FAQs

How should I prepare an empty box for planting?

When we plant up our boxes, we use a horticultural liner but a good quality bin liner would suffice. A bespoke fitting liner is available to buy for just 50p. Make sure you perforate the liner intermittently to allow for drainage. You could also add a layer of stones, bark or other material that would help aid drainage before filling with compost. Check what sort of soil your chosen plants prefer but loam based compost is preferable to a peat based one. We finish our planted boxes with a layer of bark chippings to prevent the soil drying out too fast, especially in the summer months.

How long will it be before it is delivered?

After you have placed your order, we aim to make and dispatch each empty crate within 2 working days with a 2-3 day courier service, so each crate should take between 3 and 5 days to arrive with you. If you require the item to be sent for a particular day, we will always try to accommodate this, if you need a crate delivered quicker you can use our fastrack service, see below for more information. Please note that we do not deliver on a Saturday and planted crates are delivered on Wednesdays or Thursdays.

How should I care for my planted Plantabox?

Your Plantabox is best positioned outside in a sheltered but sunny position. We do not recommend too much water as it makes the plants lazy, however they do need a drop to survive, especially in warmer months. The compost used provides nutrients for the first few months, thereafter; suitable feed will need to be applied to get the most from plants and shrubs. Please see the individual plants and herb requirements under Planting tips or email us if you have any questions or concerns. Small Plantaboxes are designed for indoor use but can be kept outdoors during the warmer months. Again, water as necessary, remembering that the trio of herbs only need occasional watering.

My herbs are growing frantically, what shall I do?

The herbs we use in the boxes are all culinary, so use them in your cooking! Be ruthless in trimming the herbs, in particular the Mint as it will keep growing and eventually take over the entire box if not controlled! Some herbs are annuals whereas other perennials - the latter will grow back year after year.

How does the fastrack service work?

Provided we receive your order before 2.00pm on any business day we'll complete your order and dispatch it the same day for Next Day Courier Delivery which is tracked, this is for mainland UK only and costs £9.95 (dependent on weight). If you select the fastrack option we'll acknowledge your order straight away and start processing it straight away. In the unlikely event that we accept an order that we cannot deliver within this guideline, we'll let you know and arrange an immediate refund if required.

What about caring for the crate itself?

Your crate is manufactured from Forest Stewardship Certificated pine but will rot and warp if left in damp and poorly ventilated conditions. The key to preventing rot is to control the wood’s exposure to moisture, most wood decay fungi grow on wood with a high moisture content usually 20 percent or above, your crate has been treated with high quality fence paint to help inhibit water ingress. Your crate should be stored so that it is raised off the ground, particularly when planted. If stored in a damp and airless environment it will degenerate very rapidly. Try to take special care when watering your crate so that you do not soak the wood and increase the likelihood of fungi growth, at all times pay particular attention to adequate drainage and ventilation. It is advisable to make drain holes in the liner.

What sizes are the boxes?

The sizes of the boxes are listed on the main site, however they are as follows:

Large Plantabox Crate: 53cm (L) x 36cm (W) x 27cm (H)

Square Plantabox Crate: 36cm (L) x 36cm (W) x 27cm (H)

Small Plantabox Crate: 31cm (L) x 20cm (W) x 15cm (H)

Half Crate: 49cm (L) x 31cm (W) x 13cm (H)

Mini Crate: 29cm (L) x 12cm (W) x 8cm (H)

Windowsill Plantabox Crate: 60cm (L) x 20cm (W) x 14cm (H)

Do the plants require "hardening"?

Most of the plants we use have been grown under glass or in tunnels, and therefore will require protecting from frost until the end of April to early May. This is very simply done using a cheap frost fleece at nights when there is risk of frost, or by moving the box indoors when you think there may be a frost overnight.

How best shall I display my box?

It’s a good idea to situate the box raised slightly from the ground using bricks or wood. This reduces the contact to the surface of the ground in the wet seasons and allows the wood and the box's contents to "breath".

How can I move my Plantabox around, once planted?

The large and square Plantaboxes can be ordered with castor wheels attached. This will ease manoeuvrability once planted up. Please order the wheels on the prouct page and they will be fixed to your Plantabox.

What is FSC?

The Forest Stewardship Council’s “tick tree” logo is used on product labels to indicate whether products are certified under the FSC system. When you see the FSC logo on a label you can buy timber and other wood products, such as paper, with the confidence that you are not contributing to the destruction of the world’s forests. FSC is an international, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting responsible management of the world’s forests. It was founded in 1993 in response to public concern about deforestation and demand for a trustworthy wood-labelling scheme.