6 Easy Tips to Grow a Full & Fabulous Flower Box

Follow these 6 easy DIY gardening tips to grow a full and fabulous summer window flower box or container garden.

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It’s that time of year. It’s time to prepare our homes for summer, add beautiful vibrant color and a variety of textures to your landscape. It’s time to plant!

Today I am excited to join a group of my creative and talented friends to share inspiration for container gardening. You will find all of the ideas at the end of the post!

I had always loved flower boxes and a couple of years ago, after having our home painted, we finally added them. Since then, I have had fun experimenting with different plant combinations to create full and fabulous window flower boxes.

These easy to care for container gardens are a great way to add color, curb appeal, and character to your home.

Today I am sharing my 6 simple tips to grow a full and fabulous flower box.

1. Choose Your Flower Box or Container.

I chose flower boxes made from PVC because they will not rot and have a self-watering reservoir feature. If you choose a wooden flower box, be sure to prepare your box to allow for proper drainage.

It is important to remember that once filled with potting mix, plants, and water, your window box will be very heavy. Be sure that your flower box is sturdy and secured to your home.

Shop a Variety of Window Boxes

2. Use Quality Potting Mix in Your Flower Box

You want to be sure that you are using a quality potting mix in your flower box or any container garden. I don’t completely replace the soil in the the window boxes each year. I just stir up the old soil, add in some new soil, and give it a good mix. I like to use this Miracle Grow Moisture Control Potting Mix.

3. Choose and Arrange Plants

How do you choose the right flowers and plants for your flower box or container garden?

• The first thing to consider is the amount of sunlight your plants will need. Choose the plants based on the amount of light that area receives. When shopping for your plants, check the label and be sure you are following the guidelines. This will ensure your plants will grow well.
• Your local nursery or garden center will have plants that are specific for your region or zone.
• Start small. Resist the urge to purchase large plants that have already bloomed. I always try to look for smaller plants with many buds on them. These will grow quickly and you will be able to enjoy the beautiful blooms!
• I always arrange the plants before actually planting to be sure that I am happy with the placement.
• For a professional looking flower container garden, choose a grouping of at least three plants. For my container gardens, I usually follow the combination of thriller, filler, and spiller. This means that you want to have one plant that is the focal point. The thriller should be vertically prominent and eye-catching. It can be an ornamental grass or a blooming plant. The filler is the mid-size plant that will fill in the space. Lastly, the spiller is the plant that will grow to spill or cascade over the edge of the container.
• I wanted more of a mounding and cascading flower box so I did not plant a thriller plant. I chose to plant verbena, 2 varieties of petunias, and impatiens.

4. Plant Your Flower Box

When planting, stay consistent so that you will have cohesive look, especially if you are planting multiple window flower boxes.

For full, abundant flower boxes, plants should be placed just a few inches apart. You want to cluster the plants, while still allowing them a little room to grow and fill in.

5. Fertilize Every Week

I use Miracle-Gro Water Soluble Bloom Booster Flower Food. Once a week, I mix this fertilizer in my watering can and feed my plants. I have found that this fertilizer helps to create vibrant, beautiful blooms.

6. Water Your Flower Boxes Consistently

Although my flower boxes have a self-watering reservoir feature, I check the soil daily to be sure that it is moist and doesn’t dry out. Just put your finger into the potting soil, about an inch deep. If the soil feels dry, water your plants. I have found that watering in the morning, when it is cooler, is best as it allows water to reach the roots, but does not encourage rot.

Enjoy these beautiful container garden ideas!

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If you have any questions about anything, please feel free to reach out to me. I would love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or here on the blog!