Today I thought of sharing my story on how a gardener became a property designer, albeit for a little while.
By gardener, I mean me, while property refers to the porch I recently renovated with my husband's help. After resurrecting the structure and getting it back in shape, I had to decide how to decorate it.
Installing bird feeders seemed like a reasonable idea, but my husband was of the opinion that the tiny creatures would make the area dirty. So, I thought about taking inspiration from gardening, but rather than placing pots; I wanted to do something on a bigger scale.
That's when it hit me that planter boxes or garden beds might be the best bet to glam up the porch without trying anything super fancy. Hi! I'm Stacy Smith, and today I'll tell you how to choose the best cedar planter box for your home.
Top 5 Cedar Planter Box Reviews
1. Best Choice SKY2383
This model from Best Choice may prove ideal for people who have a spacious balcony since they will be able to make full use of the large box. Meaning, it may prove convenient for growing various vegetables and plants.
Product Highlights
As an avid gardener, I believe that plants and veggies should have enough space to grow; otherwise, all the effort in looking after them goes to waste. Luckily, this product has a large bed, measuring 8.4 cubic feet, which may offer enough depth for the plants to breathe easily.
In other words, you can rest assured that the vegetables will be healthy, ensuring that all your hard work bears fruition. Moreover, you can water the plants conveniently, thanks to its excellent drainage system that directs excess water away from the plants.
This helps keep the soil fresh while preventing mineral build-up for the best results. Also, it is 30 inches tall, which reduces the need for bending so that you can look after your leafy friends without any hassle.
And complementing the height is the elegant cedar wood construction, which may prove durable against changing weather conditions to protect the saplings.
What's There To Like About It?
There's a lot to like about this model, especially because the designers have focused primarily on user-friendliness. What caught my eye was the height of the structure, which makes it convenient to water the plants whenever needed.
I can also tend the soil and make sure that there's no mineral build-up. Plus, the large surface area of 8.4 cubic feet may make it suitable to grow numerous vegetables and plants with their roots reaching deep into the soil.
What's There Not To Like About It?
The unit is fairly easy to install, but I needed the help of my husband to hold the lower support bars in place. Hence, it may be a two-person job if you want to set it up quickly. Other than that, some people may want to add wheels for easy maneuverability, but this might make it wobbly.
Pros and Cons of Best Choice SKY2383
Pros
Cons
- LARGE PLANTING SPACE: Designed with a long bed space (5CuFt) deep enough to provide your plants and vegetables with ample room to breathe and grow healthy
- PROPER DRAINAGE: Allows excess water to drain out, keeping soil fresh and protecting plants from waterlogging or mineral buildup
- ALL-WOOD CONSTRUCTION: Naturally durable Chinese fir wood provides a water- and weather-resistant structure
2. Jumbi Garden Bed
Another fantastic option that has created quite a buzz on the market is the Jumbi Garden Bed, with its raised design proving to be the game-changer. Even if you have a space constraint, this garden bed will allow you to nurture multiple saplings.
Product Highlights
To take care of plants, you need to ensure their safety, and that's where this product may be useful. Due to the raised design, it may prevent deers and other animals from reaching the bed to eat the veggies.
What's more, the height may help even older individuals tend to the garden with ease. It reduces pressure on the backs and joints by eliminating the need for bending down. You can even pull up a chair beside the bed and relax in the company of freshly watered plants.
Speaking of plants, you can grow vegetables, herbs, fruits, and flowers with ease due to its highly durable red cedar construction. In fact, you can effectively water the garden without worrying about sagging or soil fertility.
Additionally, the compact size allows you to place it on the patio or balcony, while the assembly is easy even for first-time gardeners.
What's There To Like About It?
When you think of a garden bed, what usually comes to mind is a large structure that needs a lot of room. Naturally, I was fascinated to see that this model features a compact design without compromising on the essential aspects of a planter box.
Moreover, with its raised height, you can water the plants easily while keeping them out of the reach of rabbits, deer, and other critters. Not to mention, it is easy to set up and you can grow vegetables, flowers, or herbs.
What's There Not To Like About It?
You will need a power drill to complete the installation and ensure that all the different parts line up. But what may bug buyers is the slightly higher price; instead, they might feel more at ease, choosing some other unit. The thing to remember is that you should not compromise on the quality which this product delivers.
Pros and Cons of Jumbi Garden Bed
Pros
Cons
- GROW A GORGEOUS HERB GARDEN | Elevated Outdoor Planter Offers Beautiful, Practical Design for Growing Your Favorite Herbs, Veggies, Fruits, Flowers & Other Vegetation Above Ground | A Stunning Accompaniment to Any Small Space!
- 100% RED CEDAR | Reap a Bountiful Crop Season After Season! | High-Grade Cedar Wood Resists Weather-Related Damage, Won’t Warp, Shrink or Swell in High Humidity & Features Unique Red Coloring
- COMFORTABLE RAISED DESIGN | The Comfortable Raised Design Of This Cedar Raised Garden Bed Makes Planting Easy And Accessible, Reducing The Need To Bend Or Kneel. Built From Durable Cedar, These Cedar Planters Are Perfect For Herbs, Vegetables, And Flowers, Offering One Of The Best Raised Garden Beds Outdoor For Style And Function.
3. Boldly Growing BGLP84
To grow vegetables and flowers, you don't need anything fancy, which is why this product makes it to my list of the best options. It features an old-school yet sturdy design with separate compartments for growing vegetables.
Product Highlights
I found that it's not like other models, given that there are no striking colors or patterns, but despite that, it would still look good on the porch. This is because it features a natural yet unfinished wooden construction, meaning you can use it in its original form or even paint it.
Moreover, it promises to be an eye-catching piece in any space, be it the garden or porch. And thanks to its sturdy design, you won't have to worry about external factors deteriorating its quality.
After using it for a couple of weeks, I was happy with how it supports the weight of soil and water without sagging or breaking. That's why I prefer to use it as a herb planter for the safety of my saplings.
Other than that, you can assemble the unit without any difficulty, and if you find broken or damaged components, the one-year warranty will cover the charges.
What's There To Like About It?
For me, the simple design and wooden architecture of the product stand out, making for a glamorous centerpiece on my porch. It just looks so good with the rest of the garden and doesn't feel out of place.
Décor aside, it holds the soil moisture so that plants can develop and grow while allowing the excess water to escape. Moreover, it doesn't sag or change shape, so you need not worry about reliability issues.
What's There Not To Like About It?
The assembly instructions aren't great, and first-timers might take time to figure out how to attach the components. What's more, I noticed that the manufacturers hadn't included casters with the model, so you might have to make subtle adjustments. For instance, it would help to attach the wooden casters to the interior legs while adding rollers.
Pros and Cons of Boldly Growing BGLP84
Pros
Cons
- NATURAL, UNFINISHED WOOD: Product looks great as-is, or finish planter box to your own liking
- STURDY HEAVY-DUTY DESIGN: This beautiful elevated garden bench planter is sturdier than any of the competition and is the perfect addition to any space
- STRONG, ROT-RESISTANT YELLOW CEDAR: Easily supports the weight of soil, water, and plants without breaking! Makes an excellent herb planter
4. Yaheetech Garden Bed
Compared to other products, the Yaheetech Garden Bed is high on utility as you can use it for growing plants and storing the equipment. This makes it extremely desirable, so read on to know more about it.
Product Highlights
While choosing a garden bed, you must focus on stability because the last thing you would want is for the structure to wobble. Fortunately, this unit offers strength and stability due to its non-stick design and wooden construction.
On that note, you will find that the manufacturers have polished the boards, thereby making them safe and reducing the chances of accidental cuts. Also, it comes in a double-decker shape, permitting you to plant and store the equipment.
Moving on, I was especially happy with the natural color as it makes my garden feel healthy and fresh. In fact, the green plants pop out against the wooden structure to create a rustic appeal.
Overall, it is 30 inches tall, making it convenient for people to water the plants at any time of the day. There's no need to bend down and put pressure on the back or knees.
What's There To Like About It?
There are several advantages of using the unit, not least of which is its 2-tier shape, making it an effective gardening tool. I would look after the plants on the top shelf, while the bottom rack was useful for keeping water cans, gloves, and other items.
Furthermore, the height of the structure enhances its versatility, allowing you to easily tend to the plants. I didn’t even have to bend down since it's 30 inches tall and offers enough stability.
What's There Not To Like About It?
In some cases, you may find it difficult to align the components, especially the braces that stretch from one leg to the other. Therefore, accurately measuring the structure to chisel the wood is of utmost importance, but there's something else you can do. Try using longer wood screws to ensure that the alignment is perfect and the garden bed doesn't move.
Pros and Cons of Yaheetech Garden Bed
Pros
Cons
- Natural Elaborate Materials: The raised garden bed is made of non-paint and natural wood, known for its strength and stability. The thick solid boards are polished with smooth surfaces and no burrs or wood splinters
- Two Tiers & Versatile: This wooden planter features two tiers for planting and storing. You can cultivate plants, like vegetables, flowers, herbs in your patio, yard, garden, and greenhouse. Also, the lower shelf can be used for storage and display to put some planting tools and other accessories there
- Max. Weight Capacity: The vegetable bed is in a rectangle shape and has two tiers. The max. load bearing is 100 kg/220.5 lb, and the lower shelf can hold up to 30 kg/66.1 lb
5. Boldly Growing BGRGP60
Truth be told, this product looks like a little nursery for your plants as high wooden walls protect them on all sides. Moreover, they have sufficient room to grow and flourish, making the structure highly sought-after.
Product Highlights
In terms of heavy-duty models, they seldom come much better than this unit as it can hold a whopping 700 pounds. You can easily imagine how it will allow you to grow various vegetables with sturdy log rails, delivering stability and not bending under pressure.
Once you assemble the structure, the rot-resistant and non-toxic fir will offer protection against various external factors, such as pollution and the weather. Not to mention, the wood will develop into a rustic piece with time if you leave it untreated or you can paint over it.
Meanwhile, the manufacturers have included a prefabricated bottom to hold the dirt and provide great planting depth. Meaning, it leaves sufficient room for the roots to develop and receive adequate water and sunlight.
Apart from that, I can vouch that it's easy to assemble since I could do it by hand without any heavy machinery.
What's There To Like About It?
While this model has several attention-grabbing features, the most predominant among them is its load-bearing capacity. As you know, it can handle up to 700 pounds of pressure, while the sturdy design also keeps out pollution, rot and helps deal with the weather.
Moving on, the prefabricated base holds in the dirt, nutrients, and moisture, ensuring that my saplings have everything to grow. And with the high wooden walls, animals like rabbits will fail to reach the vegetables.
What's There Not To Like About It?
The packaging could be better because the brand sent the screws in a plastic bag that eventually broke as they were bouncing around inside. Additionally, the pictures fail to explain the installation procedure suitably, and it may take time to figure out the instructions. So, take your time to ensure that the floorboards and legs align perfectly.
Pros and Cons of Boldly Growing BGRGP60
Pros
Cons
- UNMATCHED STRENGTH AND RELIABILITY: Our heavy-duty garden planter boxes are strong enough to hold more than 700 pounds! The mortise and tenon joints hold all of the load and the thick log rails won’t bow or warp over time. The side panels use a tongue and groove joint to hold the soil where it’s supposed to be – inside your planter. Do not let a lower quality planter ruin your hard work.
- 100% ROT-RESISTANT NATURAL, UNTREATED WOOD: Our log planters are made of no paint, non-toxic fir, also known as Chinese Cedar for its outstanding rot resistance while still being light enough to ship to you. It will arrive with checking, or cracks in the rails that naturally occur in all log furniture and will develop a beautiful, rustic barn-board gray patina over the first season if left untreated.
- FAST ASSEMBLY WITH JUST A SCREWDRIVER: Put it together by hand, and then use screws to hold the tenons in place. That’s it! Others will try to cut costs by using unfinished boards, but we’ve sanded everything smooth to protect your hands. These look great on your balcony, patio, porch or any other outdoor space.
Buyers Guide
It's now time to proceed to the buyer's guide, where I'll explain the nuances of choosing the best cedar planter box. Although you have gone through my product reviews, I thought it would help to point out the major differences between the top brands and others.
1. Durability
The first thing that you should look at is the durability of the product, ensuring that it's worth the investment. If the garden bed is wobbly or fails to offer the necessary protection, all your effort will go in vain.
That's why I believe products that come with 100% natural cedar wood construction may prove to be the most suitable. These units can withstand the changing weather conditions, while the elevated design may keep out pests like rodents, rabbits, and even deers.
Not to mention, a sturdy product will offer stability while retaining its shape even after regular watering.
2. Assembly
I'm good at DIY tasks, but not everyone may possess the same expertise, so the best products are usually easy to install. They come with simple instructions and diagrams that consumers can follow to set up the model quickly.
That said, you may have to make adjustments in some cases, but it shouldn't be much of an issue. Also, the manufacturers must include all the necessary components to complete the assembly in one go.
Additionally, never shy away from asking for help because lifting wooden components yourself can become tiring. But overall, the process must be smooth and hassle-free for the best user experience.
3. Price
Often the barrier that stands in the way of a worthwhile purchase is the price. You should know that the top models use the best materials, such as 100% natural red cedar, which may give the planter box strength and stability.
As a result, these models tend to cost more than other products and may be worth the investment. I suggest that you save money to purchase a premium-quality product because there's no point in buying a cheap unit.
Opting for the latter will lead to more expenditure in the long run, not to mention the probability of harming the plants.
4. Versatility
Although the basic purpose of a planter box is to provide a suitable growing space for the plants, that's not to say it can't be versatile. By versatile, I mean that it must offer enough space for various plants, vegetables, or flowers to grow and flourish.
This will allow you to plant different saplings and adjust to the changing seasons. Moreover, it would be best to search for models with storage space to store your gardening equipment.
If you remember, I had reviewed the Yaheetech Garden Bed, featuring a double-tier structure that highlights what a versatile unit is all about.
5. Capacity
The next thing you need to consider is the capacity, ensuring sufficient space for the plants to grow. This primarily depends on the height since an elevated model will offer more depth for the plants to hold on to the soil and stay healthy.
Before purchasing, you need to look at the area available per cubic foot to make the right decision. Doing so will allow you to add the necessary amount of soil to hold sufficient minerals and moisture for the plants to grow.
Not to mention, a larger capacity may ensure that you can grow various plants with ease.
6. Drainage
Once you find a model with sufficient capacity, it would help if you consider the drainage. A large model can hold a substantial amount of water, but it could prove detrimental to the plants if you are not careful.
In other words, it is crucial to strike the right balance between adding too much or too little water so that the plants remain healthy.
Check the drainage system to determine how quickly it allows the excess water to pass through. This will help prevent mineral build-up, allowing gardeners to maintain the health and vitality of the soil.
7. Size
When you find a planter box that satisfies all the above factors, the final feature to consider is its size. Planter boxes are available in numerous sizes, and depending on the available area of the porch or balcony, you can choose a suitable unit.
Plus, it will amplify the décor of your home, making the balcony an ideal spot for relaxing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it would be best to line the cedar planter box so that they can withstand harsh weather conditions without deteriorating in quality. You can use a plastic sheet to line the model, followed by a little trimming to prevent the plants from going over the edge of the box.
If you purchase from a premium-quality brand that uses 100% natural red or cedarwood, the box can withstand weather changes and prevent rotting. Usually, these options can last between 10 and 20 years with proper care.
People who leave their cedar planter box untreated need not worry about damage or quality issues. However, the wood may lose its original golden-brown hue after a while; that's why DIYers tend to color the structure.
My Final Recommendation
Was I able to convince you that purchasing a planter box will offer the perfect balance between exquisite living and outdoor serenity?
I mean, what better way to spend your day than with an open book, sitting beside your plants while gazing over the neighborhood? So, to help you realize this dream further, I have highlighted my favorite options from the guide.
For me, the Best Choice SKY2383 is one of the top models, thanks to its large size and elevated platform that makes it easy to use. Other than that, the Jumbi Garden Bed may prove suitable if you have a space crunch but want to enjoy the pleasures of gardening.
With that, it’s a wrap. See you soon!