Window boxes are to a house like jewelry is to a woman's ensemble
, they finish the look. Window boxes fit nearly every type of architecture from Victorian to ranch style to modern. Second story window boxes bring the garden up to the viewer as well as provide interest and color to the facade of the house.
Select a sturdy but light weight container that compliments the style of the house. The container must have drainage holes or drill holes in the bottom.
Place coffee filters over the drainage holes to keep soil inside the box but let excess water escape.
Securely fasten the window box to the ledge of the window or to the walls of the house beneath the window. How it's fastened depends on the material of the window box, what the ledge is made of and how big the box is.
Fill with potting soil mixed with fertilizer per package directions to within two inches of the top of the box.
Follow the seasons. Plant tall spring flowers in the back of the box such as snapdragons, followed by bulbs such as daffodils and tulips in the middle and flowers that mound such as pansies toward the edge of the box. Summer flowers include tall flowers like zinnias in the back, medium flowers like geraniums in the middle and mounding flowers such as petunias in the front. A fall flower combination would be mums in the back, asters in the middle and flowering kale at the edges. Winter might mean evergreens and a bright ribbon.
Contrast the color of the flowers against the color of the building so they stand out. White petunias would be lost against white stucco walls but red ones would pop.
Keep the plantings and coloring of the boxes consistent if more than one window box, otherwise the look will be spotty.
Consider the light the window box receives when installed. Shady flowers, like begonias will burn if subjected to direct hot sunlight while flowers that demand full sun like marigolds will stop blooming if planted in too much shade.
Water well after planting and during the growing season. Plants in boxes dry out faster than those in the ground. The boxes may be shaded from rain since planted up against the house.
Seeds take up to two weeks to germinate and another four weeks to fill out so use nursery plants instead. The window boxes have a fuller look immediately.
Keep a few extra plants on hand to pop in the box if a plant dies unexpectedly.
Window boxes are heavy when full of soil, plants and water. Make sure the box is fastened to the ledge to avoid accidents.