Flower boxes with water reservoir - function, special features & alternatives

It doesn't matter whether you go away for a few days more often, the daily watering annoys you, or you are simply forgetful - flower boxes with an integrated water reservoir or irrigation system not only relieve you of work, but also save your plants on the balcony in an emergency. We will show you how an integrated water reservoir works, what you should pay particular attention to when watering, and why we deliberately avoided the classic water depot for our own flower box (Plant Box) and instead used a practical watering strip.

How do flower boxes with water reservoirs work?

The basic idea behind the water reservoir: the balcony plants should be able to take care of themselves by automatically regulating their watering over a longer period of time. This works with most flower boxes with a water reservoir through a “double bottom”: there is an additional free space under the bottom into which a larger amount of irrigation water can be filled. This water depot is connected to the soil layer via small openings, so that the plants can develop their roots downwards through the openings and thus independently supply themselves with the right amount of water. Water storage is often incorporated into flower boxes by placing a smaller box with spacers inside a larger box that acts as a water reservoir. In addition, flower boxes with water reservoirs for the balcony usually have an integrated overflow protection, so that excess (rain) water can drain off immediately and the plants in the flower box are not drowned.

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When is a flower box with water reservoir worthwhile?

If watering your balcony plants is fun for you and is an integral part of your hobby, you can of course do without an additional water reservoir in your flower box with a clear conscience. However, the investment can be worthwhile in the following cases, for example:

You are often away from home for a few days at a time and do not want to ask your neighbors to water for you every time.
Your balcony is in the sun in summer, and you don't have the opportunity to water it several times a day.
You still have doubts about your green thumb and don't know exactly how much water the individual plants need.
The flower box receives little attention because it is in an office, for example, and is therefore less frequently watered.

Balcony & flower boxes: What is an irrigation system?

The term irrigation system sounds impressive at first, but ultimately it is only a small extension of the water reservoir. In addition to the water depot, flower boxes with an irrigation system also have a water level indicator, which shows you the exact fill level, making it even easier to fill in the right amount of water. An irrigation system is therefore more of a practical extra that usually quickly becomes superfluous as soon as you get to know your plants and flowers on the balcony a little better.

What are the problems with flower boxes with water reservoirs?

Flower boxes with water reservoirs are practical, but the experience of many hobby gardeners has also shown that you should not trust them blindly, as not all flowers and balcony plants can cope with them. Under certain circumstances, root rot can occur - you should therefore keep a close eye on the plants in the first few weeks after planting. A possible alternative in this case are water storage mats for irrigation. These special mats can absorb a comparatively large amount of water and release it to the earth over time.

Flower boxes with water reservoirs - what do I have to pay attention to?

The water reservoir allows you to water much less often and protects you from nasty surprises. In order for this to work without any problems, you should pay particular attention to two points:

Watering procedure: In the case of flower boxes with a water reservoir, the water is usually filled up via a separate filler tube. So make sure that you only fill up the water and no longer water the soil “normally”.

Be careful with young plants: plant balcony flowers, fill up the water reservoir, done - unfortunately it's not that easy. What is often forgotten: Freshly planted balcony flowers do not yet have roots that have grown to the water reservoir. In the first few weeks you still have to water “normally”.

The Plant Box: Our modern flower box with watering strips

In our shop you will find a wide selection of creative, pre-arranged plantings for your flower box. You can use these in just a few simple steps and shortly afterwards you can look forward to a colourful, blooming balcony - without any dirt or effort. We have also developed our own flower box so that our plantings really come into their own on your balcony: Our Plant Box puts your balcony plants in the limelight and has the following properties:

2 colors to choose from: Forest Green & Dark Grey
Dimensions: 75cm × 18cm × 18cm
made from sustainable raw materials (100% recycled vegetable oils)
integrated UV filter for optimized service life
produced locally near Berlin
on request with hidden brackets for square and round railings

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With our own flower box, we not only want to present your flowers and plants in a special way, but also protect them as well. To prevent rot and prevent your plants from drowning, we deliberately decided against the classic water reservoir and instead integrated a practical drainage strip on the bottom of the box. This way, the plants get the best possible care without you ever having to worry.

How do I plant my The Plant Box flower box?

Together with you, we want to make the cityscape more colourful and full of life again. However, we understand very well that not all of us have the time, desire, or patience to spend a long time dealing with planting. With our ready-made plantings (refills), we give you an easy way to bring a breath of fresh air to your balcony without any effort. Each plant creation is put together by us personally and is therefore optimally adapted to different seasons and the conditions on different balconies (e.g. north/south balcony). Whether you're looking for creative, bee-friendly, winter-hardy, or flowering plantings for your window box, you are guaranteed to find what you are looking for in our shop and can order the planting of your choice either individually, together with our Plant Box, or as a convenient annual subscription .