your care.

Of course, caring for plants in general can be difficult if you're not sure exactly what you're doing. But then, a lot of modern planters these days have design features that make the gardening and watering process easier and hassle free.

And iif you're looking for modern square planters to add to your home or office space, check out our online store and find the perfect fiberglass planter to  fit into your landscape.