Annual Container Maintenance! 😊👍// Garden Answer 

I say keep them white so they blend with the house and the flowers are the focus of the window boxes!

Laura and Aaron, I have to tell you how much I enjoy your videos. Other gardening videos on RU-vid just don’t measure up to you guys. It seems they all talk way too much and repeat themselves over and over! You give the perfect amount of information and I think Aaron’s editing skills are unmatched. Bravo you two and keep them coming ❤️🤗💐

I would leave the planter boxes white. Mainly because of your hard water problems.

I love them white.... i have never even thought to spray paint my containers.. I am happy if they all get flowers in them by 4th of July..

So glad that you kept the window boxes white. Your flowers will pop so much more with white.

I will vote for white, too, just because of the maintenance if painted black. Benjamin is soooo adorable!!!!! Thank you for sharing, Laura!

Benjamin’s little laugh! It is too perfect! I agree with everyone else: I think the window planters should stay white because of summer heat.

Leave them white. Your plants and flowers will show up so much better with them white.

White. Missed seeing Russel. 😀 Benjamin is too cute!

So glad the window boxes stayed white. They’ll probably look amazing too in black but that’s just my preference 🤗

Love the small interruptions of Benjamin lol he is the cutest little man I just want to kiss his little face 😘😘😘

Keep the window boxes white, let your plantings be the color!

I like the window boxes white. I think they blend in with the house and show off the plants better! Thanks for the video Laura.

I like the white window boxes. Let's the plants be star and the boxes melt back.

Benjamin is the cutest boy ever.. please give him my love and hugs.

Beautiful blue eyes on that baby like his mama. My grandbabies have blue eyes too. God Bless.

You could have used vinegar for the self-watering containers. I pour vinegar in a spray bottle and spray my plastic containers thoroughly. The vinegar will loosen or already remove the hard water stains. Sometimes it requires a little scrubbing too. I rinse it afterwards with clear water & they look as good as new. I do this with my indoor pots as well. Hope this tip helps some of you keeping your containers look nice and clean 😉

Wrap the boxes with black wrap or paper and live with it a few days

Leave them white they are gorgeous and match with the plants perfect

Aww it's so nice to see 2 small feet running around. Benjamin bring joy to your videos. Love you

The White looks great. White, blends well with all flower arrangements. Staying with white window boxes would accent the flowers or bulbs, etc.

Window boxes: Leave them white😘 can’t see hard water stains then. Dark colored training plants will cover the white boxes. Get a pro to do it for you count on them coming back every year. Just like every year you are restraining the dark colored basket containers. Do you not have enough to do in spring? I too have hard water. The rule here is no dark containers too much work. I also have to spray paint all the others. Spent that extra time with Benjamin. 😍 Did I say how much I love love love 💕 your channel. I find it very inspirational. It’s really helped my gardening style.

I like the window boxes white. Hard water stains will look worse on black.

I love all the touch up jobs you did, everything looks crisp and new! And that pallet walk way is still holding strong! Ha for those naysayers! 😉🌺

3:10 Russell in the background!!! Lol omg

You guys are such hardworkers! Benjamin is the cutest and such a happy boy, I love him. 🌞😍😙 I would say leave the window boxes white for now and when they get old and messed up than you can get new ones or paint them. To me it's unnecessary work but then again, it is your choice for your home. You have to much energy, could you please send some my way! Hugs and love to all of you 💜🌱💜

Try straight vinegar and a tooth btush on your water windows in the self watering planters, from someone that deals with hard water it works wonders. Also, because of your hard water black would be nice but would show the hard water.

White! They are beautiful next to the black shutters.

This vlog is a good reminder that weather permitting there are so many chores that still need to be done around the garden to get it ready for Spring. It was cute to see how confident Benjamin got with his walking over the two months. I do think you should leave the window baskets white due to the hard water staining.

I vote for white window boxes, because the flowers will show so nicely on white. Black might show the hard water stains you suffer with.

I guess I am in the minority, but I like the window boxes white. I think that the dark green foliage, as well as any darker colored blooms show up better in white whereas in black, under your porch, they would get lost. And, of course, with black, then you would be cleaning water stains off them all the time and, I think it would almost look like moustaches under each window, lol. That said, what you could do, after you have them planted up for spring/summer, is take a photo and upload it to a paint website that let's you see exactly what your "room " will look like if you paint them black.

I think your window boxes are perfect in white. For the hard water spots on your garden pots, use Lysol Bowl and Toilet Cleaner, it will definitely remove the hard water stains when added without dilution directly on the stains, but scrub quickly and rinse well.

The black window boxes would really show hard water spots

I like the white window boxes. I'm glad you changed your mind about it. 😀

Seeing as you have so much issues with hard water staining your darker finishes, I wouldn't paint them black just because of that. I do like black though.

Agree with leaving the window boxes white. I think the flowers will stand out so much better

I like the boxes white. I think if you go with solid black that some of your beautiful flowers won’t stand out. 👩🏼‍🌾

I live in Minnesota and we have very hard water. Clean your pots by spraying with a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water, let it dissolve the uck for 15 min., scrub briefly with a soft brush and rinse clean. I think you'll see a big difference and it's very economic friendly.

Love the white!! Looks so clean and amazing with the all the flowers in them!!

Benjamin is the most adorable thing ever!!!♥️😚😚 And I like those white cause the hard water won't show as much...👍

Black would be pretty but I agree that white would hide the water staining! Thanks for another great video Laura🤩👍

Black would be nice but the hard water problem would be a nightmare. They look lovely white!

Yes I was going to suggest just like the other viewers, painting those window boxes black will make more work because of the hard water. To water all those plants as often as you do with out much rain you must have one heck of a well. Sunny and 60* here today. Looking forward to spring flowers. My tulip tree is opening halfway today. I hope it doesn't get caught by frost for a few days.

I vote for white window boxes.

I like the clean lines of the white window boxes. Black will break the lines and they will look cruddy with the hardwater stains. Why make extra work? The white is beautiful and will show off the greenery and blooms better.

I really like the white window boxes. They blend in with the house and let the flowers catch your eye. Plus I would hate to see you fight with the hard water stains on even more than you already have too. I’m unsure if the sprinklers cause any spray from wind, or if the water would sweep through the window boxes.

Hi Laura, Black would look really nice & is popular now, but, please consider this: Black will make the air temperature on your porch much hotter. Our front porch had a black door, white siding and two black shutters.. I painted them a slate blue and the temperature on the porch dropped 20 degrees just from the new color. I was shocked over the difference.. Take care and God Bless, Chris-Raleigh NC

My vote is to keep the window boxes white. I think it looks less busy with all of the other black shutters and trim on the house. It really highlights the flowers

If it were me, i would leave window pots white and maybe stencil a pattern on it in black. Just an idea. I love watching your videos. Very motivating. Thanks for sharing !

The white flower boxes are clean & crisp looking

I think black is great but leave them white cause of hard water.

You should leave the boxes white. Black would show the hard water stains more. Also, the plants maybe harder to see against black.

I love looking at the flowers in the flower boxes, and leaving them white against a white background would focus on just the flowers. Also, the hard water problem would be noticeable.

I wouldn't paint them..so much more to keep up I like how they blend with the house

Hi Benjamin! Why is it fun to spend these few minutes watching your creativity ?!? You encourage me to tackle things I would not have every thought of! I do think you will be happier with the white boxes. Black will be beautiful but your hard water stains will great a huge amount of extra work. You don’t have time for that. Love the encouragement to paint containers though! I have some from another house which do not go with our current home. It’s time to change!! 🐈 🌺

Proper.... Lol. You LOVE things PROPER 😂 Cute

I want to say I LOVE to watch your videos, I think you are amazing! I have a "temporary" suggestion on your window boxes to see if you like to paint them black. You could either paint a thin black board and attach to the front of the box, even slightly smaller in size and center it to give it dimension and stand back to see if you like the black. This way you could easily remove the boards and not need to replace them this year. Or the other idea is to purchase flat black tape (on Amazon) and lightly adhere it to all the boxes, take a photo of your house from a distance and see what you think. Both are temporary and might help with your decision. Hope one of these ideas might help. Jo

Benjamin just wants to run!

The window boxes will be fine left as is. When you plant them up they will be gorgeous. I appreciate that you know your limitations, it was a good reminder for me as I am trying to take on a painting project of my own and need to make sure I don't bite off more than I can chew!!

Hi Laura and Aaron! I think white...….and I really think Benjamin is a dollbaby!!!! :) God Bless, Linda from NJ

Although black would be stunning, I think white would show off the foliage better and you wouldn’t have to worry about hard water stains

Maybe take pics of window boxes and photoshop them black to see if you like them. I think white is nicer but its not my house lol

I use concentrated lemon juice to get rid of the water stains. You can also use vinegar. I have had success with all kinds of surfaces - metal, terracotta, plastic, cement, concrete, brick, and stone. Test on a small spot underneath first to make sure it doesn't remove the color. Hope this helps.

I guess I'm the only one that actually likes the hard water/ aged look on those pots lol

Hey, guys yall should learn more about a Galaxy Lift for your barn. It makes moving items upstairs SO much easier!!!

I have spring fever! I'm dying to see my tulips & daffodils sprout 😭 hello from New England!

If you paint your window boxes black will you have the same problem with white hard water stains? If the boxes were black your eye would be drawn to the black boxes against the white house, but your eye should be drawn to the plants.

Yes black...the flower colors will really pop!

Keep the white!

Good morning Laura.

Fun. Water stains to clean off tons of black window boxes. Textured, even.

Watching this a year and a half later... But reminds me why I have mainly terracotta planters - which I prefer looking aged!

You just helped give me the idea to paint two containers that I have, thank you! They’ve been unused for quite some time bc I just wasn’t a fan of their color. Going to get some spray paint and make them new again!! 🙌🙌

I think the white was a better choice.

I think if you had black window boxes, then the windows might look unbalanced. Maybe I'm crazy, but with the shutters, you'd have large black accents surrounding only 3/4 of your window. I like how they are because it seems more balanced.

I think the window boxes would look great in black but then you would have to worry about hard water stains on them

Looking good!

Damn I never knew I would like a gardening channel so much because I don't really do gardening 😂

The wicker pots have been discontinued. Also, keep the boxes white. That is one less maintenance job each year, meaning that if you paint them black they will need retouching each year. White may need a touch up in 2 or more years, depending on how they were primed. Loved seeing Benjamin run to you.

I would love some of those self watering pots! I am old and can’t work Mitch in flowers but I love beautiful flowers!

White. White. White. Leave them white. It makes the plants the stars of the show.

Love the white window boxes. Since u have hard water would u not have to repaint them every summer if they were black.

Hermoso ver a Benjamin dar sus primeros pasos, lo amo :) ABRAZOS

I Would Leave Them White, Due To Hard Water Stains Showing Up Even More On The Color Black.

That is one cute kiddo!

Noticed Russel getting a birds eye view of you bringing the self watering pots out. 😂

I like the idea of painting the window baskets black but the maintenance of repainting all of them every year makes me change my mind. Hard water staining showing on all of them..... Yikes!

For hard water stains use the product “Lime-A-Way” (at home depot/lowes/walmart/most grocery stores). It works well on your kitchen counter or bathroom sink & showers area too, even on granite (mines dark granite) to get the hard water stain off. You make everything look easy to do. Lol. nice job on all your containers.

You will find that the Rustoleum paint doesn't stick to plastic as well as you would like. Good choice not to paint window boxes black. You would be touching up paint frequently.

Thank you for the video, always so entertaining. I just love Benjamin, he is so adorable - God Bless him. As for the window boxes, well they would stand out more if painted black (in winter) but I think plants stand out more in a white box (for summer). Lol, I don't think that helped. Go with you gut feeling and your initial intentions. At times I go in a full circle and end up with what my initial idea was. Xoxox - PS: I referred you to members of my Garden Club so they can join in the fun I experience while watching you.

I love your property it so beautiful, keep the boxes white let the flowers give the color

I think the flowers show better with white. Why not try to tape some black paper on one or two and stand back and see black against white.OR rod iron.

I love your home ! Your are so sweet you inspired to get out in the yard.

The hard water does cause a lot of problems with pot stains, and I think you have mentioned before with your drip irrigation and overhead watering of plants as well. Don’t have well water myself, but is it ever possible to put a water softening system in? Would sure cut down on a lot of maintenance and drip irrigation replacement. The white window planters look just fine. Happy springtime.

My vote is leave the window boxes white. The flowers show up nicer in my opinion.

I would paint the window boxes black, because after all it’s just paint. It’s amazing how just paint can make such a huge difference. You can always go back to white if you don’t like the black

Laura, if you take a picture of the window boxes and go to the Sherwin Williams website you can play around with color. I did that with my front door since we have an ivory house and grass green shutters. I was scared the tone of a random paint choice for our front door would be off otherwise. I vote for black for the window boxes and then black for your foundation block to tie into the black of your back porch/entrance and your door to bring fluidity and cohesion to the space. Can't go wrong if you keep em white though! Xo, Kit

Sometime can you do an aerial shot of your property please???? I just love the layout you have around your house!

Spring is so much work but we'll worth it.

Yay! White they are))