As you delve further into the world of container gardening, you might come across a new term: grow box. This piece of equipment can transform your humble container garden into an efficient, highly productive operation. But what is a grow box? And how do you select the right one for your garden?
While you can start a successful container garden with little more than a pot and some soil (and a plant, of course), growing your container garden past this point requires some more advanced equipment. This is where a grow box enters the picture.
What Is a Grow Box?
A grow box is a self-contained planter. Grow boxes have, to some capacity, the ability to regulate environmental factors like water uptake, temperature, and nutrition. While a grow box requires some level of initial setup, the required ongoing maintenance is nothing compared to traditional growing methods. Grow boxes are the "set it and forget it" of the container garden world.
Grow boxes come in many different complexities. Some are just a typical planter with a self-watering reservoir. Some go so far as to include a grow light and air filter — these often have a closed cabinet that truly isolates your plants from the outside environment. Most grow boxes, though, fall somewhere in the middle.
While the exact features of a grow box depend on the make and model, the biggest benefit of using a grow box is that it is self-watering.
Whether you're away from home often, are too busy for regular maintenance, or are looking for a more efficient way to garden, a grow box is a great tool.
What about other self-watering systems?
There are many different self-watering systems in the gardening world. Whether you choose to use them for your container garden is up to you, but most offer only a portion of the benefits a grow box does. Here are a few of the most popular ways to add a self-watering feature to your container garden:
Watering globes
Watering stakes
Watering probes
Self-watering planter insert
Who should consider a grow box?
Grow boxes are a great tool of convenience for any gardener, but some people will find a grow box particularly helpful. Some of the types of gardeners who might want to consider upgrading their container garden to a grow box include:
Choosing the Best Grow Box
There are plenty of grow boxes on the market, so it can be hard to choose the best one for your container garden setup. Some factors to consider are the size, soil capacity, and what features — self-watering, fertilizing, temperature control, etc. — the grow box has.
To help you navigate the current offerings, we've reviewed some of the best grow boxes on the market. This list should help you narrow down your choices to one that will truly meet your and your garden's needs.
[amazon link=”B07H1892RP” title=”The Garden Patch Grow Box” /]
[amazon box=”B07H1892RP”]
This grow box is advertised for tomato plants, but almost any vegetable or ornamental plant will do just fine.
The Garden Patch Grow Box features a Nutrient Patch that delivers fertilizer and maintains the proper soil temperature. The Nutrient Patch also acts as a spacing guide when first planting your crop or flowers. With the use of the Nutrient Patch, you can use regular potting mix without worrying about nutrient deficiencies. This grow box holds a little over 23 gallons of potting mix.
Assembly is similar to any other reservoir-style self-watering planter. The Garden Patch claims it only takes five minutes to set up. The reservoir holds four gallons of water, enough to keep plants properly hydrated for several days, even in hot weather. The grow box's cover keeps additional rainwater out, so your plants won't drown. Top and bottom soil aeration prevent fungus and disease from attacking your plants' root systems.
[amazon link=”B01707Y4E8″ title=”EarthBox Garden Kit” /]
[amazon box=”B01707Y4E8″]
This grow box is very similar to The Garden Patch Grow Box, but with some slightly different features. Since their inception in 1994, EarthBox claims to be the pioneer of container gardening. EarthBox advertises that their grow boxes are recyclable, American-made, and award-winning.
Instead of a fertilizer-infused soil cover like The Garden Patch Grow Box uses, the EarthBox grow box uses separate fertilizer and mulch covers. The Garden Kit also includes caster wheels, making the EarthBox grow box easily portable despite the added weight of water and soil. The EarthBox Garden Kit holds 15 gallons of potting mix.
The EarthBox Garden Kit uses a reservoir self-watering system, but it is a slightly different style than The Garden Patch's grow box. EarthBox's grow box uses an aeration screen placed several inches above the planter's bottom. You place the watering tube and add the potting mix on top. Water moves up through the screen, and you can replenish it through the watering tube with a hose or watering can.
[amazon link=”B007UQUZRA” title=”Lechuza Delta 20 Self-Watering Garden Planter” /]
[amazon box=”B007UQUZRA”]
The Lechuza Delta 20 Planter is a smaller version of the grow box format. This planter sits on a windowsill and supplies regulated water and nutrients to your plants. The Lechuza grow box is for indoor use only. It is a great option for apartment dwellers without a deck or balcony.
Since the Lechuza Delta 20 Planter goes indoors, there is no real need for a soil or mulch cover. Lechuza has its own specially formulated substrate, called Lechuza Pon, that separates the water reservoir from the soil and releases fertilizer. The Lechuza Delta 20 Planter is much smaller than the others in this review, holding just over one gallon of potting mix. Because of its small size, this grow box is better for growing herbs or flowers instead of full vegetable plants.
This planter has a typical reservoir, but with the addition of an above-soil water level indicator. This makes it easy to monitor the water level and ensure your plants don't go dry.
You can find the Lechuza Delta 20 Planter at the Lechuza U.S. website and on Amazon.
[amazon link=”B079Z1DD45″ title=”CedarCraft Self-Watering Elevated Cedar Planter” /]
[amazon box=”B079Z1DD45″]
The CedarCraft Self-Watering Elevated Cedar Planter features eco-friendly wood. This is a refreshing change from the plastic in our other reviewed planters. Its elevated design makes an excellent container garden for those with limited mobility and protects plants from small wildlife and pets.
The CedarCraft Elevated Planter does not include fertilizer, substrate, or a mulch cover. This grow box holds a little over 32 gallons of potting mix.
The water reservoir holds up to six gallons, so your plants can stay hydrated for a long time with no maintenance. Like the Lechuza Delta 20 Planter, this grow box features a water level indicator. This lets you know when it's time to refill.
You can find the CedarCraft Elevated Planter at the CedarCraft website and on Amazon.
Product | Image | Price |
|---|---|---|
[amazon link=”B07H1892RP” title=”The Garden Patch Grow Box” /] | [amazon fields=”B07H1892RP” value=”thumb” image_align=”center”] | [amazon fields=”B07H1892RP” value=”button” /] |
[amazon link=”B01707Y4E8″ title=”EarthBox Garden Kit” /] | [amazon fields=”B01707Y4E8″ value=”thumb” image_align=”center”] | [amazon fields=”B01707Y4E8″ value=”button” /] |
[amazon link=”B007UQUZRA” title=”Lechuza Delta 20 Self-Watering Garden Planter” /] | [amazon fields=”B007UQUZRA” value=”thumb” image_align=”center”] | [amazon fields=”B007UQUZRA” value=”button” /] |
[amazon link=”B079Z1DD45″ title=”CedarCraft Self-Watering Elevated Cedar Planter” /] | [amazon fields=”B079Z1DD45″ value=”thumb” image_align=”center”] | [amazon fields=”B079Z1DD45″ value=”button” /] |
Our Verdict
Between The Garden Patch Grow Box and the EarthBox Garden Kit, we prefer the EarthBox product. With a water-filling tube and the inclusion of caster wheels, it is easier to move and maintain than its competitor.
As for the other two grow boxes in our review, they each have their place in the container gardening world. The Lechuza Delta 20 Planter is ideal for indoor gardeners or those who don't need the soil capacity of its larger counterparts. The CedarCraft Self-Watering Elevated Cedar Planter is best for large spaces and gardeners with mobility issues. One is not necessarily better than the other; they simply suit different circumstances.
[amazon box=”B07F3WKPQX,B07F41C992,B079FRPV7B” grid=”3″]
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