As part of my preparation for Hurricane Jeanne, I purchased a fire-proof safe. I told myself this is something we should have bought years ago. I gathered medical and insurance papers to relocate to the safe and then started going through family photographs that I wouldn't want to lose.
Of course that project turned into a trip down memory lane and took up most of one afternoon. Looking at many of the pictures from our seven years in Germany reminded me of something I loved about Europe. The window boxes are absolutely beautiful, and are a wide variety of designs.
It's unfortunate that window boxes are not as popular in America. They add a special quality to buildings and make a friendly impression on visitors and neighbors alike. Look at your house and see if you have an appropriate window or two to "dress up."
Attractive window boxes are not difficult to design or maintain. A wide range of flowering and foliage plants are suitable for this project. Before you begin planting, plan your garden scene.
To attain a professional-looking window box, include plants that have different growth habits. Use some plants that grow in neat, low mounds, others that grow upright, and a few vining or trailing plants to spill over the edges.
Also, use plants with different textures. You might use a smooth, waxy-leaved begonia with a fuzzy-leaved ageratum. In general, choose plants of varying heights, from 4 to 16 inches. Taller plants tend to look gawky unless "stepped down" with lower-growing plants in front.
Your window boxes are not limited to just one season. A little imagination and periodic trips to a nursery will keep your boxes functional all year.
A sample of year-round beauty: In early spring, plant English daisies with vinca or ivy. When the heat finally zaps the daisies, replace them with marigolds and sage or lobelia and Dusty Miller. A late fall or winter planting of low growing chrysanthemums will add continuous color. Think about filling one with straw and brightly colored Indian corn for the fall. As the winter holidays approach, substitute evergreen cuttings or berried twigs tied with a big red bow.
Here are some essentials:
Watering: Check your window boxes often. In our hot summers, they may need watering every day. Remember, your boxes will need watering if overhanging eaves are blocking rainfall.
Feeding: Plants are growing rapidly in a confined location; therefore, weekly feedings will be necessary to keep them in top shape. Use an all-purpose liquid fertilizer diluted to half strength.
Thinning: Plants need to sit closer together than in a garden, but if they become too crowded, remove a few. Removing wilted flowers will improve the looks of your arrangement and encourage more and longer-lasting blossoms.
Pruning: To encourage your plants to fill out and bloom profusely, pinch back the growing tips.
Mulching: A thin layer, one-half to 1 inch of peat moss, dried grass clippings, oak leaves or fine bark dust on the soil surface will give your box a finished look. It also will help retain moisture and prevent mud from splashing on the plants.
Now, how to care for them:
Each window box should have several drainage holes in the bottom to release excess water. This is vital because waterlogged plants will not thrive and will eventually die. To help improve drainage, a 1-inch layer of small stones or broken pottery should be placed on the bottom of the box. Put a layer of wet burlap or sphagnum moss on top of the stones to keep the soil from washing out.
Before planting, arrange and rearrange your plants on this bed of soil until you find a design that pleases you. If your box will only be viewed from one side, put the taller varieties in the back, then the low-growing plants and finally the trailing vines along the front edge. If the box will be viewed from inside and outside the house, place the taller varieties in the middle, surrounded by low-growing plants and the vines along the edges. If you want instant effect, crowd the box with plants.
Now, fill in around the plants with good soil, packing it well around the roots. Water the plants and keep the box in the shade for a few hours. After the plants have recovered from the transplant shock, move the box to its permanent location.
When choosing a potting soil, select a lightweight mix. When full of soil and plants, your window box can be heavy. You want to keep the box as light as possible if mounting it on the side of a building. Many good commercial brands of soil are sold at garden centers, hardware stores or even some grocery stores. Do not use soil from your garden. It is too heavy and will pack into concrete-like hardness. If you have compost, this is a perfect use for it.
Window boxes are found in most garden centers, or make your own. Wooden boxes made of rot-resistant redwood, cedar or cypress, and pine or fir treated with a stain and wood preservative, will last for many years. These can be painted or left natural. Fiberglass or plastic are inexpensive, lightweight and very durable. Metal boxes tend to rust and transmit more heat to the soil. Clay boxes are beautiful, but can be very heavy.
If you decide to build your own box, the size of the box is up to you, but consider these guidelines. The box should be at least 7- or 8-inches deep and 8- to 10-inches wide. Boxes over 5-feet long are very hard to handle, especially when full of soil. The optimum length is approximately 3 feet.
If you are mounting a window box on a wall, you may want to put it up empty. Once full, it will be heavy and hard to handle. Sturdy metal shelf brackets make good supports. Screw them through the siding and into studs using 1-inch screws. Two brackets will be sufficient for a 3-foot box; anything longer will need additional supports. If you have wide window ledges on the exterior of your home, just set your box there. If window boxes are placed on ledges above the first floor, they should also be secured to the building.
If you enjoy gardening and are willing to improvise, your window box garden will bring you much enjoyment. Your home will stand out as warm and welcoming through all seasons.
- Mary Collister of Valrico writes about how to garden successfully in Florida's climate and offers problem-solving tips for your home garden. Mail questions to: Mary Collister, Brandon Times, 426 W Brandon Blvd. Brandon, FL 33511.
