Topic: ideas please to maximise my windowsill space

[aquilegia]

help!

I only have two useable windowsills for putting my seedlings on and they are both packed now. (We live in a flat and only have two windows facing south.)

How can I increase space?

I'd love to put a shelf halfway up the window to double the space I have, but don't think it would be practical as the windows are quite wide - would it be too unstable if just attached at either end?

Would any plants cope with an east-facing window?

anything else i can do? (I've already turned the kitchen into a greenhouse, with pots on the work surface, and my ironing board has been put to use for the first time in years to hold more plants by the living room window. But I still need more space. help.

[jammyd]

Hiya Aqui, I've a similar problem - live in a flat, with only 2 windows (both north facing - bah!). Fortunately, the lounge window is a massive thing, which almost goes from floor to ceiling, so I've got a couple of cheap but nice looking 2 tier wooden shoe racks from IKEA sitting on the floor, with plants on both levels. If you're going to use them mainly for seedlings, the height shouldn't be a problem, but it'd depend how wide your windowsill was I guess.

Well, that's how I've coped with the lack of room - bunk (seed) beds!

jams :)

[MissBaritone]

I use stacking cooling racks  . I have also seen glass shelves used across windows but not sure where to obtain these from

[Les_Woof]

Hi Aqui,

It depends really how wide your window is. But 3/4" thick MDF is quite sturdy and would not really deflect that much.

If your window is quite wide and you find that it does deflect to much then you could attach a rib (say 1"x1" timber) along the centreline running lengthways.  This will support any deflection in the shelf.

hope this helps you a little

[Moggle]

Aqui, have you got enough space to set up a table off to one side?I'm lucky enough to have a set up like that already. The whole room is fairly light and I'm trying to rotate plants so they get some direct light some of the time.
I think my window is kinda east-southeast facing too, and my little babies seem to be doing ok.

[aquilegia]

ooh thanks - lots for me to play with there!

[kenkew]

If you're a little bit handy you could make a free standing set of shelves from MDF. If you cut it to slot together with the odd srew and no glue, it could come to bits again to store flat. A slotted version would be strong enough from 1/2 " MDF.

[Mrs Ava]

Mum built a shelf to span the middle of her kitchen window, but it is only a slim window.  She used those very small little shelf brackets and attached a nice piece of wood to them.  Did the trick nicely.  Can't you start to harden some of your babies of yet?  If you have lashings of fleece, then can't the tough stuff start to gradually go out leaving you more room?   ???

[aquilegia]

EJ - I think the tough stuff is too small yet to go out (I'm rather an over-protective mother). Leeks should be ok in a couple more weeks, but they look like blades of grass still. The biggest problem is my toms which are covering the kitchen windowsill and part of the work surface.

I'm just going to have to show restraint and not sow anything for a while... (Aqui starts to get the DTs at the thought of no sowing for a month or sow!) :-\

[aquilegia]

(Aqui starts to get the DTs at the thought of no sowing for a month or sow!) :-\

and just look at that Freudian slip...

[tim]

Why not go the whole hog & buy a gro-light tube? No need for windows. Great fun! = Tim

[Muddy_Boots]

That's why Oz spends half his life in his wardrobe Tim!  ;D

[campanula]

truth - gro-lights are amazing!
How aboutmaximising the light by making a reflective back screen - like a box lined with tinfoil  with one of the walls cut out. Put the box or fix a piece of board across the the window, enclosing the pots so you have glass on one side and light is reflected by foil at back of plants. God, this is terrible, this garbled explanation - I will try again unless some puts me out of my misery and explains reflective light traps better.

Still...grow-lights! have never looked back.