Introduction: Mini Greenhouse for Seedlings Cat Proof!

I created this after I left my seedlings in plain sight one night and woke up to a cat licking its lips and an empty pot of dirt.  The cat proof mini greenhouse keeps the felines away and is an effective greenhouse for growing seedlings.

I have learned that nothing is cat proof (only cat resistant), but so far this has done the trick.

Step 1: What You Need

1. A clean, empty 2 litre soda bottle with the label removed
2. A knife and puching tool (here a Swiss Army knife)
3. A hammer
4. A small nail
5. Fishing line
6. A piece of cardboard approximately 5.5" x 5.5"

Step 2: Step 1 - Remove the Head

Cut the "head" off the bottle by following the natural seam where the plastic stops tapering.

Watch your mitts because I've cut myself twice doing this.

Step 3: Step 2 - Remove the Feet

Flip the bottle over and cut along the feet of the container, along the thinner plastic.  The plastic in the centre of the bottom of the bottle is too thick to cut, so work around it.  Remove the flower-shaped piece of plastic.

As you can see, I left a little liquid in the bottle.  Whoops!  Make sure it's dry.

Step 4: Step 3 - Prep the Anchor

Cut a 1 cm wide slit about 1 cm from the bottom of the "non-flower" end of the bottle.  Put another slit at the same place on the opposite side of the bottle.

Step 5: Step 5 - the Tether

Place the bottle slit-side down on the cardboard.  Mark out and punch two small holes on the cardboard below the slits from step 4.  The holes should be 1/2 a cm apart but two separate and distinct holes.

Step 6: Step 6 - Tie Down

Cut 2 pieces of fishing line about 6 inches long.  Fold them in half, and push the looped end of one line through each of the slits from the inside of the bottle.  Pull the loose ends of the line through the loop and pull tight, creating a knot.

Push the two loose ends of one of the lines through a set of holes on one side in the cardboard.  Leave the other holes alone for now.


Tie the fishing line securely below the cardboard in 3 or 4 knots.

Step 7: Step 7 - Sprinkler

Take the cap off of the head of the bottle and remove the inner plastic liner.  Use the hammer and nail to make about 4 evenly spaced holes in the bottle cap. 

Put the cap back on the head.

Step 8: Step 8 - Slip in the Plant

Lay the bottle down with its tethered end facing away from you.  Slip the plant into the bottle and tie the remaining two loose ends of the fishing line through the two holes as in step 6.  I find it easier to hang the whole works over the edge of a table, allowing me to make the knot without spilling the plant.

Step 9: Step 9 - the End

Flip the decapitated head of the bottle into the feet so that it rests in the flower-shaped hole we created. 

Water the seedling by dumping water in the cup and watching it sprinkle through. 

There you have it, it can't be tipped over, it's completely encased, and light can get in creating a mini greenhouse. 

Neat.