Long thin 'drip tray' for windowsill plant nursery 19 April 2021 at 11:57AM in Greenfingered MoneySaving 16 replies 620 views

Indigo_and_Violet

Hi all,

We've recently acquired a garden and are enjoying our first season of growing our own. We have no greenhouse (yet!) but have a lovely sunny windowsill for growing from seed. We're happy with standard plant pots/seed trays being on display, but would like something a bit more stylish than the current bit of cardboard to go underneath and catch the watering run-off. 

Windowsill is 26cm deep (space for another cm or so on the window itself if necessary) and 236cm long. We know we might need more than one tray for the full length. Any suggestions for reasonably-priced solutions? Bonus points if they're in grey, navy or leafy green as they'll fit with the overall decor. 

sheramber

visit your local garden centre or DIY superstore. They will have an assortment of trays in different sizes and colours.

twopenny

Tescos were selling long troughs last year at around £6. You could cut the top down to make trays.

I got some smart looking plastic trays in grey  from the local DIY store. Not sure what they're meant for (but I put them on the folding fancy wire bookshelves that have my seedlings on outside, useful for watering from the bottom or catching the water draining from the top.

Garden centres often have a cage with all their old plant trays that things are delivered in though I don't think there will be drip trays. Probably have to pay through the nose for those.

But it's a case of looking round places like B&M, Poundland to see if you can find something suitable. Keep a little tape measure with you to check sizes.

This is the idea for outside in a small space, folds away when you don't need it. Defies slugs and snails as rounded struts and grids

https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51j2ntv3WgL._SY300_QL70_.jpg

Indigo_and_Violet

Thanks both. Looks like its the sort of thing I'll have to 'happen upon' rather than just quickly source. There is a long to-do list so I don't think I can justify an afternoon browsing shops just for these, but I'll end up going to all those places anyway on other house/garden errands so will just keep an eye out while I'm there.

Thanks for the shelving recommendation as well @twopenny - definitely something to think about longer term. So far we don't seem too badly afflicted by slugs and snails, but that's very possibly because nothing nice has gone out yet!

twopenny

Too right indigo. They found me in the second year.

-taff

Ikea had some nice long-ish trays,different colours etc .

sheramber

Look online for plant trays. Amazon had some the last time I looked.

theoretica

Or look at your groceries - I've had plants sitting in mushroom trays, sausage trays etc

madjackslam

I think these might be a little bit wide - https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/baggmuck-shoe-mat-in-outdoor-grey-60329711/ - but I bought a few of them to cover windowsills and act as a drip tray. Worked really well. May not be quite decorative enough!!

coffeehound

What think you of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rectangular-Long-Plastic-Plant-Pot-Saucers-Planter-Water-Drip-Tray-Base-Dish-/223667603983

75cm x 25cm, so three would be 225cm long.  £11

Indigo_and_Violet

madjackslam said:

I think these might be a little bit wide - https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/baggmuck-shoe-mat-in-outdoor-grey-60329711/ - but I bought a few of them to cover windowsills and act as a drip tray. Worked really well. May not be quite decorative enough!!

They'd be a contender but the 35cm will leave a hanging edge and is just asking for me to fall into them and catapult plants across the front room. I'm not sure I would be forgiven. 

coffeehound said:

What think you of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rectangular-Long-Plastic-Plant-Pot-Saucers-Planter-Water-Drip-Tray-Base-Dish-/223667603983

75cm x 25cm, so three would be 225cm long.  £11

I think they're exactly what I'm after and much less expensive than the posh elho ones I was looking at this morning! Thank you!