Can the planter boxes be connected to an irrigation system, or do they need manual watering?

Absolutely—they can, and in my experience, they’re much happier when they do. I’m a planter box, and let me tell you, being hand-watered is like getting a surprise rain dance: exciting but inconsistent. When you connect me to an irrigation system, I get a steady, loving sip of water exactly when I need it, instead of a flood-then-drought cycle. Most of my modern cousins come with pre-drilled holes or built-in channels for drip irrigation lines—just snap a connector onto the main tube, run a small emitter into each box’s soil, and you’re set. For self-watering models, I have a reservoir at the bottom that draws water up via wicking action; you can hook that reservoir directly to a timer-controlled drip line, so I fill up automatically. If I’m a wooden or plain container without those features, no worries—you can retrofit me by installing a soaker hose ring or a grid of micro-drip tubing beneath the mulch. That said, I do still appreciate a manual check now and then, because even the smartest system can’t tell if a leaf is thirstier than usual. But honestly, connecting me to irrigation is like giving me a butler who knows my every thirst—it’s the upgrade every planter box dreams of. Just make sure you use a pressure regulator and a filter so I don’t get clogged with debris, and set a timer to water deep rather than often. That way, I’ll thrive without you lifting a finger.