How to Grow a Garden in a Bottle
Select your bottle., Turn the bottle right-side up., Place pebbles and sand on the base of the bottle., Cover the sand and pebbles with soil., Plant the garden., Watch the plants grow.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Select your bottle.
The bottle should be large enough to allow room for plants to grow.
Clean it and allow the bottle to dry thoroughly before using it.
The larger the opening, the easier it'll be to maintain the garden. -
Step 2: Turn the bottle right-side up.
This will form the base of the bottle garden. , You can use a small spoon through the mouth of the bottle to add the pebbles and sand and move them around.
This will provide a good drainage base for the plants.
Wet the sand before putting it in place.
Do not underestimate the importance of good drainage, as the bottle does not have drainage holes and wet substrate can lead to fungus issues.
Adding a thin layer of activated charcoal on top of the drainage layer will minimize any smell caused by decomposition within the bottle.An additional thin layer of sphagnum moss or a piece of weedblocker this will prevent the soil from settling into the drainage layer., The soil should be good quality and pre-dampened.
If you accidentally get soil on the sides of the bottle, obscuring the view, you can tie gauze or cotton to the end of a pencil and reach in to wipe off the soil. , Choose seeds of small indoor plants.
Place the seeds in the soil using tweezers, a long, thin stick (if you have a steady hand) or chopsticks.
Put the seeds in different spots to make it an interesting arrangement.
Bottle gardening lends itself well to plants which require a good deal of humidity (e.g. tropical plants) because the bottle will trap moisture.Do not mix plants with different requirements, especially in terms of water.
Growing a thirsty plant next to a cactus will make for difficult maintenance.
You can also make an aquatic bottle garden (shown in a previous step). , Tend to them as they mature.
The plants will need air and moisture.
Be sure to perforate the lid or cap of the bottle or jar, or don't put it on at all.
Use a water sprayer to put moisture into the bottle.
Only water when no condensation is observed on the glass--it's always better to under water than over water to prevent the growth of fungus or mold. -
Step 3: Place pebbles and sand on the base of the bottle.
-
Step 4: Cover the sand and pebbles with soil.
-
Step 5: Plant the garden.
-
Step 6: Watch the plants grow.
Detailed Guide
The bottle should be large enough to allow room for plants to grow.
Clean it and allow the bottle to dry thoroughly before using it.
The larger the opening, the easier it'll be to maintain the garden.
This will form the base of the bottle garden. , You can use a small spoon through the mouth of the bottle to add the pebbles and sand and move them around.
This will provide a good drainage base for the plants.
Wet the sand before putting it in place.
Do not underestimate the importance of good drainage, as the bottle does not have drainage holes and wet substrate can lead to fungus issues.
Adding a thin layer of activated charcoal on top of the drainage layer will minimize any smell caused by decomposition within the bottle.An additional thin layer of sphagnum moss or a piece of weedblocker this will prevent the soil from settling into the drainage layer., The soil should be good quality and pre-dampened.
If you accidentally get soil on the sides of the bottle, obscuring the view, you can tie gauze or cotton to the end of a pencil and reach in to wipe off the soil. , Choose seeds of small indoor plants.
Place the seeds in the soil using tweezers, a long, thin stick (if you have a steady hand) or chopsticks.
Put the seeds in different spots to make it an interesting arrangement.
Bottle gardening lends itself well to plants which require a good deal of humidity (e.g. tropical plants) because the bottle will trap moisture.Do not mix plants with different requirements, especially in terms of water.
Growing a thirsty plant next to a cactus will make for difficult maintenance.
You can also make an aquatic bottle garden (shown in a previous step). , Tend to them as they mature.
The plants will need air and moisture.
Be sure to perforate the lid or cap of the bottle or jar, or don't put it on at all.
Use a water sprayer to put moisture into the bottle.
Only water when no condensation is observed on the glass--it's always better to under water than over water to prevent the growth of fungus or mold.
About the Author
Benjamin Simmons
Brings years of experience writing about cooking and related subjects.
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