Mini Greenhouse for Seedlings Cat Proof!

Intro: 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.

Comments

[jcermak]

I have to try this, just to test my little monsters, I mean cats.

I'm amazed your cat hasn't knocked it over. My monster of a cat knocked over a whole humidifier before.(actually several times >.> )

[sconnor]

love this idea. :)

[Peppermint_tea1111]

I dont get it why si the top cut up and faced downwards

[Peppermint_tea1111]

I dont get it why si the top cut up and faced downwards but i think i get it now is it because of the water vapor.

[ahmad2117]

i dont suggest watering through the bottle top if your growing tomatoes, they hate that

[suboxygen]

Hey its me again.. like I said.. I made a slightly different version of your cat proof mini green house! I had to change it around because the pot I wanted to use it on was too big. Here's some photos at last

[mctiggs]

Nice. That poor kitty looks hungry! Give him some of that Brewhouse, that'll calm him down (at least I think that's what that can is). I hope you poked some air holes in that cover!

[suboxygen]

haha! i'll be sure to give her some brewhouse :D Good call, it is brewhouse. ya I did poke holes in the cover, it waters great. My bots a self watering pot as well so I just keep water in the bottom and then water it less through the top. it stays nice and humid so works well. kitties a girl too, Delilah haha.

[bluefly1215]

I gave up on indoor plants, my cat/s would eat them all. even a few cactus I had. One cat dug out all the rocks in the bottom of the pot so she could play with them. I also had two hanging plants Pothos, and they would leap into the pot and chew away. I am surprised they didn't get hurt.

[suboxygen]

i kinda cut mine too short for this one. and i just stuck the plastic inside my pot since it was so big. i used silicon to seal the pieces together. pretty cool idea though. i will be sure to post the next one i make too. thanks!

[Swampy591]

This is awesome - my cat won't be getting free snacks anymore!

[ChrysN]

Clever! My kitty recently pulled out a little apple seedling that I was proudly growing on my windowsill, he didn't event eat it, he just left it on the floor to die.

[lemonie]

Looks effective - what seedling did the kitty munch?

L

[mctiggs]

My heirloom "Paul Robeson" tomatoes.  The bugger.