Love this idea! Do you have any leads on where one would find wine boxes, though?

Just a note that I've tried this with other wooden boxes and they don't seem to last more than a few years because the water warps the wood. Maybe if they had some kind of better joints than just nails? Or maybe with some metal bands?

Is it an exaggeration to say you've answered my dreams? THANK YOU!! I'm totally going to do this. I was all bummed out that I didn't have enough time to build raised garden beds, this might totally work.

I agree, where do you find these? @Sharonvak maybe a wine distributor, liquor store or restaurant?

Yes, I would also like to know where to find the wine boxes. They look beautiful, and would make great container gardens. Can you just walk into a nice wine store and ask for one? Or do you have to purchase them from a garden store / Amazon / something like that?

I always worry about chemicals that may have been used to treat the wood, so thus far I've only planted non-edibles in wine boxes. Does anyone know whether I have reason to worry or not? thanks

@Short and sweets that's an important question although I can tell you that the soil in your yard and plastic planters (not to mention the ones for seedlings) is not guaranteed to be any better. Another question is whether all that soil absorbs enough toxins to travel all the way from the wood to your plant. I can tell you that some plants absorb toxins through their roots; some retain the toxins, others neutralize them. So I'd also ask a botanist at your local university; assuming there's toxins, will it affect the plant? Would love to hear the response if you do.

I followed this post from last summer, and really liked the idea. I have only a 3 season porch to work with. Also, the flooring is old and very brittle, so there's no option for water spillage or fire hazard.

I went to the largest liquor store on my way home, and asked if they had any wine crates. They gave me a few, and I elected to cure them myself. I didn't use linseed oil (Danish oil) due to flammability and storing the materials. Instead, I've elected to use clear varnish (two coats with sand papering in between) to seal the boxes and protect from water exposure. It took an afternoon (2-3 hours) to sand the boxes, varnish and dry, then repeat the process on 3 wine crates.

I let them cure for 3 days, then prepared for planting. I've lined the boxes with double layers of 3 mm plastic sheeting (plastic drop cloth) and placed a generous layer of stones in the bottom to create drainage. Then, added soil on top and planted a small herb garden. River stones were used to create a channel for watering the plants.

Given the restrictions in my living quarters, I'm delighted with the outcome. Was worth the effort!