Planter box promotions grow redwood sales

Qor'ae RETATLERS ARE tapping the \)locally grown. organic food movement to boost redwood sales.

"More and more people are interested in growing their own vegetables to save money at the grocery store," says Charmaine Jennings, J&W Lumber, Escondido, Ca. "Planter boxes help them do that and, because redwood is such a naturally durable product and easy to work with, it is great for building planter boxes. Plus, redwood is a renewable. sustainable product, which fits with the green movement."

Planter boxes make excellent gardening areas, even in yards with limited space. They can be built in an afternoon and are often fun projccts for the whole family.

"Our redwood planter box promotion was quite s$ccessful," says David Thom, owner of Bruce Bauer Lumber, Mountain View, Ca. "It was a great way to bring people into our store, and planter boxes are relatively easy to build so they lead to high customer satisfaction. Redwood makes excellent planter boxes because it is naturally durable, so you don't have to worry about any unwanted chemicals making their way into the soil."

"We offer customers guidance on how to build the planter boxes," Thom continues, "and even assemble and deliver boxes for customers who ask. But fun is where it's at with planter boxes. They're great family projects, and you get to watch your food grow."

While planter box promotions fea- ture redwood, they help sell more than lumber.

"We recommend our customers put wire across the bottom of their planter boxes to help keep critters out," says Thom. "It's also important that they use the right connectors to keep the building process fun. It all adds up."

Redwood is readily available in sizes popular for building planting boxes. Boxes are often built with 2xl2 boards used at full length, and projects can be scaled down depending on the space available or how ambitious homeowners are with their sardens.

California Redwood Association has several easy-to-follow project plans available for free download (www.calredwood.org), including plans for more elegant "Petaluma Planters."

"Building planter boxes with redwood makes a lot of sense," Thom notes. "People who want to grow their own vegetables are often interested in sustainability, and choosing a natural product from sustainable forests is a good fit for that lifestyle. Plus, redwood planter boxes look nice and home-grown vegetables taste great!"

By fennifer O'Connor, FPlnnovations, and fack Draper, Western Red Cedar Lumber Association