Up-cycle plastic bottles...

Into what you might ask.  Well 2 ltr plastic pop bottles actually make remarkable good hanging baskets! First seen in Sparkhill during the Springfield Outdoors Be Healthy week here:

  

The families that have been coming down to the allotment recently saw the hanging baskets on the gazebo we had outside and wanted to make some on the allotment.  Quite simple really:

• Take one 2 ltr plastic bottle - rinsed 
• Puncture the base of the bottle with knife or skewer 
• Remove the plastic cap
• Thread string through to make a continuous loop (this is the hanging part)
• Lay the bottle horizontal and cut a rectangle in the side of it
• Fill it with soil and plant up with strawberry plants/nasturtiums or other trailing plants.  Pansy's do very well as well we discovered

These are what we made together:

                                                              

The force needed to put the holes in the bottle is significant so this is a job for adults.  Be real careful with your enthusiastic helpers!

As with hanging baskets, these need a lot of watering.  I've been watering mine everyday, especially when the weather is as hot as it is at the moment.  If you make one, let me know :)