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Urban Greening: How to Instantly Plant a Spring Window Box


There's nothing like planting a spring vegetable window box - here's four easy steps.

1) This is the secret : Choose seedlings for immediate reinforcement. Planting from seeds is awesome - but it takes a few weeks - buying new plants from a nursery or local garden center gets them a good solid start and feels great right from the get go. They have had a head start in a green house in optimum conditions. Urban window sills are full of dangers to young seeds finding a solid germination. So for an instant garden try this to make your hard work easy.
2) Measure the space in your window box - then pick a planting container to fit it. Getting a planter box that is too big for your window will create frustration and a return trip.Make sure your containers have holes in the bottom . If you are above the first floor make sure no one can get water on them from below - if so make sure you have a drainage plate under your planter and be careful when you water not to "pee on your neighbor".
3) Put styrofoam or some other light drainage material in the bottom of the planter box to ensure that your seedling s don't suffer root rot. Cover the bottom with packing peanuts or break up packing crates to recycle the white stuff - it serves a purpose in planter boxes other wise it will just sit in a landfill for a billion years.
4) Use quality premixed potting soil to give your little plants the nutrients they need to grow up green and strong. Potting soil labeled for veggies makes the most sense but most mixes will give good results if veggy soil isn't available at your local shop.Put the potting soil in the planting containers and then dig small holes in the soil to place your seedings into their new homes. Make sure you have roughed up the little root balls a little before placing them in the dirt and tamping them down a little. Give them a little "tug test" to make sure they are snug. If not pack them in again softly until when you tug they don't come out easily.

After you follow these easy steps it's time to put your window box farm out on the sill. Check and see if the soil stays moist and water once a day if you have planted veggies. If herbs then check the dryness of the soil - many herbs are water babies and need lot's to drink. Get the soil a good dousing if your drainage was done correctly then your containers will  make it difficult to drown your plants.Happy Gardening!!!

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