I love to craft, but I rarely make time to really let the creativity flow. Often it requires inspiration, which is sometimes accompanied by financial motivation. More than once I’ve found myself strolling along a street festival lined with unique vendors when I spot the coolest little thing – a handicraft I’ve never seen before that would be just perfect in my house or yard. I examine the craftsmanship. I consider the various design options. I check the price…Whoa! (I like it, but I don’t like it that much!) That’s when my wheels start turning and I carefully conclude, hey, I could make that.

Window rooter
These coleus cuttings grew nicely in the window rooter and provided a colorful accent in the window through winter. They’re now ready to be transplanted.
Photo Credit: Megan Bame
Window rooter supples
Gather your supplies before getting started.
Photo Credit: Megan Bame
Wrap wire around window rooter
Loop the wire around the top of the vase, below the lip.
Photo Credit: Megan Bame
Wrap wire around large marbles
Wrap the wire around large marbles or other embellishments to give your rooter even more artistic flair.
Photo Credit: Megan Bame
Tie fishing line around window rooter
Tie the fishing line securely to the copper wire to create a hanger.
Photo Credit: Megan Bame

That’s exactly what spurred me to try my hand at window rooters. For less than $5, I was able to duplicate a concept I had originally admired at an art show. I never intended to create a replica of the product I saw; I was more interested in adding my own touches and creating my own interpretation of the concept. As a result, I now have a unique piece of window art that helps me grow plants.

Here’s the purpose behind this neat project: Many home gardeners have discovered the magical world of vegetative plant propagation. Once you’ve rooted a new plant from a small piece of stem or leaf, you’ve got the inspiration to try other plants…just to see what happens. As with any trial and error, sometimes propagation doesn’t work. But when it does, you’re rewarded with a new plant that required little effort to get started!

Part of the appeal of rooting cuttings is that you don’t need a greenhouse to experiment with them. Many plants will root in a glass of water, but with a window rooter, you free up space on your windowsill and create an aesthetic element that’s sure to bring lots of compliments – not to mention generate new plant material.

Supplies

  • Copper wire (at least 2 feet, with 12-gauge thickness)
  • Miniature vases with rimmed necks (at least two)
  • Marbles or decorative stones (optional)
  • Fishing line
  • Pliers
  • Wire cutters
  • Scissors

Directions

  1. Consider your design. (You might even sketch the outline on paper to make sure the scale is appropriate for your window and vases.) The wire design may be more abstract or an easily recognized shape. If you want to incorporate embellishments, like colorful marbles or stones, give some thought to their placement in the initial design. Or maybe you’d prefer to just dive right in and design as you go. It’s really up to you.
  2. Wrap one end of the wire around the neck of the vase below the lip. (This may require pliers, depending on how malleable the wire is.)
  3. Bend the wire until you achieve the desired shape, then attach the second vase, as well as any embellishments at the appropriate places. Use the wire cutters to clip off any excess wire.
  4. Tie the fishing line to the wire, paying attention to how your vases will balance when the rooters are hung.
  5. Fill the vases with water and display your creation in the window. I hung my fishing line around the window lock, but if that doesn’t work with your window, consider installing a hook for your rooter to hang from.
  6. Place a 2- to 5-inch plant cutting in each vase. (Be sure to remove any foliage that falls below the water line to inhibit bacterial growth in the water.)
  7. Change the water at least once a week for optimal plant health and to maintain clean vases. The warmth and light of the sun may encourage algae growth in water that’s allowed to remain stagnant for an extended period of time.
  8. Watch for roots. When a small root mass has formed, transplant the cutting to a small container filled with potting soil. (Be sure to maintain moist soil for several weeks as the roots become established in the soil.) Then refill your now-empty vase with fresh water and a new cutting.

The window rooter adds a new dimension to windowsill gardening and lets you try your hand at a new propagation technique. Try making this custom piece of art to decorate your window and promote new plants from vegetative cuttings. It’s fun and rewarding – and it gives you another space to garden!