Well, it appears I have more plants than window sills. Martha Stewart, ha I am so not her, emails me a tip every day and she had a wonderful idea for displaying plants. Building shelves within your window sills. I really don't want to do that as my window sills aren't very wide. My cats also like my window sills. Martha's were wood. Has anyone, put shelves in front of their windows. I mean built them. The room all my cacti and succulents are in have a window that runs the length or width I guess of the room.
I was thinking that building shelves that started at window sill level but went to the top of the window would be really nice. Well, possibly a foot short of the top as the window goes to the ceiling.
You know, free standing shelves. With tempered glass as the shelves so that light got through. So basically a wall of shelves but in front of the window.
Hope I am making sense. If anyone has done something like this, could you please post pictures.
I have three bedrooms. The blue room, mine. The pink room because I love having a pink guest room and the green room which now appears to be a green house!
I figure something like this would need a good solid wood frame that were the sides. Then glass shelves that would need a brace or two of legs placed part way through the length. My room is only about 10 or 12 feet wide. I do believe it would look beautiful and I figure one of you out there has done something like this. Of course, the shelves that were above the lower level would probably need some sort of support. The green room is a guest bedroom but it is where I have my bookshelves so it would be a lovely, peaceful plant/book bedroom. Funny the things you think of when you are wide awake when you should be sleeping!
Thanking you all in advance!
Di
Not sure if this is where I should post this..shelves
Tempered glass shelves, nice 
Windows aren't ideal for light, adding shelves will always block more light, but you do what you gotta do. Some people also use free standing shelves right next to the window, which may be better if you have windows right to floor level. I have one piece of transparent staging in the greenhouse, but of course its completely covered in pots so very light light goes through 
Remember that direct sun in a window is just as bright as direct sun in a greenhouse or even outdoors, but it is likely to not last as long. Most importantly the back of the plants will never be lit well in a window and they may lean. Either turn frequently or don't turn at all because the back side of the plants will scorch if you put them in the sun after six months with no sun.
I have shelves which I put across one window for overwintering. The plants are pretty much dormant but I have to keep them somewhere and this is just a spare room. This shelf is set into the window recess and the same width as the window sill, not free standing.
Just a though for Ontario, but do you know how cold it gets in winter right close to your windows? Here, with double glazing, it doesn't really get cold enough for the plants I grow, but in a climate with actual winters you should check that you aren't going to damage anything.
Windows aren't ideal for light, adding shelves will always block more light, but you do what you gotta do. Some people also use free standing shelves right next to the window, which may be better if you have windows right to floor level. I have one piece of transparent staging in the greenhouse, but of course its completely covered in pots so very light light goes through Remember that direct sun in a window is just as bright as direct sun in a greenhouse or even outdoors, but it is likely to not last as long. Most importantly the back of the plants will never be lit well in a window and they may lean. Either turn frequently or don't turn at all because the back side of the plants will scorch if you put them in the sun after six months with no sun.I have shelves which I put across one window for overwintering. The plants are pretty much dormant but I have to keep them somewhere and this is just a spare room. This shelf is set into the window recess and the same width as the window sill, not free standing.
Just a though for Ontario, but do you know how cold it gets in winter right close to your windows? Here, with double glazing, it doesn't really get cold enough for the plants I grow, but in a climate with actual winters you should check that you aren't going to damage anything.
--ian
Thanks Iann....
Ha, not only do I know how cold it gets near the windows, I know how horribly cold it gets outside. I hate winter. Yes, so maybe I should try to think of shelving that I can move back about 6 or 8 inches from the window. We got new windows in my building last year and they made a huge difference. I did have plants on the sill and they did fine but probably not the ideal situation for them. Thanks for the advice. Oh, I do turn my plants. Every watering. In the winter, I guess I will just turn every two weeks. I think I am going to have to keep a calendar or journal on all of these guys now.
Thanks again for all the info. I very much appreciate it.
Di
Thanks again for all the info. I very much appreciate it.
Di
Shelves
After reading all of your answers, I have thought of other shelf ideas. Because of this forum, I have far too many cacti and succulents for windows. THANKS! 
So now I am thinking of shelves that are window sill level the length of the window. With a shelf behind it that is 6 to 8 inches taller (one unit built together). My taller plants will go at the back, the little guys in the front. None on the window sill during the winter.
I guess you are right that having shelves covering the windows would block out too much light. I can do this on two windows. One window can only have a single shelf. The problem with my place is all of my windows are east except for a very small west window. The joy of living in a stacked townhouse. Yet the morning sun is great and on a sunny day, the windows are very bright. I know I will have to buy some form of lighting in the fall. Thanks for all the suggestions. Why the heck did I go on eBay because I can't stop myself. Yet, I love each and every cactus/succulent I have bought. I know some don't love potting different plants together but I have had no choice and if I do say so myself, I have created some very cute cacti/succulent gardens. Now, I have to pray they don't grow too much! LOL!
Thanks again,
Di
So now I am thinking of shelves that are window sill level the length of the window. With a shelf behind it that is 6 to 8 inches taller (one unit built together). My taller plants will go at the back, the little guys in the front. None on the window sill during the winter.
I guess you are right that having shelves covering the windows would block out too much light. I can do this on two windows. One window can only have a single shelf. The problem with my place is all of my windows are east except for a very small west window. The joy of living in a stacked townhouse. Yet the morning sun is great and on a sunny day, the windows are very bright. I know I will have to buy some form of lighting in the fall. Thanks for all the suggestions. Why the heck did I go on eBay because I can't stop myself. Yet, I love each and every cactus/succulent I have bought. I know some don't love potting different plants together but I have had no choice and if I do say so myself, I have created some very cute cacti/succulent gardens. Now, I have to pray they don't grow too much! LOL!
Thanks again,
Di
Thanks daiv, I haven't built the shelves yet. Right now they are all on window sills and tables. The room they are in isn't finished yet. As in being renovated. The floor recently got put down and a little more painting, then I can get shelves built. I figure between the two shelves, they won't be more than 14 inches from the window. Some being closer, Next summer I can put them all on my balcony. Although it has a roof, it is 12 feet long so can be in the sun. Right now, I still have the baby squirrels out there. Once they leave which hopefully will be soon, I will screen it in. They may get to spend a month or so out there this summer. It depends on the when the babies leave. They appear to be venturing off. The ones on the desk in front of the window are about 14 inches away from the window if not a little more and they look healthy and happy and are growing. If the shelves don't work, I don't know what I will do because I appear to have got a little carried away aquiring too many cacti and succulents.daiv wrote:If you get a chance, post some pics of the set up. I only worry that the further back from the window you get, the less light you have available.
Do you have any place outside that you can put them for the summer?
