FAQ

Your Questions Answered

Here are some of our most common customer questions, if you have any other queries just use the form at the bottom of the page to get in touch.
 
1. How should I prepare an empty box for planting? 

When we plant up our boxes, we use a bespoke horticultural liner but a heavy duty bin liner would suffice. A bespoke fitting liner is available to buy for just 75p. 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. Suitable compost planting substrates are available from our accessories section. You could also finish your planted crate with a layer of bark chippings to prevent the soil drying out too fast, especially in the summer months. Check our Planting Guide for more information. 
 
3. How long will it be before it is delivered? 

When you buy your gift we will advise you on which specific day your order will be delivered. If you require the item to be sent for a particular day, we will always try to accommodate this. Please note that we do not deliver on a Saturdays or Sundays. More information can be found on our Delivery page. 
 
4. How should I care for my Plantabox once it's planted? 

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. Small Plantaboxes are designed for indoor use but can be kept outdoors during the spring and summer. Your crate should be slightly raised off the ground to reduce the contact to the surface of the ground in the wet seasons allowing the wood and the crate's contents to breath. This can be done with various things but you can purchase wheels from our site to do this - it will make the crate easier to move around once it is fully loaded too. As with any outdoor planter it will need some care during winter months and you may want to store it in a shed or greenhouse. 
 
5. My crate has been damaged in transit - what should I do? 

The first thing is to let us know if there's anything wrong with your delivery or your crate arrives in an unsatisfactory condition within 24 hours to enable us to log your problem with our courier and to deal with it as expediently as possible. Ideally take photos of the damage and email them to us as well. We will always endeavour to replace a damaged crate as soon as we possibly can. 

6. Tell us more about the colours? 

We have an extensive range of colours which have been picked to give you as many options as possible. You can see the whole range on our 'How to Order' page. The paints are all manufactured by Cuprinol and are waterbased stains which are designed for protecting wood outdoors. All our crates are treated, we never send a crate out without being prepared in this way. 
 
7. What about caring for the crate itself? 

Your crate is manufactured from Sustainable pine but will rot and warp if left in very 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 wood stain 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 essential to make drain holes in the liner when planting. 
 
8. 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 26cm (H) 
  • Square Plantabox Crate: 36cm (L) x 36cm (W) x 26cm (H) 
  • Medium Plantabox Crate: 40cm (L) x 31cm (W) x 14cm (H) 
  • Small Plantabox Crate: 31cm (L) x 20cm (W) x 15cm (H) 
  • Half Plantabox Crate: 53cm (L) x 36cm (W) x 14cm (H)
  • Mini Plantabox Crate: 29cm (L) x 11cm (W) x 7cm (H) 
  • Windowsill Plantabox Crate: 50cm (L) x 20cm (W) x 14cm (H) 
  • Medium Square Plantabox Crate: 31cm (L) x 31cm (W) x 14cm (H) 

9. How can I move my Plantabox around, once planted? 

The large and square Plantaboxes can be ordered with wheels. This will ease manoeuvrability once planted up. Please order the wheels on the product page and they will be fixed to your Plantabox. Alternatively, you can order them afterward and add them yourself.