Are Gardening Subscription Boxes Truly Worth The Investment?

Wandering around your local garden center is a feast for the senses. The riot of color and fragrance, combined with hundreds of care tags and fertilizer choices, can also be an overwhelming experience. Annuals or perennials? Full sun or partial shade? Flowers or vegetables? What about houseplants? It takes careful planning to design and plant the perfect garden. Although the concept of weekly community-supported agriculture (CSA) farm shares has been around since the 1970s, an ever-widening range of curated boxes is rapidly growing in popularity today. For beginner and advanced gardeners who want to grow their own flowers or food without spending any time researching, picking out plants, and finding the right supplies themselves, gardening subscription boxes are a worthwhile investment — especially considering their convenience.

The best gardening subscription boxes deliver healthy bulbs, seeds, or rooted plants to your doorstep each month, along with clear instructions and care guides. Personalization and product variety are two important parts of the subscription experience. With that in mind, we've narrowed down some of the highest-rated options, including a yearlong bulb-of-the-month club, a pet-friendly pick, and a chef's dream box.

Offering a range of pre-planted bulbs, including paperwhites, amaryllis, hyacinths, and begonias, the Harry and David's Bulb-of-the-Month Club is available in three, six, or 12-month options (starting at $129.99). After receiving your first delivery, along with a lined decorative planter that is included with your purchase, subsequent bulbs will arrive in grow pots. Because they are held in temperature-controlled environments prior to shipping, your bulbs should bloom within three to six weeks. After they bloom, you can save some of them to enjoy more seasonal color the next year. Harry and David recommends either drying out the soil and leaving bulbs potted until the following season, or planting them 6 to 8 inches deep.

Even if you're new to gardening, getting bulbs to bloom is easier than you think. Most customers gave five-star reviews, finding the blooms beautiful and vigorous. Several felt a subscription made an excellent gift. Other customers had mixed results, with fewer blooms and spindly growth. A few reviewers were disappointed at delayed shipments and minimal or no blooming. In those cases, Harry and David's policy offers replacements or refunds. Reviewers consistently wished each month's bulbs arrived with a new decorative planter, so if you're considering this subscription, make sure you have a few extras in your potting shed.

Do you spend more time in the kitchen than in the garden? If your favorite recipes call for fresh herbs and vegetables, you may want to consider Gardenuity's Culinary Garden Subscription. At just under $300, the kit includes two reusable grow bags, compost, proprietary soil amendments, and a stainless steel hand trowel. The company also sends three seasonal deliveries of fully-rooted herbs and two seasons of fully-rooted vegetable plants that will work well in your location and forecasted weather. 

Most reviewers had success with their gardens and were pleased with the kits overall. The grow bags got high marks for being self-draining and portable, which may be especially helpful for new gardeners who want to create a flourishing vegetable garden in a small space. Only one reviewer had a bad experience with damaged plants, which the company offered to replace or refund. If you don't want to commit to a replenishing subscription, other options are available, including salsa garden and brunch bag kits. You can even take a two-minute quiz to determine which kit may be right for your zone, gardening experience, and available space.

There are many types of houseplants that are safe for your pets, but it's important to remember that some varieties can be fatal. Recognizing this risk, Plant In The Box sells a mystery garden subscription that delivers one nontoxic plant to your doorstep every month. Their pet-safe varieties include spider plants and areca palms, although part of the promised fun of a mystery box is that you'll be surprised by the selection every time.

Both their Fur Friendly Box and others, like the Rare Plant and Low Maintenance Boxes, get positive reviews. Along with frequent mentions of the beauty and health of the plants received, many reviewers like the packaging quality and customer service. There were several requests for better descriptions and plant care instructions. Although the company does not accept returns, replacements were shipped to a few frustrated customers who received less-than-stellar plants.

Pricing starts at $27.50 each month for the Fur Friendly Box, with slight discounts for a prepaid 12-month subscription. Some reviewers felt this was a high per-plant price compared to costs for an equivalent purchase made at a local nursery.

If you're a more experienced gardener who wants to try growing houseplants from seed or bulbs, the Plant Projects Ornamental Garden subscription from Plantflix may be a good choice for you. Each month has a unique theme, like 'Spooky Succulents' or 'Lush Tropicals'. Plantflix's all-in-one boxes contain seeds or bulbs, ranging from bonsais and cycads to caladiums and carnivores. You also receive a planter, jar, greenhouse, or sprouting trays, depending on the supplies needed for that month's box, along with a detailed care guide. Standard shipping is free, making this subscription the cheapest one on our list at $16.50 per month. 

Starting plants from seed can be challenging because the light, water, heat, and soil conditions required for germination vary widely. Most Plantflix customers reported strong germination rates. A few customers struggled to get their seedlings started, and a few were disappointed in the customer service response to their struggles. Reviewers overwhelmingly liked the plant varieties, easy-to-follow instructions, and the excitement of getting a new box each month. One customer described the gardening box subscription as "a fun, affordable, surprise every month."