Window boxes can easily improve the appearance of your home, whether they’re exterior or interior. There is nothing more beautiful than a planter box overflowing with colorful flowers.
While you can make your own DIY indoor window box planter, you can also purchase one if it’s more convenient, and there are a lot of good choices online.
When shopping for a window box planter, look for waterproof, drainage, and self-watering features. These will make it easy and convenient for you to look after your indoor plants.
In this guide, you’ll find the best indoor window box planters and their specs, pros, and cons. If you haven’t been able to start your own indoor garden, a window box planter is a total game-changer.
Best Indoor Window Box Planters – Reviews & Buying guide for 2022
Best Overall: Amazing Creation Window Herb Planter Box
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Herbs don’t require a lot of space to grow, so growing them indoors is ideal. They do require quite a bit of sun, though, so growing them in a planter box that you’ve installed on a sunny window is ideal.
This Amazing Creation window herb planter box makes it easy to grow mint, basil, arugula, and many of your other favorite herbs.
This three-pack plastic planter set is a great starter kit for anyone who wants to embark on urban gardening. The planters are light, durable, and made with large water reservoirs as well as strings.
These enable you to water your plants automatically so they stay hydrated and healthy. This product is perfect for beginner gardeners.
What’s special about these compared to other planters on the market is that they have a two-pot nesting design. This means that you have an inner pot to keep your plant erect and separate the water reservoir from your soil.
The product ensures that the plants absorb as much water as they need via the water-absorbent strips.
This means that you won’t need to worry about overwatering your indoor plants, which can cause problems such as root rot. This is also a great way to become more eco-friendly.
Specs
- Size: 10.5 x 4 x 5.5 inches
- Shape: Rectangular
- Weight: 2.44 lbs
Pros
- Versatile—used for indoor and outdoor gardens
- Food-safe and
- Fade-free
- Resistant to cracks
- Reduces water usage
- Easy to install—no assembly required
- Convenient windows to check water levels
Cons
- Not deep enough for planting other plants or vegetables
Runner Up: CYS EXCEL Wood Rectangular Planter Box
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If you’re looking for wooden planter boxes that will match your interior design, these planters are great—they’ll add a rustic element to your living space.
They’re hand-made paulownia wood, which is fine-grained, light, and warp-resistant. This wood will ensure that your planter box lasts for a long time.
This planter is durable and solid, and it’s versatile enough to store on your balcony deck, porch rail, or patio. You can also keep it indoors.
Note that it’s been designed for use in enclosed spaces or inside the home as it’s not strong enough to tolerate weather conditions outdoors.
This raw-wood planter box is perfect for people who want to customize it or make adjustments to it so that it suits their indoor gardening needs.
So, if you’re interested in a bit of DIY, this is the planter box for you. This wooden box planter can be stained or painted effectively.
Specs
- Size: 18 x 6 x 6 inches
- Shape: Rectangular
- Weight: 3.29 lbs
Pros
- Includes a zinc liner to prevent water leaks
- Durable
- Zinc liner is unattached—choose whether to use it
- Easy to maintain
- Strong but lightweight
- Depth is appropriate for planting herbs and some other plants with larger roots
Cons
- Not completely watertight
- No drainage holes
- Window box installation parts aren’t included
Runner Up: Modern Black Trough Rectangular Planter
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Metal containers for plants have many benefits, such as their increased durability and their variety of available colors.
If you’re looking for a strong, stylish planter box, this one ticks all the right boxes. This black metal planter box is made with 304-grade stainless steel and has been black powder coated.
For increased versatility, it has rubber pads on the bottom, so it won’t damage your surfaces if you’d prefer to use it around the home.
The edges of this planter box are seam welded. This ensures that it remains watertight, so you don’t have to worry about your floors getting damaged by water leaks.
Although this is a succulent planter, you can use it for other types of plants, provided that they don’t require a lot of soil depth.
It comes in black, white, and blue-gray to match a variety of decor preferences.
Specs
- Size: 16 x 3.2 x 3.5 inches
- Shape: Rectangular
- Weight: 2.02 lbs
Pros
- Scratch-resistant
- Drainage hole on the bottom with an airtight plug
- Versatile to fit many windows
- Sturdy and durable
- Optional rubber pads
Cons
- Too small for some window boxes
- Some customers didn’t receive planters with a drainage hole
- Not versatile for growing a variety of plants
Alternative: GardenBasix Elongated Self-Watering Planter Pots
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If you’re looking for an indoor window planter box that will make urban gardening much more convenient, this GardenBasix planter is a must to check out.
You can use it in the home or garden, so it’s versatile. Since it’s self-watering, it will make looking after indoor plants a breeze.
This planter box comes with drainage holes at the bottom. It can hold water for about a week, so you can water your plants and then forget about them—without worrying that they’re going to die.
Compared to other ones on the market, what’s special about this planter box is that it comes with four coconut coir soil disks.
These turn into fluffy plant fiber, which expands and helps your plants gain enough water while encouraging proper drainage.
Coconut coir is ideal for container gardening because it can absorb much more than its weight in water, ensuring your plant roots won’t lack moisture. This, in turn, improves the growth of your plants.
The pot comes in black or white to suit various decor styles.
Specs
- Size: 5.51 x 16 x 5.51 inches
- Shape: Rectangular
- Weight: 2.27 lbs
Pros
- Depth enables you to grow herbs and salad greens
- Water level indicator included
- Water injection port for easy water topping up
- High-quality plastic that’s strong and non-toxic
- Treated with a lacquer finish to protect it and keep it glossy
Cons
- The water level indicator isn’t made of high-quality materials
- Self-watering instructions are vague
- Some people reported not receiving all the parts
Alternative: PolyStone Riviera Short Modern Planter
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This handmade indoor window planter box is textured to make it look like cast stone or concrete, which provides a beautiful, minimalist design in your home.
This planter is made out of industrial-grade resin and is strong enough to handle indoor and outdoor conditions.
Although it’s strong, this planter box is built to be lightweight, so it’s easy to use. It contains three eco-friendly layers that bolster its durability.
This rectangular planter is large and commercial-grade, so it’s ideal for planting a variety of plants in it. You could even start growing some vegetables right in the comfort of your home.
If you’re putting this planter box on a sunny window, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s UV-resistant, freeze-resistant, and resistant to salt spray, thanks to its polymer finish.
It’s also resistant to color fading and cracks, so it’s sure to last you for a long time. Unlike some other planter boxes on the market, this PolyStone window box comes in 9 nine colors, including black, brown, white, and sandstone.
For increased ease of use, you’ll be glad to know that this planter box comes with a three-year limited warranty.
Specs
- Size: 17 x 46 x 12 inches
- Shape: Rectangular
- Weight: 18 lbs
Pros
- Drainage holes
- Foamboard provides great insulation
- Can plant a wide variety of plants, including vegetables
- Fits many window sizes
- Accommodates approximately four plants
Cons
- Quite heavy compared to other planter boxes on the market
Indoor Window Box Planters FAQ
We’ve looked at the best indoor window planter boxes; however, you might still have some questions about how they work, such as what you can actually grow in a window box.
We’ve answered a few of the most popular window box questions below.
What Can I Grow in an Indoor Window Box?
The great thing about indoor window boxes is that you can grow a variety of plants in them as long as they have enough soil depth to accommodate the roots.
For example, many vegetables in require at least eight to twelve inches of soil so that their roots have enough space.
You also need to consider how much sun your window box will get, as this will influence what plants you can grow in it.
For example, plants that require a lot of sun include strawberries, thyme, and jasmine. On the other hand, shade-loving plants include wax begonia and trumpet vine.
Here are some examples of plants that you can grow in indoor window boxes:
- Flowering plants. Examples include hyacinths, daffodils, lilies, and alliums.
- Herbs. Examples include chives, mint, and thyme.
- Succulents. Examples include cacti.
- Vegetables. Examples include tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and lettuce.
Can you put Potted Plants in Window Boxes?
If you already have plants you’re growing in pots or containers, you can put them in your window box.
This is beneficial because it gives each plant its own space, so they don’t have to compete for resources, while also enabling you to change your window box plants around easily.
If your plants require different soil and watering needs, it’s easy to look after them individually in their own containers.
This setup also works well if your plants need a blend of light and shade during the day. For example, you could keep your plants in a sunny window box in the morning and then move them to a shady area in the afternoon.
When putting individual pots into your window box, you should check that the pots have drainage holes at the bottom so that they properly drain any excess water.
How do you Waterproof the Inside of a Wooden Planter Box?
Some wooden planter boxes come with liners to make them watertight. However, if the one you’ve purchased doesn’t have one, you can add your own so that the planter won’t leak water onto your surfaces.
There are different methods you can try to make your planter box waterproof. A popular one is to place thick plastic on the inside of the planter box.
A type of plastic that works well is a 6 ml polyethylene sheeting. This plastic is commonly used in greenhouses. Make sure you accommodate the planter box’s drainage holes so that you don’t block them with plastic.
Before placing the plastic liner inside your planter box, make sure you follow these steps:
- Apply silicone caulk to fill any cracks inside the box. You should also apply it in the joints where two wood pieces meet.
- Once the caulk has dried, apply oil-based varnish to the exterior of the box. You should continue applying it until the wood stops absorbing it. Allow the varnish to cure for a day.
- Sand the planter box with fine-grit sandpaper.
- Apply another coat or two of varnish, then let it dry.
- Lay down your plastic, then cover it with landscape fabric to prevent any soil from falling out.
How do I Stop my Wooden Planter From Rotting?
Your wooden planter box will end up rotting sooner or later as a result of containing damp soil and coming into contact with water every day. This is why both outdoor and indoor planter boxes are susceptible to rotting.
So, it’s essential to treat your wooden planter correctly. You can do this with one or more of the following methods.
- Wood Preservative: Apply a wood preservative to the wood with a paintbrush. Make sure that the wood preservative you use is plant-friendly. You can also use raw linseed oil instead, which is usually safer for use around edible plants. Allow the oil to dry for two to four days so that it penetrates the wood and seals it.
- Plastic Liners: Plastic liners are a great way to prevent the wood from having too much contact with moisture.
- Coco Coir Liner Roll: If you’re worried about plastic leaching chemicals, even if it’s food-grade plastic, you can choose a coco coir liner roll instead. These are biodegradable and safe for use with edible plants.
- Plastic Containers: If you have some plastic containers, these can be placed inside the wooden planter box to create a barrier between the moisture and the wood. You will just have to remove the plastic container before watering your plants.
- Varnish: Using varnish on a wooden planter box when you’re preparing it for use is also a good way to protect it against water damage. This protects the wood over time and makes your wooden box planter look beautiful.
Note that not all wood preservative treatments are safe for edible plants. Here are some safe ones to consider:
- Paint-on products with acypetacs—Cuprinol is a common brand name. These are safer than chemicals
- Water-based preservatives—these contain boron salts and are applied in gel or paint form
- Linseed oil—this is safe, but make sure that it doesn’t contain solvents, such as mineral spirits
How to Make Your Own DIY Window Box Planter
If you have some DIY skills and you want to make your own window box planter instead of buying one, this has many benefits, such as reducing weeds and pests and helping you better manage your water usage
It’s quite straightforward to make one from scratch. You’ll need pieces of wood that cater to the size of your window, which you’ll then join together before sanding the planter box.
You’ll also need to apply waterproof glue and sealant to ensure that it’s watertight. When hanging the DIY window box planter, you can make use of hanger bolts.
Read our guide “How to Make Your Own DIY Indoor Window Planter Box” to see the full step-by-step instructions for how to make your own DIY planter box from scratch.
Conclusion
If you’re interested in growing herbs and plants indoors but don’t have a lot of space at your disposal, use the space on your windows! In this guide, we’ve featured five of the best indoor window box planters.
We’ve looked at their pros and potential drawbacks, so you’ll be able to find the best one for your specific planting requirements.
We’ve also answered a few common questions that you might have about planters and how to make the most of their potential—helping you to increase your gardening success.
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