Why Pop Bottle Planters?
Too much plastic trash
The average American throws away about 185 pounds of plastic each year. The making of plastic uses about 8 percent of the world’s oil production, and about 50 percent of this, we throw away after only one use. And, since it takes about 500 to 1000 years for plastic to degrade, that is a lot of plastic that is going to be around for a long time.
And, I don’t know about you, but when I see a plastic bottle, I think Container Gardening!
(Thanks to EcoWatch for these facts)
Pop Bottle Planters are simple and cheap to make
You have most of the materials needed for soda bottle planters at home right now! Many innovative planters are constructed from soda, pop bottles, and water bottles. And they are easy to make, needing only a bottle, scissors or a knife, a way to hang them, if you want a hanging planter, and planting material.
Soda Bottle Planters are Versatile
These projects can take many shapes and sizes, and contain many different types of plants. The base idea is the same: using a recycled container as the planter for a small garden. Soda bottles are perfect for vertical gardening due to the wide variety of plants that they can house, their elegant and streamlined look, and the simplicity in designing and building the containers.
What is a Pop Bottle Planter?
One great way for beginners to transform old bottles into creative containers is to simply cut holes in the sides of bottles and plant different a few different herbs or other vegetables in each. One excellent theme for such a garden is a therapeutic garden, as herbs like basil, thyme, mint, and rosemary are scented, allowing for a hanging garden to be designed for restorative benefits. And these herbs are also good fits for plastic bottle planters, as their relatively shallow root systems allow for growth even in a small container.
Another way to create an elegant soda bottle planter is by cutting the bottle in half, then inserting the half with the neck upside down into the bottom half, as shown.
This creates a streamlined look,and still provides a reasonably deep planting system. The space in between the layers is used for water containment, allowing the plants free access to both water and soil. The method of creating recycled containers from pop bottles is incredibly simple, as the only necessary tools are a knife or a pair of scissors to cut the bottle in half and poke holes for water transfer.
What to Grow in Pop Bottle Planters
Vegetables to Grow in Soda Bottle Planters
And these planters can effectively grow vegetables like tomatoes, celery, and basil, as the planters contain enough soil to grow a culinary garden. Other excellent examples of vegetables for pop bottle planters include easily-grown greens like lettuce and arugula as well as popular herbs like cilantro, oregano and chives. This planting method allows for a wide array of vegetables and herbs to be grown, while also looking professional and concise. Yet their relative simplicity allows even novices to create beautiful vertical gardens.
Cacti in Soda Bottle Planters
Finally, cacti are excellent choices for pop bottle planting. Most species of cacti thrive in low-water environments, which means that they are able to survive and grow easily in low-moisture soda bottle planters.
Cactus plants are superb choices for recycled gardening for a multitude of reasons. First, the plants can take many different forms: cactus plants can vary from short and round to long and cylindrical. The sheer variety in their shape is perfectly complement by the numerous different colors and types of cactus available. The juxtaposition of otherworldly cactus plants with unique soda bottle planters is one of the most eye-catching features of any vertical garden, and having several cacti in recycled containers is a surefire way to draw attention to a living wall due to the intricate differences between the plants.
Moreover, a vertical garden composed largely of cactus plants is water-saving and easy to manage. Because cacti require very little water, they are wonderful choices for beginners, as they will not simply die if they are left alone for a vacation. However, it is important to remember that cactus plants can be dangerous, as they have sharp spines; it is important to handle them with proper safety precautions (for instance, using kitchen tongs to place the plants into the container).
Overall, plastic bottle planters are remarkable tools for vertical gardens. Both eye-catching and affordable, these containers are simple to make and can house a wide variety of plants, making them an excellent thrifty option for recycled container gardens.
