Introduction: Gardening/ Recycling- Indoor/Outdoor: Glass&Plastic 2Bottle-Garden Unit
Who: You
What: Glass&Plastic Bottle-Garden Unit
Why: To Recycle/Reuse your glass and plastic bottles.
How: Click "Next Step".
These are ideal for herbs like Basil and Chives. They do not occupy very much space and can be placed indoors (by a window or bright lamp) or outdoors (in the sun).
Step 1: STEP 1: What Will You Need?
1. A glass bottle. (Vintage-soda, beer, etc...etc...)
2. Plastic bottle + cap. (The plastic bottle's opening must be wider than the glass bottle's.)
3. Soil or dirt. (To grow stuff.) AND/OR Small piece of non-soil growing-medium (Air Conditioner Weather-seal foam, or Rapid-Rooter starter-plugs.)
4. Seeds. (Pick whatever you'd like but keep in mind that it will be planted in a small bottle.)
5. A knife. (Sharp and not serrated.)
6. A heat-source and tongs. (OPTIONAL but recommended.) (An electric stove, a lighter, etc...etc...)
7. Water. (I don't think it's possible to grow anything without water.)
8. Pebbles [SMALL AMOUNT]. (OPTIONAL but recommended.) (I didn't use them because I didn't have enough available.)
Step 2: STEP 2: Bottling Things Up. Part A.
1. Clean your bottles.
2. Take your plastic bottle cap and place it over the top of your glass bottle.
3. Begin cutting out the inside of your bottle-cap so the glass bottle will fit firmly into the center. (With the bottle-capUPSIDE-DOWN.)
Step 3: STEP 2: Bottling Things Up. Part B.
1. Putting the glass bottle directly into the hole you cut.
2. You can fidget with the knife in order to widen the opening OR you can make the opening slightly malleable by exposing it to heat.
3. If you expose the bottle-cap to heat, please express caution and use tongs. (DON'T DO WHAT I DID)
4. After you expose the bottle-cap to heat, it should fit easily over the neck.
5. Your plastic bottle should be able to close tightly into its cap.
Step 4: STEP 3: Soil the Bottle.
(OPTIONAL- If you have pebbles, fill about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of the bottle with pebbles and add an inch of water for the pebbles to sit in, NOT on top of the pebbles.)
1. Fill the glass bottle, to the brim, with soil.
2. You can use a funnel or your hands.
3. Make sure that the soil is moist.
4. Press it down and put more until it seems like it ALMOST won't budge.
Step 5: STEP 4: Sowing Your Seed(s).
1. Take the foam or sponge and moisten it.
2. Make a hole in it so you and place your seeds inside of it.
3. Put the foam/sponge at the top of the bottle and press down.
4. If you can't place the sponge/foam in below the tip of the bottle, remove some soil and try again.
Step 6: STEP 5: Topping It Off.
1. Sprinkle some water over your seeds and decorate/un-decorate your bottles depending on your preference.
2. Close your plastic bottle tightly into its cap.
3. You want the least amount of bottle-wiggling that you can get.
4. Place the 2BottleGarden near a consistent light-source indoors or outdoors.
Step 7: STEP 6: Enjoy
1. Your seeds will germinate and grow swiftly because of the micro-greenhouse condition created by the plastic bottle.
2. The weight of the glass bottle and soil will limit most movement. But if it does tip, as long as it is not too high, you should be able to just put it back upright with no damage.
3. You can and should occasionally remove the plastic bottle to sprinkle water on your seeds/seedlings/plants. You should also trim/prune your plants constantly to maintain the ability to keep it within the plastic bottle.
4. However, when the plant has reached a certain height, if you wish: you may cease using the plastic bottle.
