Posted to Instructables by DebH57
Step 1:You will need:
To start your project you will need:
- A young leafy plant, such a Tomato, Green Bean, Cucumber or your favorite Herb. I used Italian Parsley for this project.
- A Two Liter Green Soda Bottle
- A Hole Punch
- A Roll of Duct Tape
- Scissors and/or a sharp Knife
- Enough soil to fill your bottle at least 3/4 full
- A little Garden Mulch or Bark
- Something sturdy to hang your planter with, such as twine, leather string, a cut coat hanger, etc.
- A weather resistant hook to hang your planter on
Note: I had stated before that using a green bottle aids in photsynthesis, I stand corrected as you will find explained in the comments below by Dwygrshpr.
Step 2:Cut The Bottle
Cut the bottom portion off of the bottle.
Step 3:Wrap the Tape
Wrap a length of Duct Tape around the cut end with half of the tape above the cut.
This will add stability to your planter and prevent the plastic from stretching from the weight of the soil after it has been hung up.
Step 4:Fold Tape Inside
Cut a few slits in the portion of tape above the bottle and fold it to the inside of the bottle.
Step 5:Punch Holes
Punch four holes in your bottle as close to the center of the duct tape as possible
Step 6:Insert your plant
Insert your plant into the bottle and gently work the plant through the bottle opening.
Press the dirt ball up as far as it will go.
Step 7:Untangle Your Plant
Very gently untangle your plant and work it the rest of the way through the bottle opening.
Spread the root ball out inside the bottle to prevent your plant from becoming root bound.
Step 8:Fill the bottle
Fill the bottle with soil to within 2 - 3 inches of the top.
Step 9:Add a Hanger
Add whatever you choose to use for hanging your planter through the holes made in the Duct Tape.
Step 10:Hang and Water
Find a nice sunny spot to hang your planter and add water to soak the soil until it drips through the opening.
Cover the opening with some layers of cheesecloth, garden bark or mulch to help keep the soil moist and prevent rapid drying out of the soil.
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Tina C. says:
I love this! Simple enough and handy! Thanks for the idea!
Tammi H. says:
This is a great idea. This is almost like the "topsy-turvy", but cheaper and you are recycling! I have made alot of these upside down planters for my vegetables. I also recomend using the bottoms of these cut bottles for planting seeds, for starting a plant growing. Also use the 16 oz. bottles for starting seeds. Cut the smaller bottles in half, use the bottoms for seed starters, cut drain holes in bottom and fill with dirt, plant seeds then water. Use the tops as herb growing. There's a great idea on tis web site for that. CHECK IT OUT!!! I have done this, it works! I am crazy about these ideas! Also if you have left over plastic "pudding cups" or "yogurt cups", cut drain holes in them and fill with dirt, plant your seeds. Watch your plants start to grow. I want more ideas!!! Soooo Much FUN! Thank You for this web site. Tammi H., Archer, FL
Elli A. says:
I almost bought one for my this years tomatoes. The question is if it can be big enough for a tomato plant. I think an alternative for a bigger plant is to get a hanging plastic pot (plastic for light weight) and put a heavy plastic bag inside with a hole in the bottom. The plant will go out through the hole and you probably need to make a bigger hole in the bottom of the pot as well. The plastic bag is for keeping the water in, since most pots have many holes. You will only be recycling on plastic bag in the process :)