Don't Toss Plastic Water Bottles: There's A Neat Way To Reuse Them In The Garden

Plastic water and drink bottles can pile up quickly, and tossing them in the trash can feel so wasteful. Luckily, you can reuse plastic water bottles for a money-saving gardening hack. The shape and size of these bottles are perfect for a seed starter with a convenient cover. This project is a great trick for the impatient gardener who wants to get seeds ready as soon as possible. Your water bottle greenhouse allows you to start seeds inside before it's warm enough for outdoor planting. The top of the water bottle helps to keep the humidity in for better germination. Once your seedlings have sprouted, you'll be ready to transfer them to your garden. For this nifty hack, all you'll need is a pair of scissors or a sharp knife, some soil, seeds, and your water bottles.

If you don't have enough disposable water bottles, other plastic drink bottles work perfectly for your seed starters. Beverage containers, including large 2-liter bottles, can be repurposed for this DIY as well. Upcycling whatever plastic you already have on hand makes this project more sustainable, and you can use a bottle even if you've lost the lid. This simple water bottle greenhouse is a wonderful alternative to plastic seed-starting trays, helping you have a more sustainable garden and save money while starting your seeds. Make as many of these seed starters as you need to ensure you're ready to plant your garden as soon as possible.

This smart way to reuse water bottles is extremely simple and can be done in just a few minutes. Using a pair of scissors or a box-cutting blade, cut your plastic bottle in half. Leave the two pieces attached by just a small sliver of plastic. Now, simply fill the bottom of the bottle with soil. Plant your seeds in the dirt, then spritz the soil with water before flipping the top of the bottle to cover it. When you're finished with your DIY germination tray, you can set the bottles in a sunny area to wait for the seeds to sprout. Consider using a marker to label each bottle with the seeds it contains. 

If you find that the top of the bottle doesn't sit nicely over the bottom, cut the two pieces completely apart and make several slits in the wide portion of the top piece. Now, the top should fit snugly over the bottom with the two halves slightly overlapping. With a 2-liter bottle, try cutting the plastic into three sections. Forgo the middle section and set the top piece over the bottom. Alternatively, if you've lost the lid and need to retain more humidity, place plastic wrap over the bottle's opening. It's important to remember that seeds won't germinate without oxygen. So, be sure to make holes in the plastic or remove the cap if the plastic pieces aren't letting in any airflow.