LOCONHA Window Box Planter, 7 Pack Plastic Vegetable Flower Planters Boxes 17 Inches Rectangular Flower Pots with Saucers for Indoor Outdoor Garden, Patio, Home Decor

A season with the LOCONHA window boxes

I wanted a set of window boxes that could handle a season of herbs and annuals without weighing down the railing or breaking the budget. The LOCONHA window boxes hit the sweet spot: light enough to move easily, long enough at 17 inches to create a cohesive planting, and simple in all the right ways. After a full spring and summer using the seven-pack across a porch railing, a sunny windowsill, and a back deck, here’s how they performed.

Design and build

These are straightforward rectangular plastic planters in a brick red that reads more like rustic orange than true terracotta. The finish is smooth and easy to wipe down; soil splashes hose off quickly and they don’t hold onto grime. Each planter comes with an attached saucer that snaps on along the bottom edge. It stays put when you move the box but can be unclipped for deep cleaning or if you want completely free drainage.

The plastic is lightweight, which is both a strength and a caution. It makes setup painless and keeps the weight manageable once filled with soil. But like most light plastics, the walls can flex if you lift from one end when the planter is full. I learned to support from the base with two hands or slide them rather than carry them mid-span. Used that way, they’ve held up fine.

Drainage and watering

Drainage is where these boxes are better than many budget options. There are drainage holes that drop into the attached tray, which acts as a small reservoir. Two molded water inlets on the bottom edge let you water directly into the tray so the soil wicks moisture upward. It’s a smart setup for people who tend to overwater from the top or want to keep windowsills and railings cleaner.

In daily use, I settled into a simple routine:
- For thirsty plants (basil, mint, marigolds), I bottom-watered through the inlets, then topped lightly once a week to flush salts.
- For drought-tolerant plants (thyme, succulents), I skipped the reservoir and watered sparingly from above.

On hot, windy weeks, the reservoir bought an extra day of moisture for my herbs. After a downpour, the tray never overflowed onto my sill, but the soil did stay wetter for longer. In very wet climates or if you’re planting water-sensitive species, you might want to unsnap the tray temporarily after storms or elevate the box slightly so air can move under it. If you prefer aggressive drainage, you can also add a few extra holes with a small drill bit—this plastic takes a clean hole without cracking, as long as you go slow.

Planting experience

These boxes are a natural fit for herbs and compact annuals. I had success with:
- Herbs: basil, chives, parsley, thyme, and mint (mint, as always, was happiest with consistent moisture and some afternoon shade).
- Flowers: marigolds and dwarf zinnias, which thrived in the 17-inch length when spaced about 5–6 inches apart.
- Greens: cut-and-come-again lettuce mixes did fine through spring, less so in peak summer heat unless shaded.

The width and depth are sufficient for shallow-rooted plants, but I wouldn’t use these for larger vegetables like tomatoes or peppers; they’ll be cramped and topple-prone. For compact strawberries or a small strawberry mix, the built-in reservoir helps during fruiting, but keep the crown above the soil line and water from below to avoid rot.

A tip that improved performance: start with a lightweight container mix, not garden soil. Mix in a handful of perlite for better drainage and a slow-release fertilizer at planting. I also lined the bottom with a piece of mesh or coffee filter to keep fine particles from washing into the tray. It kept things tidier and reduced the need to rinse out the saucer mid-season.

Indoor and outdoor placement

Outdoors, the brick red color pairs well with brick steps and wood railings; it’s a warm accent without screaming for attention. I used two on a sunny south-facing sill and four along a shaded porch railing, reserving the last for the kitchen window. Indoors, the attached saucer and bottom watering stopped those telltale water rings on the sill—worth the small learning curve of using the inlets.

They’re stable on flat surfaces, but if you plan to mount them on a railing, use proper brackets. The boxes themselves don’t include mounting hardware; they sit nicely in standard 6–8 inch brackets.

Durability and weathering

Over a full season, the plastic didn’t chalk or discolor under normal sun exposure, and mine got rained on repeatedly without warping. The snap-on saucers stayed snug and didn’t rattle loose in wind. After an early fall cold snap and a light frost, no brittleness showed up. I don’t expect these to compete with thick resin or glazed ceramic for multi-year durability, but for lightweight plastic they felt sturdy enough with sensible handling. The main watch-out is that end-lifting a full box can stress the sidewall; support from underneath and you shouldn’t have issues.

Cleaning between plantings was quick: unsnap the tray, rinse both parts, a dab of dish soap if fertilizer salts built up, and they looked new. The smooth finish helps.

What could be better

• Wall thickness: The tradeoff for the light weight is thinner plastic. It’s fine in use, but if you often move planters mid-season, choose a heavier-gauge option or keep these stationary once filled.
• Drainage tuning: The reservoir is great for moisture retention, but in very rainy stretches I wanted faster runoff. Being able to open a larger drain temporarily (a sliding tab, for example) would make these more adaptable without DIY drilling.
• Color options: The brick red works, but a deeper terracotta or a neutral gray would blend with more facades. That’s preference, not performance.

Who they’re for

• Apartment or condo gardeners who want a tidy, lightweight setup that won’t stress railings or sills.
• Herb growers who appreciate bottom watering and a small buffer against hot, dry days.
• Budget-conscious planters who need a consistent look across several windows or a long porch.
• Anyone prioritizing easy cleaning and simple, functional design over ornamental materials.

Who should look elsewhere: growers aiming for deep-rooted vegetables, or anyone who needs heavy, wind-proof planters for an exposed rooftop. In those cases, a deeper, heavier container is the better fit.

Practical tips for best results

• Place first, then fill. These are easiest to position empty; once filled, slide or lift from beneath with two hands.
• Use a well-draining potting mix and consider adding perlite if your climate is wet.
• Employ the water inlets to keep surfaces clean and to encourage deeper root growth.
• Unsnap trays after prolonged rain or during winter storage to dry completely and avoid mildew.
• Refresh the top inch of soil mid-season and reapply slow-release fertilizer for long bloom windows.

The bottom line

The LOCONHA window boxes deliver a lot of function for their footprint: practical bottom watering, an attached saucer that keeps mess to a minimum, and a size that fits most sills and porch rails without fuss. They’re not luxury containers, and they don’t pretend to be. Treated thoughtfully—filled in place, supported from the base, and tuned for your watering habits—they perform reliably across herbs and compact annuals and clean up easily for the next planting.

Recommendation: I recommend this set for anyone looking to outfit multiple windows or railings with a cohesive, lightweight, and budget-friendly planter solution. The built-in reservoir and bottom inlets make day-to-day care simpler, especially for herbs and flowers, and the snap-on tray keeps indoor and outdoor surfaces cleaner. If you need heavy-duty walls or plan to grow deep-rooted crops, choose a thicker, larger container instead; for everything else, these do the job with minimal hassle.