What to Know About Using a Wooden Crate as a Planter Box
Find out how to convert wooden fruit crates into sweet planter boxes to grow veggies, herbs and flowers
Wooden crates are popular planting boxes for herbs, strawberries, annual flowers and bulbs since they look charming on a patio and are inexpensive as planting containers. Most crates come with either large gaps between the boards or as solid wooden boxes. Here’s how to convert either type of crate into a planter box and set up flowers, veggies, herbs and berries to thrive.
3. Check for drainage. Plants need good drainage to grow in containers. Crates with slatted bottoms usually drain quickly — sometimes too quickly, but we’ll get to that in the next step. Crates made of more tightly spaced boards may need drainage holes added.
Do a quick drainage check by filling the crate with water and watching how quickly it drains out. If it runs out easily, you’re good to go. If water runs out slowly (like a slow-draining bathtub), you’ll need to drill multiple drainage holes before planting.
Do a quick drainage check by filling the crate with water and watching how quickly it drains out. If it runs out easily, you’re good to go. If water runs out slowly (like a slow-draining bathtub), you’ll need to drill multiple drainage holes before planting.
4. Line the crate. Depending on what type of wooden box you have, and how you would like to use it, you will most likely need to add a liner before planting. Crates with large gaps between the boards need a liner to stop soil and water from running straight out of the crate. Solid boxes don’t need a liner to prevent soil loss, but they can benefit from a plastic liner (with holes at the base for drainage) to act as a moisture block to prevent rotting.
Use heavy-duty plastic (punching some holes at the bottom for drainage), landscape fabric, burlap or a combination of a heavy-duty plastic and burlap to line the entire interior of the crate. Cut it to size and staple or nail it in place.
The advantage of using a plastic liner (on its own or in combination with burlap) is that it will help retain water inside the soil reservoir and prevent the wooden container from rotting. Plastic liners may not make sense for growing veggies in full sun, where there could be a risk of leaching into the soil.
Burlap looks nice between the gaps but lasts only for a season before needing to be replaced.
Use heavy-duty plastic (punching some holes at the bottom for drainage), landscape fabric, burlap or a combination of a heavy-duty plastic and burlap to line the entire interior of the crate. Cut it to size and staple or nail it in place.
The advantage of using a plastic liner (on its own or in combination with burlap) is that it will help retain water inside the soil reservoir and prevent the wooden container from rotting. Plastic liners may not make sense for growing veggies in full sun, where there could be a risk of leaching into the soil.
Burlap looks nice between the gaps but lasts only for a season before needing to be replaced.
5. Fill with potting soil. Fill the crate with fresh potting soil, adding any amendments, like compost, at that time. You can do one more drainage check at this point to make sure the lined crate drains properly. Pour water into the crate, and if it doesn’t drain, you may need to punch more holes in the liner.
6. Plant it up. Gently place plant starts in the potting soil and fill in around the sides with more soil. If starting plants from seeds, moisten the soil and plant seeds at the depth and spacing advised by the package. Water plant starts or seeds well and position the container in the right light exposure for the plants.
6. Plant it up. Gently place plant starts in the potting soil and fill in around the sides with more soil. If starting plants from seeds, moisten the soil and plant seeds at the depth and spacing advised by the package. Water plant starts or seeds well and position the container in the right light exposure for the plants.
Using a crate as a decorative container. Don’t worry so much about drainage holes or lining the box if you’re planning to sink nursery pots directly into the wooden crate. As long as the crate drains, you’re set to go. Spread a few inches of gravel at the bottom of the crate to elevate nursery pots, if using outdoors, and then set them into the crate.
Choosing Your Plants
As with selecting plants for any container, choose ones that grow well in the soil depth of the wooden crate.
How to grow vegetables in containers
As with selecting plants for any container, choose ones that grow well in the soil depth of the wooden crate.
- If your crate is less than 12 inches deep, reserve it for planting shallow-rooting succulents, bulbs and strawberries.
- Use crates about 12 inches deep to plant annual flowers and herbs like basil, parsley, thyme, chives and tarragon.
- Crates 12 to 18 inches deep can hold perennials and medium-size veggies like eggplants, peppers and squashes.
- Reserve crates over 18 inches deep for planting large edibles like tomatoes and deep-rooting veggies like potatoes and yams.
How to grow vegetables in containers
How to Prevent Rotting
Wooden boxes containing damp soil that are consistently being exposed to water are at risk for eventually rotting, and they will definitely start to look a little rundown after years of planting. Lining the boxes with plastic, using baskets or planters within the crates, elevating them from the ground with risers and not allowing the soil to ever get too soggy can help extend the life of your crate.
Even with these precautions, crate planter boxes will look good for a few seasons but will not have the same life span as ceramic pots.
Wooden boxes containing damp soil that are consistently being exposed to water are at risk for eventually rotting, and they will definitely start to look a little rundown after years of planting. Lining the boxes with plastic, using baskets or planters within the crates, elevating them from the ground with risers and not allowing the soil to ever get too soggy can help extend the life of your crate.
Even with these precautions, crate planter boxes will look good for a few seasons but will not have the same life span as ceramic pots.
Where to Find Wooden Crates
Flea markets, garage sales and online sources are good bets for scoring vintage fruit crates. Garden and home stores often sell made-to-look-old wooden crates that work well too. You may get lucky and find a wooden crate discarded by a grocery store or at the farmers market.
Look for ones that are at least 12 inches deep, ideally closer to 18 inches, to expand your growing options. If you’re really in luck, you may score a wooden crate made of redwood or cedar — both woods are rot-resistant and long-lasting.
Flea markets, garage sales and online sources are good bets for scoring vintage fruit crates. Garden and home stores often sell made-to-look-old wooden crates that work well too. You may get lucky and find a wooden crate discarded by a grocery store or at the farmers market.
Look for ones that are at least 12 inches deep, ideally closer to 18 inches, to expand your growing options. If you’re really in luck, you may score a wooden crate made of redwood or cedar — both woods are rot-resistant and long-lasting.
Painted vintage crates. If you would like to grow edibles in your crates, be wary of vintage boxes that are painted. These are often the ones with the most character, but the paints may contain lead — best to steer clear of planting any edibles. Instead, use the crates for flowers or reserve them for storage boxes inside the house. You can also test for the presence of lead with a home kit from a hardware store.
More
How to Grow Vegetables in Containers
See more container gardening stories
Browse wooden crates
More
How to Grow Vegetables in Containers
See more container gardening stories
Browse wooden crates
Sponsored
DC Area's High-End Custom Landscape Design/Build Firm
9x Best of Houzz
1. Select your crate. Choose a wooden crate that is at least 12 inches deep if you would like to grow herbs and annual flowers, and ideally 18 inches deep for veggies and perennials. Look for sturdy wooden crates that, if recycled, are in good condition. Avoid crates that are painted or chemically treated when using them for edibles.
For crates made of slatted sides, try to choose ones where the gaps are less than 2 inches between boards — otherwise, the lining you’ll add will bow outward and not look as attractive.
2. Clean the box. If you’re converting a recycled crate into a planter box, first clean it inside and out using a stiff brush to get it ready to plant.
Browse wooden crates