The Lechuza planters come in three finishes: hi gloss premium, matte and wicker-style cottage and in a variety of colours and designs. They are made in Germany using 100% recyclable plastic and are UV safe, frost proof and shatterproof. The sub-irrigation system is very clever and means that even the least green-fingered gardeners can grow beautiful plants and flowers. There is no need to water every day - in fact, once the plant is established, you only need to water every 12 weeks. You can't over water either, even in plants kept outdoors, a drainage system allows excess water to drain away without depleting the reservoir. A water level indicator allows you to keep a close eye on water levels.
We were sent a Lechuza Balconera 50 planter in Caribbean Blue so we could have a go at planting some flowers ourselves. Growing plants is such a lovely activity to do with the family. Children learn so much through getting their hands dirty, planting seedlings and nurturing flowers. And now, with the Lechuza planter, we don't even have to worry about forgetting to water our plants in the long term. It makes gardening a much lower maintenance activity and gives better results.
The colouful, balcony planter is such a fun and appealing design. Children will absolutely love growing plants in it and they will get good results thanks to the ingenious self-watering system. Achieving success helps build a child's confidence and encourages them to try new things, so knowing that the watering is taken care of, means there is a good chance of them growing a plant to be proud of and developing green fingers along the way.
The planter comes with a removable inner section that is easily removed using the retractable handles. The water level indicator pushes together and slots into position easily. A bag of substrate is included, which goes into the planter before the soil, to help control the water supply. For outdoor use, you remove the screw-in drainage plug, which is simple to do. It is all very straightforward to assemble ready for planting.
We were sent an amaryllis bulb for our planter. Personally, I would have preferred to plant one in a more upright, deeper pot for indoors, but it will be happy in the balcony planter and it is a good flower to grow for the season. To plant it up, I enlisted my little helpers and their green fingered grandad!
Once planted, you conventionally water the bulb for 3 weeks to help establish the growth of the roots. After the growing in phase you fill the reservoir via the shaft until the water level indicator reads max. The plant will then get its water through the irrigation system allowing it to achieve optimum growth.
I hope the milder weather continues, giving our amaryllis the best chance to grow into a beautiful flower. The Balconera planter is perfect for balconies but can also be used on a windowsill for growing herbs. You can get brackets to mount the planter on railings or walls to create a lovely colourful display. The Balconera comes in a range of colours to suit your style. They cost £29.99 and come complete with the plant liner, substrate and sub-irrigation system.
Find out more and see the whole range at www.lechuza.co.uk.