soda bottles & gardening

make a self watering garden

materials:

2 liter plastic soda bottle or water bottle, with cap
drill and small drill bit
knife

drill 4-8 small holes into the cap of the plastic bottle. if you want it to drip slower use less holes, faster use more holes. don’t make holes that are too small, they will become clogged up by debris. remove the bottom of the bottle by cutting vertically across with a sharp knife.  removing the bottom of the bottle creates a funnel for you to easily pour water into. the wide mouthed opening will also catch some water when it rains.

dig a hole next to a plant or in between a grouping of plants that is deep enough to bury at least one third to one half of the bottle. if you position the bottle in amongst a grouping of plants it will be hidden from view. place the bottle in the hole with the cap side down and secure it into the hole by pressing dirt around it. this will ensure that your bottle stays in place. pour water into the bottle until it is full. you can add fertilizer to the bottle every few weeks so that your plants are fertilized right at the roots.

you will need to fill your bottle when it is empty, once a day or less depending on how much direct, hot sun your plants receive. make several bottles to place in all your large containers.

other uses for soda bottles and gardening:

video: how to make a self-watering vase from a plastic soda bottle

inside urban green is a gardening site with a lot of great ideas for using soda bottles (and other reused materials) in gardening projects.

soda bottle herb garden

terrarium made from soda bottle

soda bottle seed starter

weed killer spray shield

self watering vase