The Popular Costco Raised Garden Bed Some Shoppers Warn To Steer Clear Of Buying
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When looking to turn a drab backyard into a peaceful refuge, many turn to Costco for garden and outdoor supplies. Among a wide variety of tools, fountains, plants, and pots is the popular CedarCraft Self-Watering Spruce Planter. At first glance, this seems like a great idea. There are a lot of benefits of growing a container garden, but it can dry out quickly, so keeping it adequately watered can be a challenge. This Costco planter overcomes the problem with a 6-gallon water reservoir in the bottom. There's a convenient spout for easy filling and a little float so you can see when it needs topping up.
The main structure is made from sustainably grown Canadian spruce, so it's environmentally friendly. It's available in three colors, and the aluminum legs can have casters fitted, making it easy to move the planter around. It ought to be the perfect place to grow flowers or create a flourishing vegetable garden in a small space. Close to a thousand 5-star reviews suggest it can provide just what some gardeners are looking for. However, a significant number of shoppers warn people to steer clear of buying it. We wanted to know why.
What shoppers don't like about the Costco planter
As you would expect from Costco, the price of $179.99 is competitive (at CedarCraft's own website, it's $259.99), although at the time of writing, it was only available online. The box contains everything you need, except a Philips screwdriver. Instructions are available on an app, but an old-school printed version is also included.
While some people found assembly straightforward, others disagreed. A few also weren't happy about component quality. However, the majority of complaints relate to the way the reservoir fits (or doesn't). The spruce boards form a surround, but there is no bottom as such. This is formed by the reservoir, which sits on two rails along the sides (but not at the ends). If the fit isn't snug, as some found, dirt leaks out. That's not the worst problem, though.
A number of buyers were suspicious about whether there was enough support for the weight of water (roughly 50 pounds) when full. Sadly for some, they were proved right. Several had the reservoir tray collapse, and one unfortunate customer had the whole lot of dirt and plants fall out the bottom, all over the ground. The situation can be made worse if it rains heavily, adding even more weight to what seems to be a weak point.
Should you buy the Costco raised planter anyway?
Judging by these customer complaints, there would seem to be some quality control issues at CedarCraft. However, while it's obviously annoying to have a planter with problems, hundreds of other buyers are perfectly happy. When it works, it offers great benefits. The reservoir brings water to the roots of the plants. There's little or no water lost through evaporation at the surface, and no chance of singeing foliage, which can happen when watering in bright sunlight.
One buyer on YouTube expressed her disappointment with her faulty model, but when she returned it to her local Costco, she got a refund with no questions asked. Of course that's only convenient for those who have a store nearby. It would be relatively easy to fit a couple of boards underneath to give extra support, but that really shouldn't be necessary with a brand-new item.
Should you buy the CedarCraft Self-Watering Spruce Planter at Costco anyway? If reviews are anything to go by, there's a 1-in-10 chance that you'll get a dud. Whether you want to take that risk is up to you, but it isn't easy to find competitively priced alternatives. On the other hand, there are plenty of designs for raised garden beds you could make yourself. They could not only be a satisfying DIY project, they could also save you money.