Cut down on the high cost of groceries and make your home beautiful inside and outside with a Vixen Hill window box. Homeowners can use a Vixen Hill window box inside during winter months to start herb gardens that can then beautify the exterior of the home come spring. VixenHill.com offers an interactive online program that lets homeowners customize and design their own window box in Western Red (an environmentally sensible choice that is durable and rot resistant) or in AZEK (a synthetic wood alternative). Window boxes are easy to install and instantly beautify the exterior of a home.
“Window Boxes let you garden in a small space and can reside inside or outside – placed along stairways, on decks and of course, under windows,” states Christopher Peeples, Founder and President of Vixen Hill. “A deck or outside terrace lined with a window box garden becomes a fantastic getaway in the spring – plus a source of fresh, healthy herbs and vegetables.”
Window Box Planting Hints:
– Herbs need lots of sunlight so try and avoid shaded areas or north-facing windows.
– Make sure they are not too heavy after you fill it with soil. Use a soil mix that’s meant for gardening or a soil-less mix, as they are lighter and filled with nutrients.
– Put a mesh screen with stones or wood chips on bottom to help with drainage.
– Follow the seed packet instructions – typically placing them ¼ – ½ inches deep and six inches apart to start.
– Basil is a good choice if you have lots of sunlight most of the day. You can use the leaves and the plan re-grows.
– Coriander and dill do not re-grow after you harvest them – if you enjoy these annuals, you will have to harvest and re-grow them.
– Rosemary, sage, thyme and oregano are great indoor herbs because they are sturdy.
– If you have drafty windows inside, you may want to consider artificial lighting since herbs are sensitive to changes in temperature.
Window Box Design Tips:
– Don’t be afraid to venture beyond the classic white box. Add a splash of color or a natural cedar stain. Vixen Hill’s consultants can help.
– Window boxes look better when they are a bit wider than the window. Go about 3” past the window on each side for the best balance.
– Plant in a zigzag pattern and try to vary the plantings in size and texture. Taller plants in back, shorter and bushier plants in middle. Plant flowers with trailers in front.