I’m a gardener, both inside and outdoors. That said, your plan seems problematic to me and I personally wouldn’t attempt it. Water + dirt + no drainage holes + plants suspended above the floor? What could possibly go wrong?

If I saw your pothos hanging there, I would assume it was plastic.

I found this picture on pinterest of artificial indoor plants in an old-style house. You may not be old enough to remember when this was a ’thing.’

almost 30 years ago I had plants growing on my balcony stair railing but it started in a planter and I just let in vine over the railing. I also had the outdoor wall mounted plants brackets on both sides of the interior of my bathroom bay window had plants growing over my garden tub. I actually was considering doing all this again. I got rid of the vining plants when my toddler started pulling stuff down. He is now 24 LOL

Oh it would be in a pot liner. So the rale box is basically a giant saucer. :)

I did consider just on the floor and looping a macrame holder around the rail.

Can't say I have seen that before but it's a creative idea. The novelty is going to turn people here off...given the proper plantings why not? The brick planters that used to greet inside doorways, I have seen MANY MANY TIMES but they were older, I was a teen, and never did I see one actually planted. It appeared to be an idea that didn't work in the end and everyone was stuck with these brick walls with a long hole, just inside their front doors.

it appears you are a long way from any light source usable to a plant ...

being rather stubborn.. lol .. i probably try it.. just to prove all the naysayers wrong .... but that doesnt mean i would succeed ...

but i would probably stick to the floor ... figuring it would be easier to replace some carpet ... if i screwed it up... than it would be to replace a handrail ... [an handrail?]

also.. by sticking to the floor.. i could go with a bigger decorative pot ... with a smaller pot inside.. so i would have drainage.. and a useful holding tank for excess ...

pathos is one of the most forgiving for low light situations .... and english ivy might also work .... if thats what dad had on his stairs for like forever ... im not holding to that ID .. and i dont have pix..

ken

I'm a professional gardener and I wouldn't try it. In addition to water and soil and so much potential for mess on the floor... Planters get heavy - is that railing wood?

You don't want a railing - something you depend on for physical safety - to be compromised by the weight of wet soil.

On the topic of safety - any planter hanging from a railing will obstruct fingers trying to hold onto the railing. Do you (ever) have anyone old living there/visiting? Children? People with babies in hand, or with physical disabilities? Is there a possibility that your household members will be injured and need to grab onto the railing? You get my point.

I think smallish baskets would look nice and not be too heavy:

Oh no - it has AMAZING light. There is a 10 foot window directly in front of it and a side window on the landing. That's why I want to hang plants.

But you are right about the wood damage. I'm going to try the hanging planters just to see.

Also, it's not a used railing, more like a landing. Now one actually touches the railing. If you needed support you would lean inward. The landing is deep so the rail is rather far from the stairway.

Hi. Maybe install a shelf across the top of the railing with raised edges. Line with plastic or insert trays and set the pots in the trays.

You could hang a pot in the opening and have a lot more drama from vines dangling all the way to the floor. You could use Pothos or heart-leaf Philodendron.

What about containers on the floor behind the railing? I'm thinking of a long rectangular trough planter, or several matching ones in a row. The plants could still trail through the railing.

This was the closest thing I could find to what I envisioned...

Agree with carol. I would just put a table or something on the stair-side of that railing and let the plants vine/hang over the railing. Here's a picture of a neighbor's hoya done in this manner. Click the pic below to make it larger to see the whole thing.

This is a second-floor landing. The plant itself is in a large pot on the backside of the railing. Over the years, the homeowner just kept putting the vines up and over the railing. This is a hoya carnosa. The direct light was coming from a window behind the perspective of the camera and was at least 12' away but it was a huge window. There was also a window on that second floor to the right of the plant but it was also about 10' away.

OHHHHHH I LOVE THAT PLANT! And definitely agree with you and carol! Searching for narrow tables now!

THANK YOU!!!!!

Good luck! Post a pic when you get it all set up.

We also have an indoor balustrade close to a large window in our house and I recently bought a few of these balcony plant hangers for it: https://www.bol.com/nl/nl/p/6x-zwarte-bloempotten-hangers-voor-potmaat-20-cm-metaal-balkonpothanger-voor-plantenbakken-bloembakken-tuin-balkon-decoraties/9300000000402332/?s2a=

Unfortunately this is a Dutch online retailer and I don't believe they ship to other countries than The Netherlands and Belgium, but perhaps this can help you on your quest. I'm not sure that they fulfill all your requirements, but at least now you know that what you are looking for does indeed exist :)

i dont understand the first pic to your last pic... it doesnt look at all the same situation ..

anyway.. after much soul searching.. i found wisdom in 2 beers.. lol ...

i would get a large tallish decorative pot for the floor.. rather huge.. i would weight it with stone or bricks .. and then invert an empty pot... and then find another pot to go on top of it .. in which i would plant .... and keep in mind.. small plants start in small pots .. so i would also find 3 pots that go in the media pot ...

btw.. never forget.. the most important hing in the pot is a high quality media ... its the water management system the plants need ... you may not be able to repot this thing easily in the far future ...

i would put 3 or 4 pathos cuttings in each lets say 8 inch pot.. and then 3 of those inside the larger media filled pot ...

all pots.. except the decorative pot have drainage ... the pretty pot is our water retention pot until you learn how to water properly so as to not create such ...

then i would train the pathos over to the rail.. and let is go where ever it wants ...

you might need those two beers.. to understand what those words mean.. or any other adult beverage.. lol ... unless someone can mock it up for you ....

what says you ..

ken

ps: in effect.. i am telling you to get out of the box you set yourself in by trying to hang wet media on a railing ... imo.. thats where you lose all options ... get out of the box!!!! ..

pps: and small pots with multiple plants will need repotting often ...

i tried to find images .. but i might need 2 more beers to figure out useful search terms... lol ...

but as an example.. just take 2 common solo cups .. dixie cups... etc.. turn one over ... set second on top.. your top pot is not twice as tall ...

put those two in a taller container.. and you dont have to waste media filling the taller pot.. just the top one ...

i learned this when i had goldfish in a full whiskey barrel.. and wanted to set some plants near the top .. as they would have died.. set 4 feet down in the water ... ooo.. thats a search term clue.. ponds .. brb ...

this guy elevates with bricks: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/388998486565418364/

gotta run errands.... and dont get any bright ideas for a water garden on your stairs.. lol ...

ken

My DH won't allow window boxes because of the rot they can cause in the siding! No way this would fly. Maybe air plants?

how about something like this? Viva Self-Watering Balcony Railing Planter | $125+ Orders Ship Free (gardeners.com)

or this if you are going to line up along the floor rather than hang on the railing https://www.gardeners.com/buy/balcony-garden-railing-planter/8586699.html?VariationId=V_5637185108&utm_campaign=PLA&utm_medium=googleshopping&utm_source=google&SC=GGLPLA&gclid=Cj0KCQiAzMGNBhCyARIsANpUkzNOaF0dj8E3sGolJBMJ1DNryZu0jKjYiBU6QsQ3YM9HUHAedwxYREAaAiwzEALw_wcB

The macrame hanger looks great. You might also take a look at some of the macrame hangers that are designed to fit flat on a wall like this:

they sit more flat against the wall-side surface and the plant part is more like a pocket. I suggest finding them on Etsy (small business crafters are awesome!).