Make stunning 'zero waste' planters for your garden or home with item you'd put in the bin - Mirror Online

Gardeners can make some planters using only their old water bottles with this handy trick. Expert gardener Joseph Clark took to Instagram to explain how you can make your own

So many of us look at the amount of plastic we use in despair, but gardeners could give products a new lease of life with one key trick.

Instagram user Joseph Clark shared a video of him reusing an old plastic water bottle to make a cosy pot for some flowers. The easy trick can be used for house plants , flowers and other plants in your garden. “These zero waste bottle planters are not only a fun way to use old bottles to prevent them going to waste, but they are actually very practical,” Joseph said in a video. “One of the easiest ways to kill your plants is to over water them. This is when the roots are sat in water for a prolonged period of time.”

Joseph showed us how we can rig up a system for our plants by using the water bottle to provide good drainage. He started by cutting the top off the bottle with some scissors and poked some holes in the top section where the cap is with a hot fork. Another singular hole was placed in the cap, while the bottom section of the chopped bottle requires some evenly spaced holes in its upper section.

Put some twine through the hole in the cap and push the whole of the top section of the bottle including the cap back into the bottle upside down. Pull through some twine into the evenly spaced holes in the uppers section to hang the makeshift plant pot. Then, simply, add some compost in and your chosen plant.

“The way this planter is designed will help to prevent [poor drainage],” Joseph said. The water drains out into the bottom section, but the roots are still safe in the top.” Joseph added: “The wick system will then draw water from this bottom section, helping to keep the soil moist, but not saturated.” A number of people in the comments were quick to praise Joseph for his ingenious trick. “Aww love zero waste projects,” one person wrote. Another said: “What a good idea, thank you for sharing.”

Joseph also added some advice about plastic leaching, when chemicals in the plastic can contaminate the surrounding area due to exposure to heat, such as from sunlight. He said: “If you are concerned about plastics leaching, then do what I did and plant flowers, although you can plant a vast array of herbs, veggies and fruits in these planters. I often plant strawberries and basil in mine, as well as lettuce.”

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