Make This Plant Pulley for More Convenient Watering
Hanging plants are a great addition to your home, but watering them can be tricky, especially if you have high ceilings. To save yourself the hassle, you can make a hanging system that allows you to easily lower the plants to a watering height and then lift them back up without any step benches and without spilling water on the floor. Check out this TikTok to see it in action and more on how to create your own.
What you need for a hanging plant pulley
For this project, you will need some kind of hardware and a sturdy cord. For each plant, you will need two hooks (if you already have plant hooks on the ceiling, you only need one) and a cord length that can go from the ceiling to waist level. To set the hooks correctly, you will also need a stud locator and a pilot drill bit. It is also recommended to choose a flowerpot with a built-in drip tray to keep the floors dry.
How to install your plant’s pulley hardware
First, find a rack in the ceiling close to the wall where you can install a second hook. Drill a hole in the rack and screw on the ceiling hook. Then find a stud in the adjacent wall and drill a hole within easy reach of the floor and screw on the second hook.
Then, securely tie one end of the string to the plant hanger. Pass the cord through the hook in the ceiling and pull on it until the plant reaches the ceiling. Tie a loop and attach it to the hook on the wall. This will keep your plant safe at ceiling height. Then lower the plant to watering height, tie a second loop and attach to the wall. This will keep your plant safe at watering height.
How to mark the loops
You can raise and lower the plant by unhooking the ceiling loop and lowering the plant onto the watering height hook. You can use a felt-tip pen or some duct tape to mark one of the loops so you can tell the difference right away. You can also securely tie the end of the watering height cord to a hook on the wall instead of leaving an open loop, which will reduce the chance of entanglements.
Be sure to hang the plants safely
To prevent your cord from slipping out of the hook on the ceiling, make sure the hole in the hook is facing away from the wall. Also, always attach the loops to the hook before letting go of the cord, or the plant will fall off.
It is also important that the ceiling hook is less than two feet from the wall, as more distance from the wall creates a more dangerous angle and can become a hazard. This is not the best option for hanging plants in the middle of a room.