How to Reuse Plastic Bottles for Your Garden

Plastic bottles fill up landfills and harm the environment, so it’s great that you’re trying to find a new use for them. While recycling is always a pheromonal option, upcycling the bottles is great, too! There are so many ways to reuse plastic bottles that you’re sure to find some use for them in your garden. In this article, we’ll show you how to turn the bottles into garden planters, hanging baskets, garden tools, or decorations. Read on to learn more.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Making Planters

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    Make a self-watering planter. Take a two-liter bottle and poke small holes in the upper half. Then, cut the bottle in half, making sure all the holes are in the upper portion of the bottle.
    • Poke a hole in the bottle top and thread a piece of felt or cotton fabric through the bottle top.[1]
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    Finish the self-watering planter. Turn the top of the bottle upside down and place it in the bottom of the bottle. The fabric should be long enough to touch the bottom of the bottle and long enough to have some sticking up into the top.
    • Add enough water to the bottom of the bottle for the fabric to get plenty wet. Fill the top with soil, making sure the fabric is in the soil. This will help set up the self-watering plant.
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    3
    Create hanging baskets. You can make small or large hanging baskets from bottles, depending on the size of bottles or jugs you use. Start by removing the slanted top of the bottle or the part of the bottle with the handle.
    • The hanger should be uniform and smooth all around, with no handles or sloping.[2]
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    Finish the hanging basket. Use something sharp to make holes in three to four places equidistant apart around the top edge of the planter. Using string or yarn, pull the yarn through the holes. Make sure to make a knot on the inside so the yarn or string doesn’t slip through.
    • When you finish, the yarn or string should be secure enough that the hanger doesn’t fall.
    • Tie the yarn or string together at the top. Place on a hook.
    • You can paint the bottle before planting it to add a creative touch.
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    Make a plant container. Turn a two liter or 20 ounce bottle sideways. Cut the bottle in half. Use both halves to make two planters. Cut small drainage holes into the bottom. Fill with soil and plant flowers or herbs inside.[3]
    • You can paint the outside of the planters to decorate your garden.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Creating Garden Tools

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    Make a garden scoop. Use a craft knife to remove the bottom of the bottle. Then, on one side, cut an angled line up and stop right below the handle. Do the same on the other side. Cut across the top between the two cuts on the sides to remove the piece of plastic.
    • Turn larger plastic jugs and smaller plastic bottles into garden scoops and shovels. This can help dig holes, transport soil from the bag to your garden, or scoop compost and mulch. This works better with bottles that have handles.
    • This should give you a scoop-shaped bottle you can use in your garden.
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    2
    Use it as a water jug. Take a larger plastic jug, like a two-liter or gallon one, and turn it into a watering can. Take the cap and poke multiple holes into it. Fill the jug with water, and then tip it over to water the plants.[4]
    • If you have a very delicate plant that needs a specific amount of water, you can use a smaller water bottle and turn it into a watering can in the same way.
    • Don’t make the holes too large. Smaller holes will prevent the water from coming out too fast. The holes should be larger than a pin hole but not larger than a pencil. You want to be able to control the flow of water.
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    3
    Use it as an irrigation tube. You can use an small plastic bottle as an irrigation tube for your plants. Take a 16 or 20 ounce plastic bottle and poke small holes throughout its sides so water can seep out. Then plant the bottle all the way into the ground closely to the plant, leaving just the top of the bottle visible.[5]
    • Pour water in the top of the bottle whenever you want to water the plant. The bottle will slowly disperse through the length of the bottle along the roots of the plant.
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    Create a mini greenhouse. Use a two-liter bottle to create a mini greenhouse around your already planted seedling. Cut the wider end of the bottle off. Place the bottle in the dirt around where your seedling is already planted.
    • Make sure the cut end is pushed down into the soil firmly so it doesn't blow away and will provide the best benefits for your seedling.
    • Make sure to leave the top off the bottle so the seedling gets air.[6]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Making Garden Ornaments

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    Make a bird house with a two liter or large plastic jug. Cut a round circle in the side of the bottle near the bottom. Make sure the hole is big enough for a bird to get through. Find a wooden or plastic stick for the bird to sit land on. Cut another smaller hole that is the same size of the stick. Place the stick in the hole and make sure it is secure.[7]
    • Fill the bottle with hay or other nest material.
    • You can paint and decorate the outside of the bottle anyway you’d like.
    • Place wire around the top of the bottle to make a hook to hang it if you wish.
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    Make a bird feeder with a 20 ounce bottle. Use a small craft knife to cut a small hole into the bottle about four inches from the bottom. On a different side, you can cut another hole higher. Now cut holes out directly across from these holes so there are matching holes on each side.[8]
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    Finish the bird feeder. Take two wooden spoons and slip them through the holes. This will provide a place for the bird to rest and a tray for the food to come out. Fill the bottle with bird food and replace the cap.
    • Attach floral wire or some other kind of wire around the neck of the bottle so you can hang it up.
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    Create a wind decoration. Use the bottom of 16 ounce, 20 ounce, or two liter bottles to make a lovely garden decoration. Cut away the rest of each bottle, leaving only the “feet” on the bottom. The feet make the shape of a plastic flower. Poke one hole in one of the "flower petals" and place string, fishing line, or something similar through the holes.[9]
    • Make sure the type of string or line fits snugly into the holes. If the pieces won't stay, you may need to put a little glue around the hole so the plastic flowers won't move.
    • To construct the whole decoration, you can place one of the strung "flowers" on each line or string three or four on the same string. Hang multiple in a row together for a dangling wind decoration.
    • Try getting clear and green bottles for variety, or paint them like flowers for extra decoration.
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References

  1. ↑ http://101waystosurvive.com/survail_tips/how-to-make-a-sub-irrigated-planter-sip-from-a-2-liter-bottle/
  2. ↑ http://www.johannarundel.de/2014/03/haengender-kraeutergarten/
  3. ↑ http://www.polyform.com/news-details/details/2016-5-26/how-to-reuse-plastics-in-your-garden-this-summer_55
  4. ↑ http://www.budgetdumpster.com/blog/diy-plastic-bottles-recycling
  5. ↑ http://www.polyform.com/news-details/details/2016-5-26/how-to-reuse-plastics-in-your-garden-this-summer_55
  6. ↑ http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/grapevine/undercover-operations/homemade-plastic-bottle-top-cloches_29306.html
  7. ↑ http://www.recyclart.org/2015/07/16-amazing-plastic-bottle-reuse-home-garden/
  8. ↑ http://www.herecomesthesunblog.net/soda-bottle-bird-feeder/
  9. ↑ http://www.budgetdumpster.com/blog/diy-plastic-bottles-recycling/

About This Article

Natalie Kay Smith
Co-authored by:
Natalie Kay Smith
Sustainability Writer
This article was co-authored by Natalie Kay Smith. Natalie Kay Smith is a sustainable fashion writer and the owner of Sustainably Chic, a sustainability-focused blog. Natalie has over 5 years of sustainable fashion and green living writing and has worked with over 400 conscious brands all over the world to show readers fashion can exist responsibly and sustainably. This article has been viewed 72,173 times.
1 votes - 100%
Co-authors: 5
Updated: February 13, 2023
Views: 72,173
Categories: Garden Projects
Article SummaryX

There are many ways you can reuse your plastic bottles in your garden. You can make a watering can from a large plastic jug simply by poking holes in the lid and filling it with water. Alternatively, decorate a large plastic bottle and cut a large hole in the side to make a birdhouse. To make a bird feeder, cut a hole in each side of a bottle, one a couple of inches higher than the other hole. Then, slide a small wooden spoon through the holes with the business end at the larger hole. Fill the bottle with bird feed so it will drain out into the spoon. For more tips, including how to make a garden scoop from a large plastic jug, read on!

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