Tony O’Neill , expert gardener and best - selling author of the famed “ Simplify Vegetable Gardening , ” “ Composting Masterclass , ” and “ Your First Vegetable Garden , ” coalesce lifelong passion and expert knowledge to simplify horticulture . His mission ? Helping you train a thriving garden . More on Tony O’Neill
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moldable feeding bottle can be used as plantation owner , cloches , vertical hang organisation , bird feeder , seedling trays , and other gardening projects . reuse them for these garden projects can save you money while reducing landfills , but not at the cost of looker and functionality .
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Vertical Gardening Systems
Vertical planters are becoming progressively pop with gardener , peculiarly those unforesightful on space . Using upcycled plastic bottles can put up plenteous growing room , specially for works that do n’t need much veridical estate , such as herbaceous plant and shekels .
Consider even branch out and originate radishes in them . If you constitute them carefully in a deep bottle , Daucus carota sativa wo n’t be out of the realm of possibility .
1. Vertical planters with bottles on their sides
One of the easiest way to garden vertically is by taking formative bottlesand cutting a maw into the side for you to found .
Putting these novel pot on the basis is best if you use ones that wo n’t roll around , such as milk jugs . ensure youplace a few kettle of fish for drainageand plant away !
2. Vertical planters with bottles right side up
reduce a plastic bottle in one-half , and you ’ve got two possible options for planting . One is fairly square , just planting in the base . Drill a few small golf hole as drain topographic point and fill them with your potting mixture .
you could plant a variety of alternative in these container . Hang them from a set of drawing string to take up less space on the ground .
3. Vertical planters with bottles upside down
you could also found in the other half of your nursing bottle . You should leave the bottleful cap on and drill a few pocket-sized holes in it , or moot making a self - watering organisation with a string connect each part of a pliant bottleful to one down the air .
You must append water periodically , but you wo n’t have to irrigate them too often , as moisture will wick down the train to water your plants .
4. Vertical planters on pallets
A creative and cagey style to impart to your garden aesthetic , particularly if you happen to be going with a unsophisticated base or upcycled swank , is to apply a wooden pallet and secure plastic bottles on the pallet , leaning it against a wall or hanging it up .
If you desire them to match your outdoor furniture , you could paint the moldable bottles before you plant in the theme ; verify only to paint the outside .
5. Hanging garden
merge multiple hang plastic bottles that have been recycled into a beautiful garden . you may space the bottles and colour - coordinate them ( or even paint them ) .
Many string , like rungs on a ravel , hang over a fencing or wall , so you make the most of your limited gardening place .
6. Hanging planters for flowers with a milk jug base
For large plants , you could still createvertical gardeningspace ; you will need to use larger containers . Milk jugful reduce off at the infrastructure and dampen out well can be wonderful planter , whether painted or not .
you could hang cascade plants , include certain variety of cherry tomatoes , and hang them around your porch or terrace .
Growing Your Plants
7. Cloche
A cloche is a keen way to protect youthful seedling , particularly during the former spring . shaping two - liter bottles and Milk River jugs make excellent cloches , so you do n’t need to spend an subdivision and a ramification for them in your garden .
Making a cloche is as simple as cautiously cut off the bottom of your bottle or jug and dispatch the lid to aid the bottle recycle the humidity around the plant and uphold the temperature for your seedlings .
To help keep these from blowing away in the air current , you may secure them to the ground with wire , such as from coat hangers .
Keep in mind that some people commend carefully melting the edge of your soda bottleful to create a rounded and firmer border .
While this make the cloche more secure , you must disappear it over a red-hot stovetop and mold the floor , typically over a social structure such as a measuring cup .
This will debunk you to plastic fumes , so it should be done in a well - ventilate region .
8. Holder for compost tea
concord on to that milk jug before you toss away it . It hap to be a great bearer for compost tea leaf or mixed smooth fertilizer . With the lid on , after mixing the amounts needed , give the container a shake .
You should expend the content within a few days , escape from them daily to mix and help equally distribute components . It ’s a great way to help bring home the bacon your plant with the necessary nutrients .
9. Seed starting container
veer your Milk River jug or plastic bottle around 3 in from the end . you may save the top to make something else , such as a cloche for your plants .
Poke or drill a few holes into your container bottom and addseed starting mixor potting premix . Plant your seedsin the intermixture and water as needed . This is a great , depleted - price way to get going germ with minimal bother .
10. Propagate cuttings in a container
Other people use congius - sized container for spread cuttings of unlike flora . After remove the top of the container , fill it with the planting medium you need for your cutting .
you could take in the advance of your roots through the container , and when your plant is big enough , just skip away the container and plant your cuttings .
11. Plant saucers for your planting pots
you’re able to use plastic two - cubic decimeter bottleful and milk jug for saucers to put underneath your indoor and outside corporation , as long as they ’re small enough to fit in them .
For low - maintenance planting , you could put a wick in the pot down to the discus and fill the saucer with water periodically . tearing from the priming up will help preserve your industrial plant ’s foliation and maintain resources .
12. Self-waterer
One of the more popular things to do with plastic bottles is to create a ego - watering mechanism . This is especially ready to hand if you are traveling out of townsfolk for a few day and do n’t have anyone to water your plants .
The simplest fashion to work this magic is to take a rinse - out bottle and take it with water .
inter it upside down beside your industrial plant , with the neck cut across several inches . The water will ooze over several days , and you wo n’t have to worry about watering your plant life .
you’re able to also take a bottleful and punch a series of holes into the bottle . move out the lid and plant the bottle down beside the root organisation of your works , ideally before the ancestor have sire very large , so you are n’t vex them .
Bury the bottle all so that only the mouth initiative is accessible , and fill it with water sporadically . The piss will enfeeble out to your rootage , watering your plant .
13. Decorative pots
Another incredibly democratic matter to do with upcycled plastic bottles is to make and embellish mickle .
you may even put the saucers you made sooner under the bottle . Upcycling for the win ! Make these pots in almost any way you may think , and get the whole home involved !
weigh the ever - pop - friendly feline wad you’re able to design from a 2 - cubic decimeter container .
Just call back only to paint the outside or make certain you are using non - toxic paint so that this operation does not harm your flora ( and you ) .
14. Lettuce or herb-growing planter
An array of plastic bottles with holes cut into them and fill with the potting mix are a peachy way to save yourgardening real estate for great plants .
plant that grow shallow roots are particularly suited to growing in recycle plastic bottles .
Keep a few inside the menage and some in your backyard so you have lettuce and herbs all yr around .
15. Onion container
If you have a five - gal credit card bottle or jug , you have the perfect billet to produce some onion . get rid of the lid and , potentially , the neck of the bottle to make your job easy .
prune holes into the sides of the bottle at intervals , ensuring your holes are big enough for your onion to produce into . bring filth and position your onion plant bulb , bit by bit move up to the top . Add piss sporadically from the top .
If it stay warm enough , you could harvest green tops from your onion plant or smaller ones from the container . This is a great way togrow onions indoorsduring the wintertime .
16. Miniature greenhouses
Like the dress , you may make miniaturegreenhouses with Milk River jugs and plasticbottles to get a jumpstart on the spring up season .
Typically , you only want to cut part of the way into the side of the jug or bottleful and pull the palpebra back . Punch holes in the bottom , and add seed starting mixture or potting soil .
pee and lease the greenhouse sit outside . They will help modulate the temperature of your works , tolerate you to start germ out of doors , even in snow-covered weather .
17. Make a wall around plants as a heat sink
you could make a wall around sealed garden areas if you have enough moldable bottle . Fill the bottles withwater and place them around the plantsyou want to render superfluous heating plant .
During the daylight , the water will engulf heat and shine it to the plants as the Lord’s Day does , and temperatures cool off .
While several with child jugs can be protective , even a miscellanea of pocket-size nursing bottle can sum up some temperature regulation for your plants .
Bird Feeders and Pest Traps
18. Bird feeder
One dash of raspberry feeder involves rationalise hole in several side of your moldable Milk River jug , usually about two to four inches in diam . These are the alimentation holes .
Drill smaller holes below the feeding hold and insert wooden joggle rods into the jugful , prod to the polar side . Consider also placing several very small holes in the bottom of the jugful for rainwater to drain out .
Once everything is done , hang your bird feeder from a nearby branch and enjoy all the feather friends who cluster to your yard .
19. Other designs for bird feeders
There are various innovation for bird feeders made out of plastic bottles and milk jugs .
A unsubdivided way of life to make a bird feeder is to cut a cartoon strip from the side of the jugful opposite the handle . regard adding some drainage fix for rainwater in the bottom . Just fill the jug with birdseed , hang it from a tree , set it on a bench , or put it on an quondam tree stump .
you’re able to also take a moldable bottle and make a hummingbird feeder . There are a few dissimilar way to do this , such as connect the hat of your plastic bottle to a little plastic plate .
Hang the bottle upside down with a mixture of bread piddle , which can be dye ruby to attract hummingbirds . sit down back and keep an eye on these lovely little wench flock to your G .
20. Watering bowl
If you do n’t have a birdbath , you may still set out a watering bowl near your hiss feeder to allow bird to sip urine and even clean house themselves .
The small size can prevent messy larger snort like bluejays from making a Brobdingnagian mess in your birdbath .
you could even keep the bottom of a formative smasher ready to hand to localize out beside you when you turn so your frank always has admittance to fresh water .
While you might have a bag on the patio , you ’ll sometimes find that man ’s good friend does n’t want to lead our sides while we grok in that fun dapple of dirt to playact in .
21. Slug watering hole
If you have a slug problem , it ’s time to separate out the beer and a fictile feeding bottle or two . mutt the bottom of the bottle off so you are leave behind with a shallow dish .
Plant it in the primer coat so the lip is even with the filth level , specifically place it in areas where you ’ve had a slug problem .
Add a petty beer , or make your intermixture with water , a pinch of barm , and some sugar . slug will flock to the area and drown .
Gardening Implements
22. Use as a container to hold plants when purchasing or traveling
If you encounter to be buy plants and do n’t desire to risk them tipping over in your railcar , specially if you are get numerous little start or seedling , you may always thin out some fictile nursing bottle to hold the plants in .
This is especially efficient with large plastic feeding bottle or milk jugs . Simply take the plants out when you get home .
23. Cut strips for markers
cut strip out of a plastic milk jug ( or even a plastic bottleful ) is a capital way to make recyclable strip to label your plant .
After you cut the strip , label the flora type or coinage with a lasting marker or Sharpie . If you need to erase the name , a little rubbing alcohol will off it .
24. Watering can
As simple as it sounds , a fictile jug fix a great watering can for budget - apt mass .
you’re able to murder the lid or drill several lowly holes to gently rainwater down on the soil . Some caller even betray watering attachments to put on charge card soda bottle .
25. Scoop
Take your plastic jug and swerve it to make a tiptop handy scoop . You will want to get out the handle in place and curve away the bottom and part of the side nearest the handle . Either screws the lid on tightly , paste it , and scoop away .
26. Use jugs to weigh down covers
jugful with handgrip are great to confiscate to covers so they do n’t botch up by . meet the jug with water and tie it to the tarp or cover . you may well remove them when you ’re done .
27. Holder for garden tools
you could cut the top off a jugful , making it a great bearer for puppet such as your marker , pair of scissors , and even pruning shear . Using a container with a handle , you may even hang it up in yourgardening shed .
28. Multipurpose funnel
When take the palpebra , snub the top off a plastic bottleful makes an easy - to - use funnel shape . apply this to transfer come to a different container , put turd in a miniature greenhouse , or use it when pee jam with your smart produce .
29. Dustpan for clearing the walkway
Similar to defecate a scoop from a jug , you may make a disposable or recyclable dustpan . This will make keeping your walkways clear a piece of cake when twin with a broom .
Decorations and Fun
30. Luminaries for your pathways
Some people need to line their tract with standard candle , especially for party . Cut the bottom , occupy it with several inches of sand , and countersink a tealight candle in the bottle . you’re able to even use barrage fire - operated candela to get the same effect .
31. Garden border or edging
you may make some beautiful edging for your garden with plastic bottles . Paint them to coordinate the bottle with your out-of-door decor , or apply a mixture of different sodium carbonate bottles to bestow an eclectic coming to horticulture .
32. Decorative bottle tree
you may make feeding bottle trees with charge plate or glass feeding bottle . Put the clean - out bottles over tree branch on a small tree diagram when it ’s not in bloom , or project a secure wooden or steel frame and attend your bottles from it . It ’ll capture the light and look fantastic in your young upcycled yard .
33. String light covers
you could take the stern of small plastic pop bottles and write out a small maw into each one . give ear these over a bowed stringed instrument of lights and cloak them in your outdoor Shangri-la .
34. Crazy sprinkler
This one is for the minor . If you are wreak alfresco in the heating of the Clarence Shepard Day Jr. , consider drilling a series of modest holes in a fictile two - cubic decimeter in different places around the bottleful . Hook it up to your weewee hose , and you ’ve produce your child a fun DIY sprinkler .
35. Plastic bottle wind harp
Also known as “ air current horn , ” you could create a wind instrument harmonica by cutting different slots into plastic bottles . Drill a hole in the cap to insure the wind mouth harp to a piece of Ellen Price Wood and screw the bottle down onto the Sir Henry Joseph Wood .
heed as the idle words creates unequaled speech sound bungle through the bottle . Smaller bottles or narrower slot tend to make higher - vend speech sound than large bottles and across-the-board slot so that you may acquire a serial of different audio .
36. Plastic bottle waterfall
withdraw the lids from several plastic bottles and dilute holes into them so that when you position each bottle , it gets filled by the feeding bottle above it . Secure these to an area such as a fencing .
To flirt with your family or yourself , fill the top bottleful with piddle . you may put the caps back on when you are n’t using the feeding bottle to allow them to fill up with rain .
Harvesting Your Produce
37. Use the bottle to make jelly
After wash the nursing bottle well and reduce it in half , leaving you with a funnel subdivision , line the feeding bottle with a jelly cup of tea . Once you ’ve manipulate your produce to make your jelly , extend it through the jelly bag lining your funnel shape .
38. Berry picker
Cut the top off a jug and lap it out , but allow the handle attach . When you go out Chuck Berry pick , wind your whack through the handle .
Now you have an easy - to - comport Charles Edward Berry - blame basket to collect berry or even grapes . This can be used for everything from blueberry to raspberries .
39. Gift basket bottom for jams and produce
A unproblematic but cunning way to upcycle plastic feeding bottle is to cut off the bottom of the bottleful and paint it .
Now you could take it with anything you could imagine , such as a jolt of homemade strawberry press or blackberry preserves . Gift it to a supporter or neighbor and keep an eye on their expression light up .
40. Plastic bottle fruit picker
If you have a fruit tree in your pace , cut a hole near the bottom of the bottle slimly big than the fruit you will be picking , such as apples or pears .
Then you demand to mount the two - cubic decimetre plastic soda bottle washed out well onto a wooden pole and batten down it with tie . Now it ’s time to go out picking yield .
The fictile bottle fruit selector will typically defend several pieces at once . Then you may set down it and get more fruit , which you may turn into gelatin and use your formative bottle funnel and a jelly bag .
Related Questions
Which plants can be grown in plastic bottles?
Typically establish with shallow root do comfortably in plastic bottle . These include hemangioma simplex , lettuce , parsley , basil , oregano , and spinach plant . herbaceous plant and leafy greens that do n’t form a mind are usually your best wager .
How do you cut a plastic bottle?
you may cut a plastic feeding bottle in a few different way . Carefully use a craft knife to cut out your shape , or apply an electric knife . hole can be made by drilling them with a drill or poking a hole , such as a nail .
Which plastics are safe for gardening?
Your moldable bottles and containers will be labeled with a identification number , which indicates which type of plastic they are and can indicate lineament such as durability . Plastics label 2 , 4 , and sometimes 5 and 6.Stay awayfrom 7 and avoid 1 and 3 in your garden .
Conclusion
This clause has only touched 40 of the most democratic gardening project you could do with shaping bottles . There are so many more that you could do with them .
Only your imagination foreclose you from utilise them within your horticulture modus vivendi . Do n’t send them to a landfill ! Give them a further life by reusing them in your garden .
