[Livinhope]

aelf,  I tried this as an experiment yesterday and the top part of the bottle goes right down into the reservoir, when inverted, and sits on the bottom (having cut the neck off the bottle) is this right?

[aelf]

Hi Livinhope, that is exactly right  then you can water through the hole at the back and the water will seep into the soil from the bottom and evaporate slowly away at the soil surface.  I put about an inch -worth of water in and leave it for a week or so to dry out then re-fill. That way the strawbs don't get waterlogged.

[Livinhope]

As usual I thought I'd done something wrong. 

Saving plastic milk bottle madly.

[Hawkins]

Ive only just caught up with this thread and it looks amazing. I have all the strawberries i could possibly eat for this year but im definatley saving milk cartons. I wonder what else could be grown like this. Lettuce maybe even a hanging basket tomato if it was a six pinter carton or somethhing.

Wow fab.

[greenockian]

Living in a very wet part of the country, (in normal years) would I not need to put in some drainage holes, even part way up the wall so that the plants will not become waterlogged.
I intend to give the a light spray of black car primer just to let them blend in a bit until they are covered with leaves.

[Pabala]

Just thinking, how easy would it be to keep the birds from eating them. Would you have to cover the lot in netting ............. curious begineer 

[Livinhope]

Mine are going on a trestle in the brassicas' cage which is netted with fine black mesh netting making use of height as well as ground area.

[Dotty]

I am so glad i joined this site yesterday. A whole new world has opened up for me!
I am also trying to think of other things i could grow in them

[Livinhope]

They would be a good way for someone with only a balcony to grow on.  Herbs, lettuce, radish, spring onions.  They would take up very little room and could even be used as hanging growers.  Aelf, you should have patented this.

[kittenkirst]

What an excellent and ingenious idea! I am all excited now and planning on where I can create one for next year! Have also shown dear father in law who was v impressed- now to enlist his help with the making!!

Thanks for sharing your idea   

[birmancats]

Aelf - love it.  Will be raiding the bin at work for all the four pinters from now on.  Thanks for sharing it with us. 

[aelf]

Thanks everyone for your kind words, I'm thrilled that you like the idea. One for Blue Peter, I think?
 

[Livinhope]

Aelf, it's such a simple idea, the ultimate in recycling, it could also be adapted to other plastic bottles and containers.

[braders1234]

Simple question - how did you cut the bottle (with what) and what size milk carton have you used?

[Christo]

Excellent idea. I'm going to try that. Nice to have something useful to do with all those milk bottles. I might have a tinker tonight.