CHEAP PLANT SHELF

With summer and the rainy season fast approaching it was high time to figure out a way to protect my small pots of plants. These are the plants that have been started from seed mostly and need some sun exposure and time to mature some before going out in the garden. They are mostly plants in the intermediate stages and need hardening off before enduring the full elements that South Florida dishes out.

After some careful cogitating as to what would work best for me and with nature I decided to construct a plant shelf.

First step was to establish what I wished to accomplish. This included placing the plants where they would get medium direct sun exposure. Getting the pots up off the ground to protect them from heavy rain, my dogs and the summer bugs. Giving the plants good air flow and allowing them to drain unhindered.

Perma-culture principles for consideration included placing the shelf where I would see the plants everyday. Some where that would not be in my way and would be easy to work with the pots of plants.

Other considerations in line with my 2010 challenge to myself included reusing materials that were on hand to make the project.

After watching the sun for several weeks I concluded that the front of my screened enclosure got the direct sun from around 1 pm till dark or maybe a half day which would work out about right. It is right in front of my back porch so I could see the plants and would be out of everyone's way. Location established.

I found some old wooden shelf supports that were saved from a past demolition taking up space in my laundry room. Also some scrap small pieces of pine wood saved from past projects. They all would be recycled into the shelf.

I purchased six 1x2x8 pine strips and some waterproof Gorilla Glue for the rest of the materials.

The assembly was easy. I sawed some 4 inch divider pieces from the strips ends.

Set the strips on their edges and glued the divider pieces between each strip. This gave it a latticed shelf so the pots would drain properly and the water from rain would not puddle and rot the shelf. The strips standing on their sides also gives the shelf more mechanical strength against warping besides just looking cool.

To add to the gestalt of the shelf I added some front and back rails . Same method glue and clamp. Next day remove the clamp them glue and clamp again until its all done.

Finally screwed in the shelf supports after some trimming and screwed the shelf on top of the supports.

After a few coats of leftover paint this simple shelf blended right in.

It is strong and now has 13 pots on it with room for a couple more.

The shelve fits all my design and perma-culture criteria while uncluttering the ground of 13 pots. Plus my wife likes it, the real gauge of a successful project.

--SANDDUNE--