Go Green Upside Down Hanging Planters

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.

Comments

[Moomoomilk]

Sorry to bump ya out of the limelight dwygrsshpr, but i gotta say this is the sickest way to grow plants and less expensive than the topsy turvy or whatever. way to go green debh57

RUSH ROX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dwygrsshpr]

Green light does not aid photosynthesis. The reason why plants are generally green is because they are reflecting that color in the visible spectrum which means they absorb ZERO energy along that wavelength. Red or blue light work because that energy is absorbed fully. Regardless, the leaves are outside the bottle (where photosynthesis occurs) and are exposed to all of the sun's energy. The green may help keep the soil warm as an insulator which may stimulate growth.

[crazyhalofreak]

actually if the plastic is green, then it reflects green light. so, green and clear are the best colors to use

[dwygrsshpr]

What happens when you put a green filter over a bulb? Does it come out every color but green since it's "reflecting" green light? Why don't you google "photosynthesis" and "green light" and get back to me.

[robocrazy155]

The green filter makes the light from the light bulb look green b/c it blocks all of the other colors of light and only lets the green light through. (TO halofreak) : I don't think the color of the bottle effects the photosynthesis, but the darker green bottle would trap more heat in the soil, and I would think that would effect the growth.

[TheMind]

Dwygrsshpr is exactly right. When a plant reflects green light, it means it doesn't use the light. Green is that plants waste light. Dumping more on it is just flooding it with something it can't use in the first place.

It's somewhat like giving a kid a bunch of black licorice candy because you see him giving it away. The fact is, the kid doesn't want it, and the plant can't use green light.

[skimmo]

maybe the green bottle just makes it look more environmentally friendly and dynamic.

[DebH57]

Thanks for the input and the explination I will correct my article.

[kevinharbin]

"*Note: Using a Green Soda bottle aids in the process of photosynthesis" That sounds wrong to me. Any color will work fine.

[DebH57]

I looked on Wickpedia and it also suggests red and blue but I can't think of any other colors that soda bottles come in besides green or clear.

[Noblevagrant]

yeah green might aid it if the leaves were inside the bottle, you could make a wierd green house version and on another bottle to surround the leafy part

[ableman]

I believe green would inhibit the formation of algae and/or other plants growing. Plants don't need the green spectrum that's why they reflect green light (that's why they look green also).

[Noblevagrant]

but it doesn't matter the color, there isnt any photosynthesis in the roots.

[ableman]

"Green would inhibit the formation of algae and/or other plants growing", you do not want another plant growing in the same substrate, because his will rob your tomato (or whatever) of nutrients and/or water.

[cheritys]

Could it work if the bottom was left on? Have to have a dif way to hang it but maybe...??

[DebH57]

You would need a way of watering it.

[cheritys]

Do you think if outside that the condensation would be enough??

[DebH57]

I really don't know but IMHO I think it would need more than that.