Window Box Tips – my former black thumb
I have long joked about my black thumb and my ability to kill almost anything, even unkillable succulents have bit the dust in my house.
BUT guys! I was watering my flower boxes yesterday and noticed something,
wait a minute,
they are not brown,
or crispy,
or weirdly yellowing on the edges with holes eaten thru them,
they look, well, pretty darn good!
Like, pat myself on the back and take a few photos, good.
Dare I say my black thumb is growing a bit greener? I may not go that far, fiddle fig trees everywhere still tremble at the mere thought of coming to reside in my house, but the window boxes? Yes, it seems I’ve got that down!
I’ll share a few of my window box tips after 3 odd years of planting these suckers I have finally figured out a routine.
1. Plant all different flowers all mixed in but still keeping in mind balance and symmetry (you know I have symmetrical issues) See how I planted taller impatiens in the back of the box, light and dark trailing petunias on the sides and front and  these little white flowers that for the life of me I can’t remember the name of (?).
2. Fertilize those babies! I use the Miracle Gro Bloom Booster variety (not an ad I just really think this stuff works!) and do it every Sunday. I picked up this habit from my neighbor down the street, she has the most gorgeous window boxes every year and she finally told me her secret – she fertilizes every Sunday and calls it her “holy water” ha :)
3. Water, water, water! I water my flowers every day unless it rains. They get sun all morning long and can always use a good soaking.
I normally have window boxes on the lake side too, but with all the sunroom construction I wasn’t able to plant them this summer. I can’t wait to tackle them next year though.
Oh and thanks to a little accident by my favorite snow plow guy (my dad, which let me publicly and profusely thank him for plowing my driveway this past winter when we had over 100 inches of snow!) my old mailbox was obliterated this winter. I got this cute flower box one instead, so it’s all dressed up too with flowers too. :)
What about you, any favorite flower combos in your window boxes I should try next year? Or tips for recovering black thumbs like me?
Looks fabulous! Holy water Sunday….I like it! :-)
Lovely! I just adore the look of window boxes & have plans for some next year! I worry about damage to the siding with the moisture – ever had any issues!? Tricks? The little white flowers I always use too – bacopa!! xoxo
So pretty! I wish I had a green thumb. Your window boxes look beautiful!
How are you getting the ones up top watered? That’s my dilemma!
They look amazing! I’ve never had luck growing anything in my window box. It could be because I forget to water. ;) I think I might need Hobby Lobby flowers!
Gorgeous! I love Miracle Grow. It’s the only way I can even have a hint of a green thumb…
Looks GORGEOUS!!!
Georgous window boxes, They are perfect. Years ago I discovered a fertizizer called Ozmocote. It is in round pellet form. You just mix it into your dirt and just water. Our flower beds do great here in the mountains and I give Ozmocote the credit. It is a little pricey but well worth it. It says on the container it feeds 3 months but I think it last a lot longer maybe into the next year. Lowe’s carries it. We have bought it from our local feed store in 25 lb bags. Happy fall….Rebecca
It doesn’t look like you have double hung windows so how do you fertilize and water the top ones? They are gorgeous, by the way!!
Your boxes are beautiful. I saw some in a magazine once and ever since I always plant lime green potato vine in the front centre of mine, along with begonias and different colours of impatiens. With water and fertilizer the potato vines get huge and trail beautifully down the front of the house. I’d send you a photo but they are on my cottage, and I’m at home….. thanks for the tip on Miracle Grow Bloom Booster. I use Miracle Grow too, but am using up the old blue stuff that I had buckets of. Will buy Bloom Booster today! Do your petunias self “dead-head”? That’s the only reason I stopped using petunias, alternativing properties all summer I found they got leggy unless I pinched them back and deadheaded regularly, but I think they have some new versions now. Thanks for your beautiful blog. I enjoy it immensely.
I think I saw your flowers at Hobby Lobby :-) Just kidding — they look that perfect. I guess it is having a routine and fertilizing. This year we didn’t plant anything because of the deer but I am experimenting with a solution that just may be taking care of THAT problem. If it works I’ll have flowers everywhere next year! The outdoors looks fantastic!
Your flower boxes look amazing! We only have two windows on our house that we could do this with but hey that might increase my chances of them surviving. Maybe I will give it a try next summer!
Looks BEAUTIFUL!!!! Congrats on not having a black thumb anymore. :)
Oh your window boxes are absolutely gorgeous! I think your thumb has definitely turned green!!
Your window boxes put mine to shame lol. They are the only surviving flowers I have left from all of the ones I planted this season. I am definitely going to try your little trick ; )
Deb
@Seeking Lavender Lane
These are breathtaking! I have never grown petunias or impatiens that looks like this at the end of summer. Mine always look leggy and sad by now. Do you deadhead the petunias to keep them blooming or is this unnecessary with the draping ones? Do you keep the window boxes filled all year or just in the spring/summer?
Kelly,
Please answer this post. I love the petunias…are they THE WAVE kind? I’m never sure about deadheading also. Some plants yes and some no.
This post is in regards to a post earlier about deadheading written by someone else…Dee is her name. Thanks.
The black thumb must be genetic, because I have it too. I didn’t even fill my flower boxes this year. I will remember these tips for next summer!