Gronomics Rustic Planter Box, 18 by 18 by 19"

I shopped quite a bit before selecting this bed. I chose it because of its height, its size and its price. I am much more pleased than I had hoped to be. When it arrived I was able to put it together and fill it with bagged soil in less than an hour. While I do think I could have put it together alone, it helped to have a second pair of hands to get the first two boards slipped into place--yes, slipped, not wrestled! I have three tomato plants, one pepper, 4 spinach, and 8 lettuce plants all happily growing. I am impressed with the moisture the bed holds. I live in a hot dry climate and I usually water lightly every 2-3 days. I did use a high quality organic mulch but I also believe that the design of the bed helps with moisture retention. I had some concern about the bottom of the container being composed of slats and landscaping cloth but it works perfectly. I have the bed on my deck and do not have a puddle of water or other detritus on the driveway below. I was able to span the bed with hoops and place shade cloth over it. Even with the depth of the bed both fiberglass and metal hoops hold well. I particularly like the height as my knees are not as supple as they used to be. I chose the rustic bed over the finished one due to price. If you have children, you might not want the rustic version. The wood is ruff and so some attention is necessary to avoid splinters. Nonetheless it is very aesthetically pleasing. One of the things I like most are the decorative caps on the top of the legs. They are not necessary for a healthy garden but quite comely. I am very pleased with this product and look forward to gardening in it for years to come.

I have purchased 3 of these planters. They assemble in a matter of minutes, packaging is great, beautiful for the garden, outstanding product, I plan on buying a few more as well. are 4x4, sides are 3/4 cedar, tops come wrapped in the lining for the planter and all 3 arrive undamagedApril Update:. I put 4-6" of stone in mine and filled them with top soil. planed tomatoes, onions and lettuce...all doing nicely. I also built 3 chicken wire frames for the top, so the birds wouldn't eat the seeds31 May Update: Just pleased as I could be...see photos ( Built 3 wire frames to use at the beginning of the planting, apparently a neighborhood cat thought I'd built 3 litter boxes for it.

Gardening should be fun! But too often, it becomes hard work. The Gronomics raised bed is made for easy success. If you are a beginner, this is a great way to get started! It eliminates or reduces many common problems. Because the bed is raised, it will need almost no weeding. It will have great soil because you fill it with the good stuff from a garden center. You can put it on a patio, deck, or other place where will look good, get lots of sun, and be safe from deer, bunnies, and other critters. Even overwatering will be difficult to do. The floor of the bed is composed of wooden slats with small spaces between. There is a piece of landscape fabric for lining the bottom of the bed. This keeps the soil in and lets excess water drain out. With the Gronomics planter, you are all set for problem-free growing of delicious veggies, herbs, or colorful flowers.I bought this planter for an elderly relative, who is an experience gardener. But advancing age is making it difficult for him to do many gardening tasks. With the Gronomics bed, he can tend his plants without having to bend over or kneel. There will be little or no need for weeding, raking, hoeing, or even digging. He was so happy to get this -- it means he can continue to enjoy growing veggies. This is a great gift for someone who likes to be active, but has some physical limitations.The Gronomics raised bed was very easy to assemble. I put it together in a short time with no tools and almost without looking at the instructions. The pieces fit together well. Importantly, the bed is sturdy enough to support the weight of wet soil. Even though it is tall, it seems stable enough to not tip over. We loaded the Gronomics upside down into the bed of our truck and transported it to its destination without problems. Altogether, this is a fine, handsome planter.

I love my planter box! It's so nice to have everything elevated. It's a little bitter than I expected, but just means I can grow much more. It's also very sturdy and attractive. I did finish the wood with Gronomics GBO1Q Cedar Garden Bed Oil, 1-Quart, which was kind of a pain. If I ever order this again, I will just order it finished and be done with it. Wood is not finished, so expect to use gloves when handling to assemble or you'll wind up with splinters.

This is a somewhat conflicted review, so bear with me. In terms of the quality of the planter and it's fit and finish, it easily rates 5 stars. Assembly was fast, 10 minutes. The problem is in the design concept. The tongue and groove design makes for fast assembly; while the boards slid in easily, I'd recommend having a rubber mallet ready just in case a light tap is needed. Additionally, I opted to add wheels to mine since it's on the deck and I want to be able to move it around if needed.Now for the problem. The tongue and groove assembly means that unless you are leaving it in one spot, there is a considerable amount of wobble that could be an issue. And even if you put it in one place without wheels on it, it is critical that you true up the legs to straight and level and square the box.My solution was simple, I just added 1" X 6" cedar braces around the box about halfway down. It gave me the rigidity I needed to be able to move the box as needed. They also give me the ability to add a shelf below the box.Overall? Very pleased with the product. The plants are thriving. They may want to consider offering wheels and braces as an optional kit at some point.