The pandemic-propelled gardening boom has been great for people with a yard, a community garden plot, or even a balcony. But for those of us who have none of the above, outdoor gardening options have been as limited as ever. But there is one avenue for growing things—even in an apartment—that you shouldn’t sleep on: window box gardens.
Beth Harpaz recently wrote for the Associated Press about cultivating one of these micro-gardens, and shared tips from experts on how to plant your own, and actually keep it alive.
How to start a window box garden
For people who live in apartment buildings, a window box garden may be their only opportunity to put their green thumb to work. But it’s also important to take safety into consideration when installing one. “People do get killed by falling window boxes,” Nina Browne, community program manager at New York’s Brooklyn Botanic Garden tells the AP.
So how can you ensure your window box garden isn’t a safety risk? According to Harpaz:
Just as you would with an air conditioner, make sure your window boxes are secured so they can’t fall or blow down in a storm. Because of these potential hazards, window boxes are sometimes prohibited by landlords, building associations and property insurers. An indoor window box makes a fine alternative.
Where to install a window box garden
Because window box gardens are attached or very close to buildings, they typically receive limited amounts of sunlight. So before planting something, check to see what kind of sun exposure it requires, and whether that’s going to work with the window space you have available.
The location of the window also makes a difference in terms of how often you need to water your tiny garden. “Window boxes dry out faster than in-ground plants, so they need a lot of watering, especially if south-facing,” Harpaz writes.
If you decide to opt for succulents to counteract the water situation, they tend do best in south- or west-facing windows, Matthew Pottage, curator of the Royal Horticultural Society Garden Wisley in Surrey, England tells the AP.
How to pick the right plants for a window box garden
Though we usually think of flowers residing in a window box garden, don’t rule out fruits, vegetables, and herbs—just be sure to pick ones that will be able to grow and survive in that limited space. Laura Miller of Gardening Know-How walks you through what to know about planting veggies in a window box, including how to set one up, and how to maximize the space you have:
You can make the most of your limited gardening space by cultivating multiple crops of microgreens. Or you can set your sights on tasty homegrown tomatoes. Dwarf tomato varieties are particularly well suited for containers. You can also mix and match. Try planting spinach in the same box as a chili pepper plant. By the time the pepper seedling needs more room, it will be time to harvest the spinach.
Miller also provides insight into the types of crops that are best suited for window box gardens, which include:
Microgreens
Radishes
Lettuce
Beets
Bush beans
Baby Carrots
Basil
Dwarf peppers
Green Onions
Chives
Chamomile
Patio tomatoes
Parsley
Oregano
Celery
Garlic
Parsnips
How to maintain a window box garden
Just because window box gardens are smaller in scale than other gardens, it doesn’t mean that you can simply set it (up) and then forget it—you have to take the time to maintain it.
“People who have really nice window boxes are cutting off dead, spent leaves and blooms,” Ryan Benoit from The Horticult tells the AP. They’re also making sure to give their window box garden plenty of water, and “changing things up a lot. Some plants are only going to look good for one season.”
For additional ideas and tips, Harpaz suggests checking out the book How to Window Box, by Chantal Aida Gordon and Ryan Benoit, which provides 16 different window box concepts, including “jungle box,” “Southern belle” and “tiny island.”