Recycling and upcycling plastic bottles in the garden

Plastic bottles have long been the scourge of landfill sites, but oddly enough they can be the gardener’s best friend. Using plastic bottles in a variety of ways in your garden could save you pounds as well as saving space in landfill sites.

Self watering plant pots

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These really easy to make self watering pots will keep your plants damp throughout a hosepipe ban

How to make a self watering pot

Plastic cloches for your plants

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Give your seedlings and young plants their very own greenhouses. Simply cut the bottom off a plastic bottle and cover your plants.

Build a green house out of plastic bottles.

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I know it sounds daft, but the clever guys at REAP Scotland school created this amazing green house out of discarded plastic bottles. It’s cheap, light and really effective. Here are instructions and plans to build your own

Make a water resevoir for pots and hanging baskets

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Simply cut off the bottom of your bottle and take off the lid (or punch holes in the lid) and insert into your pots beside your favourite plants – the bottles will act as a reservoir so that when you water, the water will be taken down the roots where it is needed and not immediately evaporate.

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Make a sprinkler

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You can even use a plastic bottle as a make shift garden sprinkler. Punch holes in the bottle and attach securely to your hose (though never during a hose-pipe ban!).

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Watering your seedlings

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Use small bottles with holes in the lids to water your seedlings. An easy way to put holes in a plastic top is to heat a fine knitting needle or strong darning needle and just melt a few holes into the lid. Voilà - a mini watering can.

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Anti slug cuffs for your tender plants

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A ring of plastic around a tender plant will keep the slugs away…and if you use clear plastic you won’t even notice them.