Snake plants would be happy with the sun, but I would be concerned about the stolons maybe trying to burst the trough. They are strong enough to crack pots if you let them grow in a too small pot for too long.

Your options for western exposure are quite vast actually. Most "low light" plants are really plants that merely tolerate low light but will be more robust with extra light (like the snake plant) so many of them will work (with only a few exceptions).

Cane begonias would be one idea (note that cane begonias are different than the usual "bedding" begonias people use as annuals - cane begonias grow in a shrubby/tree like form and are often grown more for the foliage than their flowers). I grow several varieties of cane begonias in a western window and they like it.

I would suggest looking at maybe Sophie Cecile, Cracklin Rosie, and Irene Nuss as some attractive cane begonias that do well indoors. Those varieties have the ability to grow several feet tall, but you could easily prune their roots to keep them under control.

Hi Sumersunshine,

Thanks for the reply. The roots of the snake plant bursting through the trough is concerning so thanks for the warning. Maybe I could do a repeating pattern of snake plants and something else? In order to fill in the gaps between them so I don't have to pack them in. I think maybe a spider plant would look great between them but I'm not sure if they live well together.

As for the begonias, I'm not the biggest fan of them but i appreciate the suggestion.

Thanks again.

I was thinking either Sanseveria ('Snake plant') or 'Spider Plants,' but both of those have been stated already, haha.

Does your trough have drainage holes? I wouldn't advise to place 'Snake Plants' and Spider' plants together. If you want to separate them down the road, you'll have a tough time. Not to mention, their watering schedules aren't quite the same. In the winter, Sanseveria can go for long periods of time without water (and need to), but I cannot say the same of 'Spider Plants.'

I'd say one or the other. I wouldn't worry about the rhizomes (the baby spider plants) busting your trough. I mean well it could happen, but they usually take quite some time to fill in before you have to worry about that. However, if that is a concern, you could get 'Spider Plants.' If anything, they get so root bound, they push themselves up and out of the pot! You can root prune them down and stick them back in the trough.

I can't think of any other plants off the top of my head that enjoy West sun (which can be a little intense in the afternoon... fine for those two stated). Those both are super easy and I believe either one would be fine there.

Planto

IMVHO, that planter thing is begging, whining, pleading for some succulents. You could have plants of various heights, foliage color, there are thousands of possibilities, many of which also readily make cute little flowers. Then, if you add some tiny artifacts, it becomes a mini garden, if you want to 'go there' with it.

Hi Again,

It's funny that you suggest succulents as the idea for the trough came from one I saw with succulents in them. lol. I have tried a couple times to grow succulents in my apartment and I seem to fail every time.(Money trees are another one that just don't like me) However, I have had great luck with pathos, peace lilies and a snake plant.

The trough does not have drainage holes. It's actually secured to the window sill with brackets (I had bunnies who loved the wheat grass and would have pulled the whole thing down if it wasn't secured). I guess I could get a bunch of plants in 3" pots and just line the trough with those. In which case I could do snake, spider, snake, spider, etc.

I thought about doing bamboo (which I think would look awesome) but I think the water would get too cold in the winter as it being so close to the window.

Thanks!

Hard to tell just how obstructed or not that window is. Can make a difference with some plants.

Are you going to be getting rid of the wheatgrass or are you simply looking for companion plants to try to grow with it? (The latter would place more limitations upon your options.)

Most cacti/succulents would not likely be happy there -- light exposure needs to be very high for many (as in direct sun outdoors). A bigger issue would be the media and lack of drainage. Most require excellent drainage which, in turn, requires a very coarse media and drainage holes.

There are quite a few orchids that would love that window area but they would not be able to handle the media in the trough.

Coleus will grow there BUT they do get leggy when they go to seed so will either need pruning or even restarted from cuttings. Lots of color options there.

Some types of Hoya might work there as well though most would require a wire trellis of some sort.

Yes, Paul, I'm happy to make suggestions if the idea appeals. No reason to get into that if not, which it sounds like is the case.

Love your trellis idea! With some of those, anything vine-y could go up, as long as Toronto likes to mess with their positioning once a week, maybe twice a month. This would also allow one to be able to angle the foliage toward the room, to keep it from touching the window. Leaves that touch cold windows usually get a frost bite nip, and can trap condensation, possibly resulting in enabling some type of surface pathogen.

Within the frame of sitting pots in there that can be taken to sink/shower to be watered, anything with smaller roots and tolerance for lower light should do well. Non-woody, transient entities that aren't very sensitive to cold, like Tradescantia zebrina, Callisia repens.

I would discourage anyone from trying to grow both Sans and spider plants in a pot as small as 3". Both make especially large roots, though Sans roots grow mostly laterally, spider plant roots grow mostly straight down. I'd give the Sans a much higher chance for significant longevity.

The cold factor would eliminate Coleus from my thinking.

Hello again,

As for the wheat grass, I want to completely get rid of it. So there is no complication on that front.

I get direct sunlight for about 3-4 hours a day, but it is fairly bright all afternoon/evening. If you can see from the picture I have a 6' tall wall about 12' back from the window. It doesn't span the whole way so the window on the right gets more direct sunlight. There is also a 4' deep balcony above that shades the windows a bit too.

The windows do have a tendency to get cold in the winter so something that is a little more tolerant of temperature would be best. They also gather condensation as well. With that It would be best to have something that will stay away from the windows.

As for a trellis I'm not sure how I would secure it to the frame of the window and still be able to close the curtains behind the plants.

The more I think about it the more I am leaning towards getting a bunch of smaller pots that sit in the trough. It would make it easier to water and have better drainage.

The amount of light you describe is about as high as anyone can have inside, aside from having skylights or a sunroom/conservatory. Does the window condensation freeze?

Plants are going to want to lean toward the window, so it's very tricky to put leafy tropicals on a windowsill without having leaves touching the window. Rotating often would help, but most of them simply have a 'wingspan' of much more than a few inches. The fact that the roots will likely go well below room temp is your biggest limitation, from what I can tell of what we know at this point. I couldn't think of any plant from that realm that you wouldn't have trouble preventing from making contact with the glass.

Secure trellises to the trough instead of the windows?

Not all vines are as fast/vigorous as others. IDK how Hoyas feel about colder roots, but those are slow growers, so would otherwise do well as far as not getting out of control quickly.

If you can finagle a trellis that can work in that spot, plants of the hanging basket realm that wouldn't mind the colder roots would be ones I'd consider. About anything that dangles can also be grown upward, with a little guidance from you. Callisia repens is interesting grown that way. Anything that dangles below the sill level will be in the dark anyway.

Here are some plants that have done well for me in similar conditions, living on cold windowsills in rooms that dip down around 50 some mornings, some that are still alive after spending last winter (one of the harshest/coldest on record for most places) outside in various mini gardens, and some that are hardy here.
wax Begonias, bloom all winter
Kalanchoe x houghtonii, blooms all of late winter & spring
Sedum clavatum
Aloe vera
Crassula tetragona (mini pine tree)
various Haworthias like cooperi, retusa, reinwardtii
Lithops (living rock)
Graptopetalum paraguayense (ghost plant)
Sedum rubrotinctum (jellybean plant)
bulb type Oxalis, like O. crassipes
Cyclamen
Pilea microphylla (artillery plant)
Fenestraria (baby toes)
Delosperma sutherlandii (ice plant)
Kleinia repens (blue chalk sticks)
Sagina subulata (Irish moss)
Alternanthera ficoidea (calico plant, several cultivars out there)
Kalanchoe millotii
Crassula muscosa (watch chain plant)
Asparagus 'Sprengeri' (A. fern)

I think you should buy a couple different plants (leave them in their pots), and see which ones flourish in your window. Guinea pig plants - lol. Then you can pick the winner (or winners) and get more. I know I am a bit worried about my windows this winter - I have no idea how the plants will react.

Has anyone suggested plants from the peperomia family? They have shallow roots and need medium sun. There are many varities, and I think they tend to grow slowly and are compact. Kinda like succulents but with less sun requirements. I really like these types of plants. Right now I have golden gate, jelly, and pixie.

I am kinda jealous...this seems like a fun project. Please keep us up-to-date.

As far as securing the trellises, you could secure them to the ceiling or -- if there is wall between the window top and the ceiling -- you could secure them to a wall mount plant hanger. (See link below if you aren't sure of the type of thing I'm referring to.) You could use lightweight chain or heavy gauge clear fishing line. You might also be able to instead sink some rods of the same color as the trellis into the soil, positioned so that they provide the trellis with extra stability. Much would depend upon the actual size of the trellis as well as the weightiness of the plant(s) chosen.

Here is a link that might be useful: wall mount plant hanger

Hey,

So I bought a few different plants about a week ago. I still want to look for a few others you guys suggested but just haven't found them yet.

The mint which I just tried for fun doesn't seem to be doing too well already, but the other guys are looking alright.

I'll keep you updated as to which ones will win out!

Thanks again!

i have holiday cactus (schlumbergera truncata) doing great in west window: lots of sun in summer, then cool and even cold in winter - totally fine and blooming steadily. now is the season to get them too!
if you put sansevieria in clay pots inside the trough - they'll be fine too. i think i see a croton on the right? that would be fine year round, except high noon hot sun like in april-may? if it's not more then 85F by the window they will be OK. and not less then 52F.
in winter ivies will do well on cold window, but again they hate hot summer sun. so IF you can rotate plants that would open up some possibilities.
hoya will be good year round i'd think?
cyclamens are only for cooler months, they hate getting hot sun in summer.
some small ficus plants could do well (seedlings). just keep them on dry side when it's cold, or just move them away. below 65F can cause problems when wet.
i also have aloe juvenna doing very well and jades, of course. those can stand everything: hot sun AND cold nites (love them , just keep them much drier then).

Thanks for the update! Anything green for the next few months is a blessing. Warm, sunny vibes!