The winter windowsill is a risk zone for heat-loving plants. Citrus fruits and orchids react painfully to the cold coming from the glass: the leaves turn yellow, the buds fall off, and the roots stop working. The problem is solved not only with the help of expensive heat-reflecting films. Today we’ll tell you about a way to create a reliable shield from materials that can be found in any home.
What you will need:
- Bubble film (as for parcels);
- A piece of thick cardboard;
- Scotch.
The key to success is the correct placement of the barrier. It is not the plant itself that needs to be protected from above, but the space between the pot and the cold glass.
Preparation of materials. You will need a piece of bubble wrap (twice as wide as the window sill) and a sheet of cardboard (from a box) the size of the window.
Creating a barrier. The cardboard is placed vertically on the windowsill, pressing it against the window itself. It should be the height of the window sill table top to the top frame.
Then the cardboard is covered with bubble wrap on the inside (room) side. The bubbles should face the inside of the room. The structure can be secured with tape around the edges or simply pressed tightly to the frame with pots.
Arrangement of plants. Pots with citrus fruits and orchids are not placed on a bare window sill, but on an additional stand – a wooden lattice, polystyrene foam or felt folded several times. This will protect the bottom of the pot from the cold coming from the stone surface. Plants are placed so that their leaves do not touch the cold glass, and there is a small gap between the pot and the protective screen for air circulation.
The air in the film bubbles and the cardboard layer do not allow the cold from the glass to pass through. Behind the barrier the temperature is 5-7 degrees higher. The roots remain warm and the plants are not stressed.
The main thing is not to wrap the plants themselves and not to block air access from above. The barrier is only between the pot and the window. This is a simple and free way to keep your pets green during the winter.
