PlowBox is a gardening subscription that sends you certified organic, non-GMO seeds from Seattle Seed Co., specific to your region’s climate.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
This review is of the PlowBox Classic, $45 a quarter, box. The climate we chose was Mild.
The Subscription Box: PlowBox
The Cost: $45 a quarter for PlowBox Classic or $14.95 a month for PlowBox Green. Save with longer pre-paid subscriptions.
COUPON: Use code TRYPLOWBOX to save 20% off your first PlowBox Classic box!
The Products: 5-10 packs of certified organic, non-GMO seeds, planting instructions, and other products related to gardening and/or a healthy lifestyle.
Ships to: The US for free and Canada for $25
Check out all of our PlowBox reviews and the Eco Subscription Box Directory!
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Winter—ahh!
Alfalfa Microgreen Seeds, approx. 18g — Estimated Value $1.50? (Buy 1/4 lb for $10)
Clover Microgreen Seeds, approx. 18g — Estimated Value $1.50? (Buy 1/4 lb for $10)
Garlic Chive Seeds — Retail Value $3.25
Broad Windsor Fava Bean Seeds — Retail Value $3.25
Dark Green Italian Parsley Seeds — Retail Value $3.25
Looks like a great selection of seeds this quarter. Microgreens and herbs are simple enough to grow in small pots, indoors, in the wintertime, so I'm looking forward to getting these seeds going. I've never grown beans! I know that fava beans are super hardy and can endure the winter's cold, but I still think they have to be planted in the spring. So, I'll hang onto these seeds 'til then and hope they remain fresh enough to germinate.
PlowBox always includes a pamphlet with notes about each packet of seeds in the box. The info on this tri-fold isn't usually conclusive, but it offers good supplementary notes to my other research about each herb or vegetable; it's a good place to start.
This month's recipe is for roasted root veggies (I often use root veggies interchangeably when cooking) with mustard cream sauce and microgreens. Yowza, does this sound good! It's like a gourmet farm-to-table dish. This is the most exciting, original recipe I've received from a gardening box yet, and I can't wait to make it!
Spring Into Your Winter Greeting Card — Retail Value $6
Each quarter's PlowBox comes with a card for re-gifting, which is so sweet. I send snail mail to my friends all the time, so my last PlowBox card was sent out almost immediately. They're always cute and original (and exclusive!). I know exactly where this one is headed: to my gardener friend who recently moved to Minnesota, where the winters are bruuutal.
Theo Hazelnut Crunch 45% Milk Chocolate Bar — Retail Value $2.99
Well, hello, lover! I've seen (and purchased, and eaten) Theo packets of peanut butter and almond butter, sometimes indulgently flavored with cocoa or honey, but my grocery store must not carry chocolate bars by this brand. I knew it would be good, first because their nut butter packets are always amazing, and second because: chocolate.
I usually favor dark chocolate over milk chocolate, but biting into this bar was a delightful experience. The crunch is definitely noticeable, and I think it's the crystals of pink Himalayan salt that do the deed. I'm all about salt in/on chocolate, plus the hazelnut flavor was mercifully Nutella-ish (only subtly), so I really dug this bar.
This month's PlowBox was two-tiered!
Ionantha Guatemala Air Plant — Retail Value $5?
I couldn't find this exact air plant listed on Seattle Seed Co.'s website, so I linked to a similar one. I've owned air plants before (I think I bought them on Etsy) and this Ionantha Guatemala was always the kind I've had. I had always heard they were super easy to care for, and then somehow ended up killing them. Huge bummer. But, this info card lays out the care directions clear as day, so I have high hopes for my new little guy!
Small Ceramic Pot with Decorative Moss — Retail Value 8?
Again, I linked to a similar ceramic pot here; there are comparable ones all over the internet. It's a cutie, for sure, and I feel like it would go with a wide variety of décor vibes—simple, white planters are pretty versatile. It arrived with decorative moss inside of it.
The info card recommends placing your air plant inside the li'l pot. How adorable does it look?! (Correct answer: so adorable)
Underneath the bottom tier of this month's box was this Garden Designer kit. The PlowBox curators thoughtfully put a little note inside the lid of the box so you don't miss it. I once threw a record away because it was so sneakily packaged in the bottom of a box that also included other items I ordered. Talk about a giant disappointment! Point is, it's easy to do, so the head's up was way appreciated.
Seattle Seed Co. Exclusive Garden Designer — Value $5?
Yet again, I linked to a similar product on Seattle Seed Co.'s site. I took a permaculture course at a local urban farm a few years ago and the teacher had us create a similar chart to this on graph paper (though, rather than using paper cutouts, we just had to illustrate the features, which didn't go so well for some of us, haha). So, I can attest to how useful this type of pre-planning can be! Taking the time to think your garden through can be what leads to its success. I love that this kit includes little veggie stickers so you can keep track of what you want to go where.
Verdict: Just like last season, I'm really happy with the winter PlowBox. I was anxious that the seeds would be suitable for more advanced gardeners; folks who are used to cultivating their green space in tricky weather, but I was extremely pleased to find that wasn't the case; I feel confident about putting the herbs and microgreens in this box to good use in my windowsill. This box costs $45 with free shipping for US customers, and the items added up to about $40, but that's not accounting for the added value of the gardening information and recipe. To me, $45 feels fair for the thoughtful contents of this box!
What are your thoughts on the Winter 2017 PlowBox offerings?
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