Introduction: 2-Liter Greenhouse for Stem Cuttings
Use this mini-greenhouse to start greenwood cuttings, like roses. Dip a stem cutting in root hormone and shake off the excess. Put the cutting in potting soil in the bottom of the greenhouse, making sure the leaves are not touching the inside of the container. Plant the greenhouse in a garden area in November to winter. In the spring, a new plant can be removed and planted in the garden or other location.
Step 1: Mini-Greenhouse
Step 1
Materials Needed
Two 2-liter bottles
Black marking pen
Two 3" x 5" cards
Exacto knife
Shears
Old 2-pronged fork
Stove burner
Potting soil
A greenwood stem cutting, with excess leaves removed
Rooting hormone
Duct tape
Step 2: Mini-Greenhouse
Remove labels from the two 2-liter bottles.
Measure and mark 3" x 5" cards
Measure 3"- 3 1/2" down on one 3" x 5" card and draw a line straight across the card with marking pen; then cut off the excess below 3 1/2".
Measure 4" down on the other 3" X 5" card, and draw a line straight across the card with marking pen, then cut off the excess below 4".
Cut the 2-liter bottles
Align the 3 1/2" card with the lip of one 2-liter bottle and mark around the bottom of the card with marking pen. Puncture the bottle with the exacto knife above the cutting line (near the neck) to start cutting process. Then finish cutting around the circumference of the bottle with a pair of shears. Turned upside down, this will be the top of the greenhouse. The top will be curved in from the neck (a top completely level at the sides won't work).
Hold the 4" card upright on the table top against side the second 2-liter bottle and mark around the top of the card with marking pen. Puncture the bottle with the exacto knife to start the cutting process, then finish cutting around the circumference with a pair of shears. This will be the bottom of the greenhouse.
Step 3:
Put holes in the bottom of the greenhouse pot
The bottom of the greenhouse, or the pot, will need holes to allow water to drain. Heat the 2-pronged fork over a burner until a tip is red hot, then touch one of the 5 feet on the bottom with the tip to make a hole. Do this for each of the 5 feet. There will be five holes in the bottom of the pot.
Step 4:
Place top and bottom together to form the greenhouse
The top of the greenhouse will have a rounded edge that will fit inside the bottom pot. It can be pushed down firmly far enough to stay in place.
Step 5:
Using the mini-greenhouse
Winter is the best season for using the greenhouse; summer heat inside the greenhouse is usually too extreme for a cutting to survive. (Experimenting with ways to keep the plant cutting cool in summer may make it successful.)
Fill the pot (greenhouse bottom) with potting soil and water it well. Trim a green stem cutting so that it fits inside the mini-greenhouse without touching the sides or top. Dip the cutting in rooting hormone and shake off excess to help start roots growing. Plant the cutting in the potting soil below the last node (or two) . Place the top of the greenhouse on (inside the bottom), and push it down securely. Tape the bottom and top of the mini-greenhouse together with masking tape to keep a strong wind from blowing the top away.
Dig a hole in the garden in late October or November and plant the pot inside, heaping soil up around the sides of the pot. In the spring, dig the greenhouse out and cut the sides of the pot down to the holes with shears (destroying the pot) to remove the new plant. (Roots such as roses are very delicate and won't tolerate a lot of shaking to remove it from the pot.)
