What Is A Houseplant Box – Keeping Plant Boxes Indoors

You may have or surely have seen homes with window boxes filled with plants and flowers but why not plant boxes indoors? What is a houseplant box? An indoor planter box is a simple DIY project that will bring the outdoors in by creating boxes for houseplants.

What is a Houseplant Box?

A houseplant box is literally what it sounds like, a planter box indoors. Boxes for houseplants can be purchased and there are tons of fabulous ones to choose from or you can make your own plant boxes indoors. 

Ideas for Boxes for Houseplants

An indoor planter box can take many forms. It can look like a traditional exterior window box either affixed to the wall or raised on legs, either long or short, or plant boxes indoors may be placed along a window as outside ones or on any wall or surface provided there is enough light.

Another thing to consider besides light is what plants will comingle, that is those that have similar likes as to water, soil, and fertilization needs. If you will be using plants with different needs, then you will want to pot them individually and tuck them in the houseplant box. That way they can be taken out separately and managed.

Many boxes for houseplants are just that, boxes. Old wooden boxes work beautifully, or you can buy wood and build your own. Other materials, like metal and plastic, work as well. Really use your imagination and come up with something fabulous.

How to Make an Indoor Planter Box

The first step to making houseplant boxes is to buy wood and then either cut it to your desired dimension or have it cut at the store. The wood should be at least 6 inches (15 cm.) deep to accommodate a flowerpot or other growing container.

Next, sand the wood smooth and apply waterproof glue to the bottom edges. Rest the glued end on spacers and clamp the two ends to the bottom piece. Pre-drill pilot holes for the fasteners and then finish assembling by securing the bottom to the sides with galvanized finishing nails.

Repeat the above to secure the end pieces to the bottom of the indoor planter box. Once the box has been assembled, seal the interior with interior paint, stain, or polyurethane finish.

When the paint or stain has dried, finish painting the rest of the indoor planter. Allow it to dry and then if you are hanging it, do so. Now it’s time to plant! If you are planting directly into the box, be sure to supply drainage holes; otherwise, it is simply a matter of planting in pots (with drainage holes) and then placing them into your new plant box indoors.