Plant shelves - - kitchen window - Montana Owners Club

CountryGuy · 07-02-2005, 08:03 AM

I love my son, but he has a semi sad track record when it comes to my house plants that I have left home each winter when we take off for warmer climates. In the last 2 winters he has "finished" off a number of my large plants, and all my violets this last winter.

Since, I really miss my house plants when we leave for long term travels, and since I will never leave my violets with him again (

, Al and I came up with a plan for shelves at the kitchen window. For us (small disclaimer) there does not seem to be enough counter space for plants and coffee pot, can opener, etc., you know the stuff ya gotta have in the kitchen (each of us has their own "gotta haves" list in the kitchen).

Anyway, here is one photo of the finished shelves, with violets and a couple of other small plants in residence. Will post another one too.

I am VERY happy with this improvement!

Carol

CountryGuy · 07-02-2005, 08:05 AM

OK, here is the second photo, it is a close up of just the shelves.

Carol

prariepoodle · 07-02-2005, 10:05 AM

OH CAROL, What a wonderful idea and they look so pretty. I am going to do this also. It would also be a place to put canisters or other cute kitchen things... Thanks for sharing this wonderful idea.

CountryGuy · 07-02-2005, 10:16 AM

Linda,

Also can put small holiday decorations there !!

H. John Kohl · 07-02-2005, 12:32 PM

Linda and Walt,
What a beautiful job and great idea. Now I will have to keep this post away from my wife. I can see this in our trailer next year even if we are in it for only one month.
A question for you. How often do you move locations and where does the plants ride when your towing? I can see them in the cab of RED being babied down the road. LOL.
How hard is it to adjust the blinds?
I would appreciate a close up picture of the wall bracket. I think I know what you used but the picture would confirm.

Thanks,

prariepoodle · 07-02-2005, 12:48 PM

OH John!! This is Carol & Al's Idea but I will have some very soon just as soon as we make our move to Florida. The great thing about the shelves is they come down for travel. My plants will go in the shower and be secured there. Walt and I are full timers and are finding it hard to stay in one place more than 3 months at the time. Hehehe! Does your wife have a email address so I can tell her about them...Only kidding,

On second thought it might get too hot in here, Hmmmm might have to think about it a little more. What do you think Carol?????

jrgwdenner · 07-02-2005, 01:05 PM

Hey, Carol, your kitchen looks just like mine! Before the shelves, that is. Isn't that a coincidence? It's a great addition and one we will have to consider. What did you use for the brackets? Are they put up with screws?

H. John Kohl · 07-02-2005, 01:09 PM

Carol,

Sorry about that. I knew better and when I got around to posting my reply Linda sneaked in there and I just looked up one instead of fully paying attention. Still a great idea. And I am getting in bigger trouble because Ann has nick knacks all over. I refuse to dust the shelves because of them. Well I refuse anyway but that is my excuse and I am sticking to it.
Linda thanks for setting me straight. Still working on my second cup of coffee.

CountryGuy · 07-02-2005, 02:49 PM

Ok, guys, this is really easy, these are standards and brackets for shelving that you can buy at most hardware places, aka, Lowes, etc.

The standards (need 2 foot long) are attached to the wall, the brackets (8 inch brackets) are made for the standards and slide in from top to bottom. The shelves (also 8 inch, which in reality are 7 1/4 inches wide) then rest on the brackets. The fact that the shelf is a bit smaller than the bracket allows you to bring the shelf to the front, and leaves room for the blinds to be closed. Al had to cut a couple of inches off the "handle" for the blinds. Al used a very expensive electricans tool to cut it, but he said a hack saw would work. It is not really hard to adjust the blinds, I just move slow and careful so I don't knock a plant off the shelf.

Depending on where the standards hit will determine what you use to attach the standards to the wall. In our case, the left half went into the aluminum. Right side missed, so he went to molleys (Ok, Al just handed me the container, these are Cobra Hollow Wall Anchors, 1/8" XS. They are good for 1/16th to 1/4 inch paneling. Drill 5/16th pilot hole.)

We have the top shelf so tight that nothing more was needed than to place it on brackets. The bottom shelf has nothing to hold to on the right side, so Al put some L shaped braces in there, we don't take the shelves down to travel. The L shaped brackets are bolted into the bracket and screwed into the bottom of the shelf.

As far as transporting the plants, I have a plastic container that I have around for muddy boots and shoes days! (I have not figured out what I will do if I am transporting plants AND have a muddy boots day, gulp! HA HA) Anyway, this container is about 4 inches deep, and fits in the washer/dryer closet. The plants fit in there pretty good, and I put the entire thing in the shower tub. The violets have their own little greenhouse in there!

By the way, the violets are in violet pots, 2 part pots, water in the bottom, which wicks into the top part of the pot, which is where the plant resides.

NOW, when we go in the cold weather, I guess we are gonna have to run with some heat on, which is something we have rarely done. Truthfully John, I have not quite figured out that part, BUT I WILL!!!!!

We are long timers, not full timers. So, what I think I will be doing, is not put the plants on the shelves if we are traveling more than one day in a row, for example, when we came over here to Minneapolis, we ran for 3 days, stopping at night, NOT unhooking, etc. I left the plants in their plastic box and just moved the entire thing out when we needed to shower, soon as the showers were over, back they went to their little greenhouse!

Hope that answers your questions.

Carol

bob n pam · 07-02-2005, 04:35 PM

Very pretty, Carol!

Countryfolks · 07-02-2005, 06:33 PM

Nice job Carol & Al.

Will be truly something different if we have "show and tell" like last year, for the rally. I use the shower also for transporting plants.

Mary

Sunshine · 07-03-2005, 04:26 AM

Good idea, and it looks very nice. Thanks for sharing.

Bill and Ann · 07-03-2005, 05:29 AM

Nice job Al. Thank goodness we don't have enough room on the counter with the water cooler and breadmaker to do the shelves or Ann would have me making them.

jrgwdenner · 07-03-2005, 04:41 PM

Bill, seems like a shelf over the breadmaker would be perfect.....

HamRad · 07-03-2005, 08:03 PM

Countryguy,
Excellent idea and great job and good picture. That will probable end up being a project for our rig too. We carry our plants in the shower/bathtub and it works great.

HamRad

Dustytuu · 07-03-2005, 08:22 PM

What a great idea with the shelves. I have to have some too! Going to print the directions so Don can make me some shelves!

sreigle · 07-04-2005, 06:11 AM

Beautiful job, Carol and Al! I was going to ask the same question John did about seeing the brackets but after reading your explanation I now can see the standards and brackets in the picture. I didn't see them before. Nice job! Thanks for sharing.

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