Plastic 2 liter bottles cut in half to start plants.

[Sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Thank you Dawn419. That makes so much more sense now.

 

[smackiesmommy]

So, what do you do after you can't use the bottles anymore? If they just go to the dump then what is the best method?

 

[Dawn419]

Hello and Welcome to the forum, smackiesmommy!

This will be my 3rd gardening season for reusing my soda bottle greenhouses and they're all still as strong/usable as the first season.

If they got to the point that I couldn't use them any longer, I'd bag them up and take them to the recycling center.

When I first got into wintersowing, I used a lot of milk jugs but their plastic is so brittle that they might be usable for one round of seed starting before they just fall apart, because the plastic gets so brittle. I've never had that problem with the soda bottles.

 

[~gd]

Hey guys, I want to use plastic 2 liter bottles cut in half to start plants, I figure it's better the landfill. I used to recycle but was told at the dump not to bother separating and recycling because they just dump it in the landfill anyway. Someone told me today I can't use them to start fruit trees because chemicals from the plastic will leach into the soil and the tree. They will only be in the "pots" until spring will it matter that much?
Thanks
Brian

NO I have started all kinds of trees and bushes in them. I like to be able to see the roots develope. just remove before planting.

 

[Yelhsa8642]

Interesting idea, I will have to try this....

 

[~gd]

Interesting idea, I will have to try this....

I use 2 L bottles as mini waterers for locations where the hose won't reach and/or during drouts [sp?] when water use is restricted. Many garden stores sell hollow plastic 'spikes' with holes to allow the water to seep onto the ground below the surface close to the root zone. They cost and I am cheap so I just put a PIN hole in the bottom. fill with water and cap, place where you want the water and either remove the cap to deliver 2 L over a few hours or leave the cap tight for a 2-3 day period that works like this--- as the air/water expands with heat it will force out water to a point where there is a vacuum in the bottle and flow stops. at nightfall temps fall [hopefully] and air is sucked in until pressure is equal. The next day the cycle repeats. I have also made time release bottles that don't depend on temp. differences put one PIN hole in the bottom and a PIN hole somewhere on the side the closer the 2nd hole is to the top the faster the flow [because of more 'head'] the flow tends to stay constant untill the water level falls to the 3nd hole then it will speed up. Based on how chicken waterers work. ~gd

 

[Denim Deb]

We're in the middle of a dry spell here, not quite a drought-yet. I wish I had a bunch of old bottles.

 

[baymule]

Hey guys, I want to use plastic 2 liter bottles cut in half to start plants, I figure it's better the landfill. I used to recycle but was told at the dump not to bother separating and recycling because they just dump it in the landfill anyway. Someone told me today I can't use them to start fruit trees because chemicals from the plastic will leach into the soil and the tree. They will only be in the "pots" until spring will it matter that much?
Thanks
Brian

OK I just gotta ask this since you are concerned that the plastic chemicals might leach into your future vegetables plants, Did you DRINK the soda that came out of the said contaminated bottle or did you just dump it out because all you wanted was the bottle anyway??

 

[~gd]

We're in the middle of a dry spell here, not quite a drought-yet. I wish I had a bunch of old bottles.

Ask your friends or in a recycling neighborhood rob the recycle bins! In a deposite state (most charge s nickle /bottle) I have bought them in the supermarket parking lot. Big stores have machines that count and shred plastic soda bottles.

 

[Denim Deb]

I can't get them from recycling bins around here-I'd get arrested! We're not in a place where you have to make a deposit, so I can't grab people going in the store, and the majority of my friends aren't soda drinkers. I'm planning to try and start saving some now for next year.