A2 Hosting still has not fixed the Database after their servers failed AGAIN. A2 Hosting is the WORST!
Because of this, new posts are currently missing and I can only HOPE they eventually recover the table they didn't restore after their latest failure.












Next Post - Previous Post       List View



5/11/2018 11:28:37 AM

A Planty Painty Project



Around the time that we added a herd of cabinets to the hallway, the area over the kitchen cabinets got some pothos plants and some semi-ordered bamboo sticks to support the vines.  

Above Kitchen Cabinets

And while it looked good when it filled in, it was a bit lacking in support structure, and the pothos have a leaf die-off several times a year and either looked yucky with dead leaves, or I would often have to drag an extra tall ladder all over to pull the dead leaves out.

So finally, I cut them all down and started growing hoya plants to replace the pothos.  Hoya may look terribly fake, but they seldom loose leaves and are really quite sturdy... and grip a structure better as well.  The trouble was, the hoya were taking forever to grow from little cuttings of my plant and it took until now for them to barely be ready to start attaching to the trellis.


With them finally wanting to attach though, I needed to get going on new paint above the cabinets and add and organize the structure of the bamboo rods a lot better as well.  While you can't see the tops of cabinets normally in a house, here you get a nice view of the over-sprayed and yucky cabinet tops from the loft, so they were a big necessity to get painted.

 

But following close on the heels was doing some patch and repair work to the upper edge of the wall where water damage had been done from the skylights not being sealed well at some points over the years. Then the upper edge needed ceiling paint all around the edge to cover the repairs and make sure cream color would not show at the edge of new paint.

 

For the walls, I chose a darker color than I would normally ever put inside a house... mostly since I have lived in very small houses that become terribly closed in with anything besides very light colors.  However, with big open rooms like we have here, I think it looks great.... and I already had the paint on hand.  It will make the vines and leaves of the plants not stand out as dramatically, but I also thing it does a good job of defining the space and almost making the plants not truly "necessary" up there.  Of course, they will be amazing when they grow in, but it doesn't look so empty and off-kilter now that the darker paint is up.

So the first coat of green went up... close, but not fully to the ceiling.  I have found often that it is easier to "cut in" with a brush after the walls are painted instead of before... but that opinion seems to change with each project.

 

In the mean time, to bolster my sadly little plant cuttings, hubby helped me find several other varieties of hoya plants by calling around town for me, and I got them potted into three large planters each filled with 5 varieties of hoya.  Hopefully they will all grow, mingle, and spread together well.

 


 

 



Back again to painting for a second coat and getting the upper edging done up to the ceiling.



Then removing over half the bamboo rods and putting them back up with twice the structure and a lot more security to the supports.  I used small panel nails in the ceiling, and also needed a few places on the bottoms where the rods could not go in the corner of the cabinet tops.  Then I also added a larger vertical bamboo to the open left hand corner as support.  (The rods used to extend into the alcove over the hallway where the attic fan draws from, but this blocked access and I think stopping at the edge of the kitchen, like the paint, helps to define the kitchen as an area better.)

 
 

The plants are in Wick Containers, so I water them with a hose once each 6 to 8 weeks.  I also put some plastic light diffuser doubled up under them to allow for air to flow under the pots.  This is important because if you ever have a little water overflow, it can dry instead of rotting between your cabinet and pot base.

 

I ended up using every single piece of bamboo I had on hand, and at the end I thought I was exactly one rod short, but managed to angle a spare piece a little and get all the structure done.... barely.  And while the twine ties were critical for support with the handful of rods before, with all the added structure, they are mostly decorative now.  Which is good... because I can't find my roll of twine.  So I just added a few at random with what I had removed and I think it looks fine.

Completed....

 





     POST LINKS BACK TO:
          3/10/2017 11:20:07 AM - Big Plant Changes


Next Post - Previous Post       List View
COMMENTS

5/12/2018 10:57:00 AM Mom
Looks good and will be great when plants grow in.

5/12/2018 1:13:14 PM punkin
You are a miracle worker and your projects are always so huge and successful.
I love your curlie leaf hoya it is a beauty as are all of them.
Oh! to be young again with all your wonderful idea's.
Thanks for sharing all that you do.  Makes me very tired but love seeing them none the less.

Add Your Comment...


Please Keep All Comments Family-Friendly

Name / Nickname:  
Comment:  
Email:   (Optional)
      Notify me of new Comments/Replies to this post by email
      Remember my Email for future comments
Your Email is Never Shared. Email is only required if you want to be notified
of new comments or if you are entering a give-away.


Please Type This Verification Code:   twmnbo    (Code is case sensitive.)


TinkerT Terms & Disclaimer


     Step one to DIY is safety. Use applicable safety equipment, read instructions, and handle all tools with care. While this site encourages a Do-It-Yourself attitude and has ideas and how-to posts, it is not responsible for any problems that arrise from attempting similar DIY projects.
     Familyweb.us and TinkerT makes no representations or warranties of any kind (expressed or implied) about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or gramatical correctness of any information or recomendations contained on this site or found by following any link on this site. All the information provided on TinkerT is for general information and entertainment purposes only. Following any advice or information on this site is done "At Your Own Risk". Under no circumstances will Familyweb.us or TinkerT be liable for any loss or damage (including without limitation direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage) arising from use or misuse of information provided in this website.
     Copyright Policy - Unless otherwise noted, Familyweb.us is the legal copyright holder of all material on this website. Submitions and comments will be considered the property of Familyweb.us and may be used, whole or in part, for purposes on the site or other related projects. Please feel free to copy and reprint any portion of the articles and posts on this site. However, you must include a clear label for where you got the material and include a link to the appropriate page for the post that material was copied from.
     The opinions expressed by any Third Parties (including commenters) are their own and do not represent the position or believe of Familyweb.us or TinkerT. TinkerT reserves the right to remove or edit comments for any reason deemed nessesary, including, but not limited to: spam, offensive language, inapropriatness, and general rudeness.
     TinkerT will never sell or share your email with any third party and will not send you advertizements or spam.
     Familyweb.us and TinkerT reserve the right to change the focus of, close, or sell this blog site without warning.

     While TinkerT and Familyweb.us strive to ensure all posts and comments are PG13 or less, it makes no guarantees of this and requests that anyone under 17 ask their parent's permission before signing up for the newsletter or reading this site.

     These terms and conditions are subject to change at anytime without notice.












aquariums
archives
cooking
crafts
denver
DIY
electronics
home improvement
ideas
landscaping
low budget
mountain living
nature
outdoor
painting
plants
style
the tilt
tools
travel
woodworking

instant pot
  smart scripts