What Will Grow in Containers in my Zipcode?
Growing Zones for Raised Bed Gardens
Container Gardening (such as a Window Box or Deck Planter) is significantly different than growing plants in the ground…which is what the Growing Zone Maps are meant to do. The basic environmental issues are similar but the size and location will vary.
Information for this post is from the 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Your tax dollars at work by the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. See link at bottom of page
The USDA map is the one most gardeners in the eastern United States rely on, and the one that most national garden magazines, catalogs, books, and many nurseries currently use. This map divides North America into 11 separate zones. Each zone is 10°F warmer (or colder) in an average winter than the adjacent zone.
Check out your growing zone by entering your Zip code at this USDA website (cut and paste in your browser): http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov
Other Growing Factors
Many other environmental factors, in addition to hardiness zones, contribute to the success or failure of plants. Wind, soil type, soil moisture, humidity, pollution, snow, and winter sunshine can greatly affect the survival of plants. The way plants are placed in the landscape, how they are planted, and their size and health might also influence their survival. Certainly the type of container they are in plays an important factor in successful gardening.
Light: To thrive, plants need to be planted where they will receive the proper amount of light. For example, plants that require partial shade that are at the limits of hardiness in your area might be injured by too much sun because it might cause rapid changes in the plant’s temperature.
Soil moisture: Plants have different requirements for soil moisture, and this might vary seasonally. Plants that might otherwise be hardy in your zone might be injured if soil moisture is too low causing moisture stress.
Temperature: Plants grow best within a range of optimum temperatures, both cold and hot. That range may be wide for some varieties and species but narrow for others.
Duration of exposure to cold: Many plants that can survive a short period of exposure to cold may not tolerate longer periods of cold weather.
Humidity: High relative humidity limits damage by reducing moisture loss from leaves, branches, and buds. Injury can be more severe if the humidity is low, especially for evergreens.
Summary: Selecting plants that are similar in light and moisture needs will provide a more satisfactory and appealing planter.
White Window Box/Planters
Want a durable, WHITE window box? Ours is made FROM recycled materials and is 100% recyclable. It is guaranteed not to fall apart, rot or fade.
Window Boxes add great curb appeal but fell out of favor because the wooden ones consistently deteriorated. Gutter Gardens are sleek, attractive and because they are made from rain gutter materials, they will never fail you. Hardware is provided for the mounting surface you have…just order the correct mounting hardware when you order them. Concrete or brick installation need tap-cons and all other mounting hardware are Stainless Steel screws/washers.
A window box is usually fixed to the wall immediately below it so the owner(s) can easily get to the plants in the container. A Gutter Gardens, LLC window box is installed under a window using supplied hardware to suit the wall below. 
Window boxes are often used by people who live on the upper floors of flats or apartments, and thus do not have access to a garden or patio to grow flowers. Window boxes enable the plants to be readily seen by those inside the property as well as outside.. Access for planting and maintenance can be via the window from indoors. It is also a good way to attract hummingbirds up close and personal!
Besides WHITE, these planters also come in BLACK. DARK GREEN and DARK BROWN. Metal (aluminium) material makes this window box lightweight and extremely durable. You’ll love this item for a LONG time!
Hang a Window Box on Vinyl Siding
HOW to INSTALL a WINDOW BOX to VINYL SIDING
Gutter Gardens™ MAKES A DURABLE window Box that will never fail. GUTTER GARDENS™ is not responsible for damage to old/fragile vinyl or for improper mounting based on the setting at your location.
Find a seam under the window. Stick your fingers into the seam and pull down on the outside piece until it unlocks. (They do make a zip lock tool especially for this you can buy at a box store for less than $10 ) Once the siding is loose, check for under-layment. If it’s solid wood (as in the window frame made with 2 x 4s) you can attach the planters where you want them. If it’s foam, find the studs and mark them.
(OR another method is to find the studs from the inside of the house, mark them on the inside windowsill…then transfer the stud locations to the outside window sill to align the screws.)
Punch or drill ¼ “holes (slightly larger than the shank of the provided screws) into the siding where the studs line up. The siding has to be able to move and using holes the same size as screws restricts the movement and can cause buckling in hot weather-especially if you use more than one screw in a piece of siding. Relock the siding after marking the studs and pre-drilling pilot holes. If the siding is flexible, you can use a hole punch where the screws go…this will help avoid cracking the siding with a drill. The holes should be ¼”. Re attach the siding with the pilot holes lined up w/ the pre-drilled/punched holes.
When attaching the planter, don’t bind the siding.
We recommend using a clear, silicon sealant/caulk around the screws.This will keep moisture from getting behind the siding.
We’ve included a sample shim w/ a punched hole you may want to use to reinforce the area behind the vinyl. Vinyl patterns vary so experiment with what type of weatherproof shims might work best if your siding requires extra support. Similar shims are available at Home Improvement stores.
Included in purchase of Window Box:
- Enough 1 ½”-2” long hex head/slotted stainless steel screws for mounting approx. every 12 inches. Try to use holes nearest endcaps as they hold the most weight.
- Pre-drill pilot holes using a 1/8” drill bit.
- 1 bracket for center of planters over 36” long. This bracket grabs the top lip and then attached by screw into the center stud.
- Enough 1” OD Nylon and stainless steel washers for the screws. The nylon washer should touch the back of the planter with the SS washer on top of it and the screw on top of/through the SS washer.
- 1 extra rivet to place in hole in the top of an end-cap to use if the filtered drainage becomes clogged. This is a new feature we have added to accommodate those rare situations where the planter is not draining well…just poke the rivet up through the drainage holes on the bottom of the planter. Sometimes the potting mix will clog the drainage holes.
There are a number of You Tube videos that suggest various other methods of installing a window box onto vinyl siding. And other videos on how to drill pilot holes. You might want to review them prior to beginning this project.
Hang Window Box on Brick or Concrete Surfaces
Attach a Window Box on Brick/Concrete
Window Boxes are so popular as we all want to increase curb appeal. Standing up to garden can be done! Using a level, mark the location on the brick sill or concrete wall where you want to mount the Gutter Garden(s) as a raised bed .
- Take into consideration the amount of sun you will get at that location when selecting plants. Put it in a place where it will be easy for you to water, dead-head and where drainage will not damage items below.
Window Box on concrete or mortar sill
Carefully mark where the back holes on the planter are on to the surface where you want to hang them. The enclosed tap-cons are the only really adequate screws to use on concrete or brick walls. Two end holes are the most important and need the longer ( 1 ¾”) tap-con screws. The other, shorter screws ( 1 ¼ “) can be spaced every 8-10 inches. Ideally another person is useful to hold the planter in place when making markings for the holes…or you may want to use tape or some kind of strap. Measure twice and drill once. I often slightly begin drilling holes so I can see that they are lining up with each other while remaining level. The planter itself will cover any miss-drilled holes!
Mounted on Brick
Drill ‘pilot holes’ using the special masonry drill bit with a hammer drill to complete this task. Before I bought my own, I would rent one and the drill bits are generally available at the rental place. Drill the holes at least ¼ inch deeper than length of the screw itself. Use a can of compressed air (the kind w/ the red straw that lets you blow off dust from electronics) to blow out the concrete dust. It is very important that the hole is drilled longer than the screw you are using…so perhaps make a mark on that red straw to be sure the holes are deep enough.
Accurately drilling the holes is the most tedious part, but once the holes are lined up and the screws are tightly in, they will never come out! Use the tap-cons included with your purchase for a very secure raised bed gardens. You’ll receive enough tap-cons and washers to secure your planter/ window box to any type of masonry or brick.
Window boxes on Brick need these screws and a washer.
Enclosed are brackets to install with planters longer than 36 inches while you are putting in the screws. Hook it on to the front edge and placing the screw into the back hole of the bracket and then into the pre-drilled hole in the concrete surface. The brackets should be approx. 20-22 inches from each end. These brackets will help keep the integrity of the shape because when the planter is full of wet soil, it may tend to splay/bulge.
How To Add Plants
Brick house. Mortar sill. Happy person!
Each foot length of planter requires approx. 3 quarts of POTTING MIX for a 6” wide planter and over 6 quarts per foot for the 8” wide Gutter Gardens. Do not use topsoil or garden soil. Put in about two inches of good quality potting mix (the best ones already have moisture control and plant food). Level it and water it thoroughly. Add another 2 inches and repeat…being sure that the soil is fairly saturated. If you are going to install an existing plant, now may be the time to begin to plant them. You can insert potting mix up to bottom of the back holes. Consider leaving a little room and put pre-moistened mulch around the plants to help keep the moisture in.
If you are growing from seed, follow the directions on the packet. If planting seed, be sure the planter is completely full of potting mix (up to the bottom of the back holes) that has been completely saturated…this will give you a level start and provide maximum room for root growth.
Helpful Raised Bed Gardening Hints:
- Use a spout watering can to direct the water where it needs to go.
- For a 6” wide planter, select the small six-pack of plants…up to a 4” nursery pot. For an 8” wide planter, you may select up to a 6” nursery pot. Go ahead and crowd them together. They are annuals and will find a way to survive the entire season!
- After about 2 months, begin using water soluble plant food each time you water.
- If, after a hard rain, the raised bed planter looks like a swamp, take a pin or needle and punch up from the bottom holes. Sometimes the fine soil materials clog the drainage holes.
Detailed directions come with your purchase!
How to make gardening fun again! (video)
DEADHEADING-WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT
What is Deadheading?
Deadheading is a gardening term used for the removal of faded or dead flowers from plants (not to be confused at all with the Grateful Dead groupies). Flowers in the ground and in containers will continue to bloom throughout the growing season if they are regularly deadheaded. Deadheading is usually done to maintain a plant’s appearance and to improve its overall performance. It is important to keep up with in the garden or with your containers throughout the growing season. By removing spent blooms, the plant will send energy to produce more blooms rather than towards developing a seed. The second bloom will last longer than the first…then deadhead again and you may be rewarded with even more blossoms.
Why deadheading is Important
Although deadheading can be a lot of work, it has immeasurable benefits. Gutter Gardens have advantages because you can stand up and garden…including trimming off the spent blooms. This is true for all raised bed gardens…but being able to stand on your porch, deck or balcony every morning and manicure your flowers (or ‘puttering’ as I call it) is a truly rewarding, relaxing activity.
How to Deadhead
Dead-heading is very simple. As the petals fall and the blooms fade, pinch or cut off the flower stem below the spent flower and just above the first set of full, healthy leaves. Remove all the dead flowers on the plant as well as yellowing leaves.
Follow stem of a spent bloom and remove close to where it attaches to the first set of leaves or the rest of the plant.
Benefits of Deadheading
If you get into the habit of deadheading early and often,, your dead-heading task will be much easier. Beginearly, around late spring, while there are only a few plants with faded flowers. Few things are as rewarding as tending beautiful flowers. You may even be blessed to attract hummingbirds to your deck or balcony when they see the magnificent display you have given them! The regular practice of dead-heading throughout the season will help prolong your enjoyment
ATTRACTING HUMMINGBIRDS TO YOUR DECK OR BALCONY
Why Attract Hummingbirds?
Hummingbirds are really fun to watch and they are important to the environment. Attracting hummingbirds and birds in general can help maintain the amount of bugs in your area and can help to spread seeds around the neighborhood as they travel from plants to trees. It is very rewarding to find ways to attract birds to your deck or balcony planters. One of my favorites is the Ruby-throated hummingbird. (see diagram from Cornell University Dept. of Ornithology for their range)
Range of the Ruby Throated Hummingbird.
Growing colorful annuals in your planters is one surefire way to bring small nectar loving birds…mainly hummingbirds to watch close up. The color red is often an attractant. Color is the keyword to remember along with deep throat floral displays.
Hummingbirds seeking nectar from your flowers will also capture many insects including spiders, tiny flying insects, and those insects that feed on your flowers, all which provide a great source of dietary protein for the bird. And, occasionally hummingbirds will consume mosquitos.
Attracting Hummingbirds in Sun or Shade
A sunny spot on your deck or balcony can attract lots of hummingbirds and butterflies with the help of colorful annuals such as flowing Petunias, Salvias, Geraniums, Verbena, Snapdragons, Lantana and Calibrachoa can be combined to create a miniature garden in just one planter box.
Shaded areas can also provide the bright colors that attract hummingbirds. While comparatively fewer shade-loving plants produce bright enough flowers to act as a beacon for hummingbirds, impatiens and begonias are an exception, with flowers that bloom in vibrant oranges, reds and bright pinks.
There are dozens of Begonias, Fuchsias, several varieties of Impatiens, Lobelia, Wishbone Flower, Browallia and Nasturtium are also among classic planters and container summer plants. If it is colorful and or has a fragrance, hummingbirds (and butterflies) will find it. Even a small number of plants can make a big impact in a colorless, shady area.
Having a colorful planter on your balcony or porch is a wonderful way to invite hummingbirds to visit. Put one up this season and enjoy the view!
Durable Window Box that Won’t Fall Apart
Many window box users are frustrated because their planters fall apart. This flower box will NEVER fail you. It is securely mounted and will not leave rust marks on your house.
Window box on fiber-cement siding
Durable Window Boxes now available
A window box makes a house look more pleasant. But they can be costly. Gutter Gardens™ makes a durable, sustainable, cost effective window box made from recycled materials. that will never fade, rot, pull away from the surface or break!
Easily and securely mounted on brick, fiber cement (Hardie Board), vinyl or aluminium siding, the hardware you need accompanies the window box you order.
Two Sizes of Window Boxes
Made from recycled aluminium rain gutter material, these long lasting window box units come in twp widths/depths. The six inch wide, 41/2 ” deep planter will meet most of your needs and grows beautiful annual flowers. The 8″ wide planter has six and a half inches deep and therefore requires less watering because of the soil medium mass. Other things to consider is whether or not there is an overhang that prevents rain from hitting. Personally, I had a 6″ wide for two years and it was lovely…but my house has an overhang and I needed to water the plants twice a day in the high heat of summer. I now have 8″ wide window boxes and they do not require as much watering. Here is a picture of each on my house:
8″ wide window box 2016
6″ wide window box 2014
Both look fantastic with flowers and are even attractive during dormant seasons. We wouldn’t suggest using bulbs in any container and especially one that is off of the ground.
Note: all pictures on this page feature window boxes on the home of the maker of Gutter Gardens™
But Many creative folks put holly branches, greenery and seasonal decorations during the holidays.
Apartment – Condo Gardening
Planters for Apartment and Condo Balcony or Deck Railings
Living in a condo, an apartment, or in a high-rise doesn’t mean you can’t grow stuff on the deck or balcony.
Gutter Gardens on High Rise Condo Building
Condo or apartment railings are perfect to hang planters where growing flowers, herbs, or even organic is easy and successful. Gutter Gardens come in two widths which have different depths to allow you to grow almost anything you may want. And all the floor space on your balcony is free since your planters hang from the railings…outside, inside, or both! Growing flowers is the most popular use of Gutter Gardens. The 6″ wide size is ample enough for most all annual flowers…both full sun and shade.
The mounding annuals work beautifully with some of the trailing plants (spillovers) like creeping jenny or sweet potato vines. Geraniums grow beautifully in full sun and impatiens are very happy in shade areas. Mixing colors is a good idea as long as they have similar sun requirements. Depending on how much sun you have will determine what plants to choose to decorate your apartment or condo balcony. A good local nursery will be glad to sell you plants that work well in the spots you have selected for your container gardens.
Stand Up and Garden on your deck or balcony!
Each deck or balcony railing is unique for each condo or apartment building. We offer several lengths of stainless steel ties to accommodate nearly all variations. If you rent or lease, you are probably not allowed to put any holes in the railings. We solved that by providing unbreakable stainless steel ties that will not damage the finish on a rail/balcony. While they are “permanent” and will never fall off, you can take them with you when you move by simply emptying the contents and snipping the cable ties.
Gutter Garden Planters hang from many different kinds /sizes of railings.
Gutter Garden Planters hang from many different things.
Coco Fiber Planters-Good Bad Ugly
Coco Fiber Planters are Yesterday’s News
Deck railings need great planters. Coco fiber planters have been around for a LONG time. They are popular for a number of reasons and initially, we all try them. But, here are my issues with them and why I now use more durable planters.
- They are porous so need watered in the heat of summer.
- They lose their shape and the dirt falls out because the birds use the material for nesting (not that I mind, I’m a birder)
- Coco fiber planters have actually been known for spontaneous combustion.
Coco fiber planter that caught fire
- Wrought iron holders often peel and rust
Rusty Coco Fiber Planter is so ugly.
Balcony and Deck planters come in all shapes, sizes and materials. Selection options are vast and prices can range from <$15->$75. One thing to consider is permanence