Plants in Bottles: 16+ Ingenious Ways to Use Plastic Bottles for Gardening

Plants in bottles gardening hacks – In one of my gardens, I have a recycling can that I keep outdoors. The other day, when I was carrying a few plastic bottles out to be recycled, I got to thinking about if there was anything I could do with the bottles in my yard. After all, upcycling is even more environmentally friendly than recycling, right?

Plastic bottles may be used for a variety of gardening projects, including planters, cloches, vertical hanging arrangements, birdfeeders, seedling trays, and a variety of other things. The use of recycled materials for these garden projects may save you money while also decreasing waste in landfills, but not at the expense of aesthetics and utility.

Vertical Gardening Systems to Grow Plants in Bottles

Vertical planters are becoming more popular among gardeners, especially those who are limited in their available outdoor area. Recycling plastic bottles may offer you with a significant amount of additional growing space, which is particularly beneficial for plants that do not need a lot of space, such as many herbs and lettuce.

Consider spreading out and growing radishes in them as well as other vegetables. If you put carrots in a deep bottle with care, it’s not out of the question that they will grow.

1. Vertical planters with bottles turned upside down are a good example of this.

Planting in the other half of your bottle is also an option. Alternatively, you could leave the bottle top on and drill a few tiny holes in it, or you may try creating a self-watering system by stringing each section of a plastic bottle together with others further down the line.

You will need to supply water on a regular basis, but you will not need to water them too often since the moisture will trickle down the string and hydrate your plants instead.

2. Vertical planters with bottles propped up against the wall

One of the simplest methods to cultivate vertically is to use plastic bottles and cut a hole into the side so that you can plant in them.

You should use milk jugs or similar containers if you want to set these new pots on the ground since they will be less likely to move about. Make careful to drill a few drainage holes before you begin planting.

3. Vertical planters with bottles positioned upside down

If you cut a plastic bottle in half, you’ll have two different planting choices to choose from. One is really simple, requiring just that you put it in the base. Drill a few tiny drainage holes and fill them with your potting mix to serve as a catchment area.

In these pots, you may grow a number of different plants. It is preferable to hang them from a set of strings so that they take up less room on the ground.

4. A hanging garden is another option.

Make a gorgeous hanging garden by combining many hanging plastic bottles that have been recycled with each other. You may arrange the bottles in a grid pattern and color match them (or even paint them).

So that you may make the most of your restricted gardening area, many people rope many such rungs together on a ladder and dangle them over a fence or wall.

5. Vertical planters on pallets are a great idea.

When designing your garden, use a wooden pallet and attach plastic bottles to the pallet, either leaning it against a wall or hanging it up. This is especially effective if you are going for a rustic theme or upcycled chic aesthetic in your garden.

If you want your plastic bottles to match your outdoor furniture, you may paint them before you plant them in a theme. Just be sure to paint just the exterior of the bottles.

6. Hanging flower pots with a milk jug base are another great idea.

You can still make vertical gardening space for larger plants; however, you will need to utilize larger pots in order to do so. Milk jugs that have been chopped off at the base and well cleaned may make beautiful planters, whether they are painted or not.

You may use cascading plants, such as some types of cherry tomatoes, to decorate your porch or patio by hanging them from the ceiling.

Growing Your Plants in Bottles

1. Container for seedling germination

Using a milk jug or a plastic bottle, cut it around 3 inches from the bottom. It is possible to keep the top and use it for anything else, such as a cloche to protect your plants.

Make a few holes in the bottom of your container with a poke or a drill and fill with seed starting mix or potting mix. Water as required once you’ve planted your seeds in the mix. This is an excellent, low-cost method of starting seedlings with the least amount of trouble.

2. Cloche

A cloche is an excellent tool for protecting new seedlings, especially during the early spring months. Cloches made of plastic two-liter bottles and milk jugs are perfect for use in the garden, and you won’t have to pay an arm and a leg to get them.

Simple as cutting the bottom of your bottle or jug and removing the cap, you may assist the bottle recycle the humidity around your plant and maintain a consistent temperature for your seedlings in a matter of minutes.

Using wire, such as coat hangers, you can protect them from flying away in the wind, which will assist to keep them from being lost.

Keep in mind that some people advocate gently melting the edge of your soda bottle to make a rounder and stronger edge, which may be found here.

However, although doing so strengthens the structure of the cloche, you must melt it over a hot burner and form the base, which is commonly done over a structure like as a measuring cup, before using it.

Because this may expose you to plastic fumes, it is recommended that you do this task in a well-ventilated environment.

3. Plant cuttings in a container and let them to grow.

Other individuals use gallon-sized pots for propagating cuttings of various plants, while others use smaller containers. If necessary, take off the lid of the container and fill it with the planting material that will be used for the cuttings you will be taking.

It is possible to see the growth of your roots through the container, and when your plant has grown to a suitable size, just take away the container and plant your cuttings in the ground.

4. Compost tea holder (optional).

Keep the milk jug in your possession before you throw it away. The fact that it doubles as a container for compost tea or mixed liquid fertilizer is a bonus. Give the container a good shake with the lid on once you’ve mixed the quantity you need.

You should utilize the contents within a few days, shaking the container every day to ensure that the components are uniformly distributed. It’s an excellent method of assisting your plants in obtaining the nutrients they need.

5. Onion storage container

If you have a five-gallon plastic container or jug, you have everything you need to start growing onions right now. You may make your task simpler by taking the lid off the bottle and perhaps the neck as well.

Cut holes into the sides of the bottle at regular intervals, making sure that the holes are big enough to accommodate the growth of your onions. Begin by adding dirt and placing your onion bulbs in the ground, gradually working your way up to the top of the hill. Water should be added from the top on a regular basis.

As long as the temperature is warm enough, you may pick green tops from your onions or lesser onions from the container you’re using. This is an excellent method for growing onions inside throughout the winter months.

6. Plant saucers for your planting pots are a nice touch.

Saucers for your indoor and outdoor pots may be made out of plastic two-liter bottles and milk jugs, as long as they’re small enough to fit in the pots themselves.

You could even place a wick in the pot all the way down to the saucer and fill the saucer with water on a regular basis for low-maintenance growing. Watering your plant from the ground up can assist to retain the leaves of your plant and save resources.

7. Decorative pots and planters

One of the most popular things to do with repurposed plastic bottles is to use them to create and decorate pots.

It’s also possible to utilize the saucers you prepared before and place them beneath the bottle to save space. Upcycling is the way to go! Put together these pots in just about any design you can desire, and engage the whole family in the process!

Consider the ever-popular friendly feline pot, which you can create out of a 2-liter container with a little creativity.

Just remember to paint just the exterior of your house or to use non-toxic paint to ensure that your plants (and yourself) are not injured as a result of this procedure..

8. A self-watering plant in bottles

Making a self-watering system out of plastic bottles is one of the most popular things to do with plastic bottles. This is particularly useful if you’re going to be out of town for a few days and don’t have somebody to take care of your plants while you’re gone.

The quickest and most straightforward method is to simply fill a rinsed-out bottle with water and set it aside.

Immediately bury it upside down next to your plant, with the neck covered by several inches of soil. Your plants won’t need to be watered since the water will leak out over a number of days.

You may also take a bottle and punch a series of holes into the bottle using a hole punch. Remove the cap and place the bottle next to the root system of the plant, preferably before the roots have grown significantly in size, to ensure that you are not disrupting them throughout the process.

Fill the bottle with water on a regular basis, burying it fully so that just the mouth hole of the bottle is accessible. The water will leak out to the roots of your plant, which will water it.

9. A planter for producing lettuce or herbs.

To minimize gardening space for huge plants, arrange a collection of plastic bottles with holes cut into the bottoms and filled with potting mix in a circular pattern on the ground.

It is especially beneficial for plants that produce shallow roots to be grown in recycled plastic bottles.

Make sure to keep some lettuce and herbs inside the home and some outside so that you may eat them throughout the year.

10. Construct a wall around the plants to act as a heat sink.

If you have a large enough collection of plastic bottles, you may construct a wall around certain portions of your garden. Fill the bottles halfway with water and place them around the plants you wish to offer additional heat for.

At any time throughout the day, the water will collect heat and radiate it to the plants when the sun goes down and the temps begin to go down.

While a number of big jugs may provide protection for your plants, even a number of smaller bottles can help to regulate the temperature of your plants.

11. Miniature greenhouses are number eleven on the list.

As with the clothing, milk jugs and plastic bottles may be used to construct little greenhouses, allowing you to kickstart the growth season by a few weeks.

You simply need to cut a portion of the way through one side of a jug or bottle and then pull the top back. Make a few holes at the bottom of the container and fill with seed starting mix or potting soil.

Allow the greenhouses to sit outdoors and get water. As a result, you will be able to sow seeds outdoors even in icy conditions since they will assist to control the temperature of your plants.