Man, I hear you on the gravel—mine nearly took out my shovel this spring. As for those inserts, I’ve seen both kinds, but I always tell folks to go for drainage holes if they can swing it. The cheap trays just turn into little swimming pools after a good rain, and petunias aren’t exactly fans of wet feet. One year, I tried lining the inside with burlap—helped a bit with drainage, but it started to break down after a couple seasons. Not perfect, but better than nothing. Anyone else ever try coconut coir liners? I’ve heard mixed reviews, but never took the plunge myself.
One year, I tried lining the inside with burlap—helped a bit with drainage, but it started to break down after a couple seasons.
Yeah, burlap’s kind of a double-edged sword, isn’t it? It does the job for a while, but then you get that weird mushy mess after a while. I actually gave coconut coir liners a shot last summer—picked up a pack on sale, figured if they didn’t work out, at least the squirrels would have some new bedding material. They held up better than burlap for sure, but I did notice they tend to dry out faster in hot spells. Had to water more than usual, though maybe that’s just my spot since it gets full afternoon sun.
Anyone else notice coir liners sometimes shrink up on the sides after a few months? Mine started pulling away from the box edges, which looked a bit odd. Still, better than soggy roots. I’m half-tempted to try a double layer next time, maybe coir plus a bit of old landscape fabric just to slow down the breakdown. Wonder if that’d help keep the moisture balanced without turning it into a swamp.
I’m half-tempted to try a double layer next time, maybe coir plus a bit of old landscape fabric just to slow down the breakdown. Wonder if that’d help keep the moisture balanced without turning it into a swamp.
That’s a solid idea—layering usually helps with both structure and moisture retention. I’ve used landscape fabric as a backup liner before and it definitely slowed things down, though you might still see some shrinkage if your boxes get a ton of sun. It’s a bit of a balancing act, but you’re on the right track experimenting. Coir beats burlap for longevity, even if it gets a little crispy in July.
I’ve tried the coir and fabric combo before, and honestly, it worked better than I expected. The coir kept things from drying out too fast, but the landscape fabric stopped everything from turning into a soggy mess after a heavy rain. Only thing I noticed—roots sometimes get tangled in the fabric, which made replanting a bit tricky. Still, it’s way better than replacing liners every season.
Funny you mention the root tangling—I've run into that a few times, especially with petunias and those crazy-fast growers. I started slicing a couple of slits in the fabric before planting, just to give roots a bit more wiggle room. Makes replanting less of a wrestling match, though you still get the occasional stubborn rootball. Honestly, I’ll take that over dealing with rotten liners or waterlogged soil any day. Coir’s not cheap, but it does last longer than the cheap plastic stuff.
Makes replanting less of a wrestling match, though you still get the occasional stubborn rootball. Honestly, I’ll take that over dealing with rotten liners or waterlogged soil any day.
- Not sure I’d trade root tangling for “rotten liners or waterlogged soil any day.”
- Had a few years where coir held up, but in my spot (north-facing windows, lots of rain) it still started breaking down after two seasons.
- Slicing slits is clever, but I found roots sometimes poked out and dried up if the box got too much sun.
- Tried going back to old-fashioned wooden liners, lined with burlap—bit more work upfront, but they’ve lasted surprisingly well.
- Coir’s nice, just wish it was a little less pricey for how often I end up replacing it.
- Slicing slits is clever, but I found roots sometimes poked out and dried up if the box got too much sun.
I get what you mean about coir breaking down. In my case, though, I’ve actually had more trouble with wooden liners warping or getting moldy, even with burlap. Maybe it’s just my older windows and the way moisture sits on the sill... but for me, coir at least kept things tidier. Still, I wish there was a liner material that held up longer without costing so much.
Still, I wish there was a liner material that held up longer without costing so much.
Yeah, that’s the million-dollar question. I’ve been in and out of folks’ homes swapping out liners for years, and it’s always a tradeoff. Coir gets messy and breaks down, but wood liners… I mean, I’ve seen them rot out in a single season if the drainage isn’t just right. And burlap? It’s fine for a few months, but if you get a rainy spell or your windows don’t get much sun, it’ll start to smell musty fast.
Honestly, the only thing that’s held up for me over a couple seasons is this rigid plastic liner I found at an old supply shop—nothing fancy, just basic black. Not the prettiest on its own, but once it’s tucked in the box you don’t see it anyway. It doesn’t warp or mold up (unless you let water pool in the bottom), and it’s easy to rinse out. Downside is it wasn’t cheap, and finding one to fit older window boxes can be a chore.
I get what you’re saying about moisture sitting on the sill. Some houses just have those spots that never dry out—especially if you’ve got deep sills or not much air flow. Sometimes I’ll drill a couple extra drainage holes and prop up one end of the liner just a hair with some pebbles or shims. Not perfect, but it helps keep things less swampy.
I do miss when stuff was made to last longer (or at least didn’t cost a small fortune). If anyone ever invents a liner that lasts five years and doesn’t cost more than the plants, I’ll be first in line. Until then, it’s picking the least annoying option... and maybe keeping a roll of paper towels handy for cleanup duty.