Thank you for asking. When you order planter boxes directly from our factory, standard shipments are delivered empty. We do not include potting soil, compost, gravel, pebbles, or drainage rocks unless your order is customized and the quotation specifically states otherwise. This applies to most wholesale, OEM, and bulk planter box orders.
Why are the boxes shipped empty? The main reasons are shipping weight, cost, and import regulations. Soil and rocks are heavy. Including them would raise freight charges, increase handling requirements, and add risk of damage during transport. Many countries and regions also have strict rules about importing soil, organic matter, and natural stone because these materials can carry pests, seeds, or plant pathogens. Shipping empty planter boxes is cleaner, cheaper, faster, and easier to clear through customs.
What is included with a standard order? Your planter boxes normally include the box itself, drainage holes if they are specified in the design, necessary hardware, and assembly instructions where applicable. Depending on the model, we can also produce or supply optional accessories such as drainage trays, liners, false bottoms, geotextile fabric, drainage cells, feet, casters, and irrigation-ready components. These options must be confirmed before production and may affect price, packing, and lead time.
Do you need rocks for drainage? Not always. If your planter box has proper drainage holes and a well-draining potting mix, a thick rock layer is usually unnecessary. In fact, rocks at the bottom can sometimes create a perched water table and reduce drainage. A better approach is to use a quality potting mix, a drainage screen or geotextile fabric to keep soil from washing out, and a tray or drainage cell system if you need extra protection. For some decorative or indoor applications, a thin layer of pebbles may be used as a design choice, but it is not a substitute for functional drainage holes.
If you want soil or rocks included, we can discuss it as a special project. In most cases, the best solution is to source soil and drainage stone locally at the destination. That reduces freight cost and helps avoid customs delays. If you still prefer factory-supplied materials, we can quote separate packing, but it is rarely economical for large orders.
To get the right setup, tell us your plant type, indoor or outdoor use, climate, drainage requirements, and whether you need liners or trays. We will confirm exactly what is included in your quotation so there are no surprises. Standard factory orders ship empty; optional drainage and growing accessories are available by request.
