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cynandjon

what do you have on your window sills?

cynandjon
13 years ago

We are moving into a house with deep window sills that I plan to put plants on. Does anyone have suggestions as to what to use on the sills since we all know spills are an issue with plants.

I'm considering tiles but I'm not sure its the right choice.

any suggestions?

cyn

Comments (16)

  • birdsnblooms
    13 years ago

    Tiles will work, and easy to clean.
    I've cut and shaped Aluminum Foil. lol. The foil reflects sun onto plants. Toni

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    13 years ago

    I have a clear plastic plate under all my plants growing under lights. I set the plant on little blocks, so the pot never comes in contact with the effluent (waste water) after it's flushed through the soil. The plates are inexpensive, come in several different sizes ..... and colors, and are disposable if they get funky. White reflects the most light, btw.

    Al

  • marquest
    13 years ago

    I have marble sills and I buy plastic saucers to catch the water.

  • birdsnblooms
    13 years ago

    Marquest, sheesh, that answer was on the tip of my tongue. lol..Seriously, saucers work great..plus Deep saucers are available.
    How about ornate window-boxes.

    BTW, every room is my house is painted Semi-Gloss White. Between white glossy walls and silver foil, sun reflects from different angles. Toni

  • cynandjon
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks everyone for the ideas. I generally do put plates under the plants. I like idea of the plastic plates.I'm running of of ceramic plates soon we will be eating off the counter. LOL

  • tapla (mid-Michigan, USDA z5b-6a)
    13 years ago

    If you save your old soda or water bottle caps, you can set your plants on top of the caps. That way, after you've added enough water to flush the soil, the pot won't be sitting in a puddle of salt water.

    The evaporating water from the plates also adds a little to the relative humidity of the air surrounding the plants - much preferred to misting, though not as efficient as a house or room humidifier.

    Take care.

    Al

  • birdsnblooms
    13 years ago

    Cyn, I save everything and anything that can be used for plants. Milk cartons, for water to sit overnight. Trays such as pies and frozen dinners to use as saucers..no, they're not pretty, but do the job, for free.

    I used to work at a plant store. We'd get in styrofoam sheets. Hundreds. I was given several.
    Most of my plants are potted in plain, old, plastic containers. In some cases I'd set the plastic pot in a fancier outer pot. So roots didn't sit in water, I'd break a piece or two of styrofoam, set the growing pot on top of styrofoam.

    Small, unturned pots keep roots from sitting in water. There's all types of tricks. Good luck, Toni

  • jodik_gw
    13 years ago

    When I find them on sale, I buy handfuls of those thin, clear plastic saucers they sell at most larger stores that carry houseplant or gardening supplies. I try to get an assortment of sizes, ranging from really big ones for my larger pots on the floor, to smaller ones for my littler pots. They're exceedingly cheap, and since they're clear, you don't really notice them so much, giving the pot and plant a chance to be the stars!

  • meyermike_1micha
    13 years ago

    Took the words right of my mouth Jodik..It is also so nice to see you posting again..I wish you so much good health.

    I just bought a ton of them of the plastic saucers too at Lowe's..The vinyl ones or course for the floor, since they are a bit raised underneath that allows air space between them and the saucer..Also on the inside there are groves that allow room for the water to drain away from the pots..

    Funny thing, someone mentioned using bottle caps to raise the pots and I have been doing this same things for years, while the water sits in the saucer safely providing a little microclimate for some of my plants that love humidity.....lol

    DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE TO GET RECTANGULAR ONES THAT FIT A WINDOW SILL PERFECT??

    All you ever see at the big stores are round ones.. I have been googeling for days ever since I saw clear plastic ones on the window sill of the Botanical Garden Shop, and no one there knew where they came from...They were about 2 feet long and 6 inches wide..Perfect for my window sills..

    Mike

  • gobluedjm 9/18 CA
    13 years ago

    Mike,
    I just searched on 'window sill trays'. Check the link below. They are only 18 inches wide.
    I have seen the white or beige plastic organizer trays about 2 inches deep. All sizes of them but I think the max is about 18x6x2.
    Try and think of other items that you might store that size perhaps drawer organizers etc.

    Here is a link that might be useful: window sill trays

  • jojosplants
    13 years ago

    I've been wanting the same as Mike. I just got several shelves for my plant room, and would love just one big clear tray.

    A seed tray lid may work for what I need. I just glanced at the link provided and saw a few things that may work. Thank you for posting that link! :)
    JoJo

  • gobluedjm 9/18 CA
    13 years ago

    Here's a couple more since I'm bored tonight..searched on houseplant trays

    white tray
    https://www.honeydohardware.com/comersus/store/comersus_viewItem.asp?idProduct=184908

    Here is a link that might be useful: green tray

  • jane__ny
    13 years ago

    I use all sorts of things like deli containers, salad containers, chinese plastic containers. I grow orchids and use lots of drip-humidity trays. Because they can get expensive when you have a lot of plants, I make my own. You can buy grating in HD used for covering florescent ceiling lamps. Its cheap and you can buy big sheets of it. I cut them with scissors and stick them inside any tray.

    The tray closest to you (brown) is a tray I bought already made. They come in various widths including windowsill size. The plants in back (white) are sitting on an old tray with some of the HD grating cut to fit. Works well.

    {{gwi:109116}}

    Jane

  • minkus
    13 years ago

    If your plants are big enough a wallpaper tray set on the windowsill looks like a windowbox. All the pots are disguised and smaller ones can be raised up closer to the rim of the tray.

  • donaldb
    13 years ago

    Copper trays if you don't mind spending the money. There's a company in Wilmington Delaware that carries all sizes. (Planttrays.com)

  • cynandjon
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thank you everyone for sharing your ideas.

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