By Shelley Pitts, Assistant Retail Manager

Most of the color in my yard are from perennials I’ve planted but I enjoy splurging on annuals for my window boxes.  They are a lot of fun and each year I will try something different.  Annuals grow quickly and give you so much energy all summer long and into fall.  I usually buy my annuals for my boxes as a mother’s day gift to myself.  One year I easily spent $80 on annuals for my boxes and I only have two.  OUCH!

My boxes were custom made by Steve Johnson in American Fork. I had Professional Heating in Pleasant Grove make sheet metal liners for them.  It was costly but well worth it.  This way I can pull the liner out and plant them on the driveway and then drop it into the window box.  They have drain holes drilled in them for proper drainage.  Therefore, I do not plant in the cocoa liner but it can easily be done.  This cocoa liner can be bought (available at Highland Gardens) in pre-sized shapes or by the foot in 24″ and 36″ widths.  I have also used swamp cooler filters to hide the sheet metal boxes.  It’s cheap but doesn’t quite have the same look as the cocoa liner.

Window boxes can become quite heavy once filled with soil and plants.  My boxes are about 11″ deep and I feel that I only need about 6″-8″ for the plant’s root system.  To remedy this, I have put a layer of oasis bricks, a floral foam that holds moisture for cut flowers, in the bottom of the sheet metal liners.  They weigh next to nothing. Therefore I am only using about 8″ of soil instead of 11″ thus reducing the weight on the two bolts holding the boxes to my house.  I am going on my fourth year with the same bricks.  They just don’t wear out.  I have had customers say they use packaging peanuts and styrofoam.  These ideas seem to compress over time and they aren’t made to hold moisture.

Once the bricks are in place, I add fresh new potting soil.  I really like the Black Gold all purpose potting soil with the slow release fertilizer.  I don’t have to worry about feeding them all summer long.  (don’t forget to dump your old potting soil into your flower beds in the yard)

When picking out annuals, I like to make sure I know what the growing characteristics are going to be of each flower.  How tall is it going to get?  Is it going to trail or spread?  etc.  I will plant the taller  flowers in the back and work my way down to the smaller trailing plants in the front.  It’s fun to plant a centerpiece buy using a dracaena spike or salvia plant.
The most important thing with a window box is to make sure it never dries out.  Mine have a west exposure and have done fabulous.  I use a
soaker hose hooked to my drip-line so it comes on automatically with my sprinkler timing system.

Most annuals love full sun, great potting soil and adequate moisture.  If those three things are met, anyone can be successful in planting a window box.  Highland Gardens is the place to help you with all your gardening needs.  We have window boxes in 24″, 36″ and 48″ lengths along with half rounds, mangers,in 16″ and 20″.  Black Gold potting soil comes in 1 or 2 cubic foot bags.  Don’t forget the cocoa liner!
I along with all the employees at Highland Gardens look forward in serving you, our valued customer.

We had another wonderful Highland Gardens Poinsettia Festival.  Once again thanks to all who participated and we hope to see you again next year.