Wednesday, April 11, 2007

How To Make A Mini Greenhouse

This is a handy trick, especially if you like to take cuttings, or start seeds, or try to grow different kinds of plants.

During the year most people drink some kind of soda. When you're done with the soda, don't throw those bottles away! Save a couple and make a miniature greenhouse.

Here's what you do:

1. Cut the bottoms off two plastic soda bottles

2. Fill one with a moist mix of sand and potting soil, remove the colored-plastic bottom-rest from the other

3. Put in 6-10 cuttings depedending on how large they are, or plant your seeds

4. Fit the two bottoms together

Depending upon what you are growing, it can take about six to ten weeks for your cuttings to root. It may take less time to germinate seed, again it depends upon what you are growing.

You can then transplant them to a pot filled with soil and let them grow on for another month or two. By then you will have a plant ready to go out in your garden.

13 Comments:

At 6:06 AM, Anonymous Anthony said...

What a great idea! This is a garden project that my kids will love. Thanks.

 
At 8:23 AM, Blogger Alberta said...

What a great idea! I think kids would love this...having their own plant to watch!

 
At 10:43 AM, Blogger Hilary said...

This really is a fun project.

Enjoy!

 
At 1:12 PM, Blogger Marc said...

This will work well! Good Idea!

 
At 6:54 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is what I use to propagate roses.

 
At 4:04 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is an excellent tip...i will be using it a lot!!!!!

 
At 10:14 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank god i came accross this..i need to make two greenhouses and study them for college project.....altough i will need help in cutting and pasting the bottoms together

 
At 8:35 AM, Blogger brantley148 said...

Do you have to add water or make tiny hole into the plastic.

 
At 3:14 PM, Blogger Hilary said...

Hi,

The idea is to make a greenhouse, so you do not want to make holes in the plastic.

You may need to water once in a while if the growing soil drys out, but just water it enough to keep moist, not soggy. You don't want to risk rotting your cuttings.

I hope this helps.

 
At 1:30 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is this greenhouse really good at keeping heat in? I need to make a greenhouse project for school and we need to absorb and trap as much heat as possible.

When you've done it, PLEASE tell me!

 
At 4:42 PM, Blogger Hilary said...

Hi,


Depending upon where you put this Mini Green house, yes, it will absorb and trap heat.

Think about how hot soda gets inside a plastic bottle.

In fact, if you place this in full sun, you can kill some plants because it will get too hot.

I don't know the goal of your project, if it's to grow plants or some other objective, but I suggest you test it and try it out for yourself!

Good luck!

 
At 1:17 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

ummm....can we measure temperature somehow... i mean cld we introduce a thermometer somewhere????

 
At 2:29 PM, Blogger Hilary said...

Hi,

Sure, I don't see why not. I would get one of those mini-thermometers they have at the hardware store.

You could either tape it onto the end of a stick and put the stick in the soil so the thermometer is above the plants.

Or you could tape it to the top portion of the container and hang it.

Either would work.

Let me know and good luck!

 

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