Bottle Tower Gardens

[Zana]

Found this today and thought it was very interesting, especially for people with very limited space for growing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9vN2eudWcQ

[TexasTycoon]

Originally Posted by Zana

Found this today and thought it was very interesting, especially for people with very limited space for growing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9vN2eudWcQ

That is really interesting, I might need to try it! I wish that video had more construction details but I'm sure Google will help me.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by TexasTycoon

That is really interesting, I might need to try it! I wish that video had more construction details but I'm sure Google will help me.

Kelly I can make something just like it and it wont look as tacky.

And so can you.
Are you interested or anyone else?

Worth

[Zana]

Definitely interested Worth.

[TexasTycoon]

I'm definitely thinking about it. I found that guy's video about constructing the towers (https://youtu.be/HuykRRspWOY) and there's no way for me to secure them to the wall of my patio. Maybe to the rail, but I don't have a lot of space in front of the rail since almost all my other plants are pushed up against it. I'm also worried about sun exposure, so up against the rail wouldn't be the best idea unless I had them facing out but since I'm on the first floor I'd worry about the apartment complex landscapers and pest control spraying nasty things onto them.

[Worth1]

Guys this is all in my head right now and I would have to make one to work out any kinks but here goes.

You will need some thin wall 4 inch sewer pipe cut to what ever length you need.
You will need a bottom cap for it.
You will need an electric heat gun.
A hacksaw.
Leather gloves.

Now you will have to cut horizontal slits in the pipe a would guess about 3 inches long.
Heat up the bottom of the slit while you have a cold wet rag on the top half.
You will have to move the gun around so it wont burn or scorch the pipe.
Once it is hot you will have to pry the bottom of the slit up to form sort of a cup like you see with the strawberry towers.
Once you have it to shape pour cold water on it so it will stay that way.

Once you have all of your little cups in the side made you can clean the pipe with a solvent scour with a scotchbrite pad or sand paper and paint your favorite color.
You can get plastic paint in terracotta.

Once this is done they make what we call 2 hole pipe straps then you can mount it on any wall.

Worth

[Worth1]

Here is something like I was taking about.
You can google PVC plant Tower and get ideas.

Worth

[TexasTycoon]

I would need something that could stand on its own, more like that picture, since I can't mount anything to the wall of my apartment patio. I do have a bunch of those 2 liter bottles, though, and know how to take the labels off, so I might try with them. I may paint them, too, who knows? Might not, depends on budget. Having one income at the moment means I have to rein myself in a little

[rags57078]

I did the pop bottle tower garden one year . I had it set up in the greenhouse at the college I work at . I had basil , chives , lettuce and spinach . There was about 50 students working on projects in the greenhouse , they got a big kick out of it .I made a 2x4 frame that supported it , I will see if I can find the pics

[rags57078]

I used a pvc frame instead of 2x4's , sorry the pictures are not very good

[Worth1]

So how many ears of corn do you think.

Worth

[rags57078]

corn may be a bit of a challenge

[TexasTycoon]

Well, the husband voted no on the bottle tower garden, he says it's too tacky looking since our patio is at the front of the building and lots of people walk by (mgmt is pretty picky about patios looking neat as well) and I agree. Maybe next year when we have a yard again I'll give it a try. I also need to remember how much room my tomatoes will take up on the patio since I don't really think there'd even be space for one tower once they get going. The pole beans will take up room too.

[rags57078]

you could always spray paint the bottles to make them look neater

[TexasTycoon]

Originally Posted by rags57078

you could always spray paint the bottles to make them look neater

I don't have any room to spray paint! Man, I miss having a yard and a garage. I don't even know what I'd plant in the towers anyway that I'm not already growing, so it's no biggie. Just an interesting concept that'll have to wait a year for me to try out.