{DIY} Self Watering Planter

I know. Another plant project. I am sorry...no I'm not. They are so much fun and they make your house prettier and more homey. Is that a word? I don't care. Well if you are interested in another little plant for your house pay attention.

On Christmas day my brother in law and I decided to cut glass bottles. There are a million videos out there on youtube, pinterest, and what have you. I read several successful stories about wrapping a string around the bottle, soaking it in acetone and then lighting it on fire. Let's just blame it on the frozen tundra that we live in and call it a pinterest FAIL, shall we?
Well at that point I was not giving up I wanted to make something. So my mom had a glass cutter laying around which we used to score an imperfect line around the wine bottle. Then we boiled water and gently poured hot water and cold water alternating over that bottle until it broke on the line. IT WORKED, I couldn't believe it. I did have to use sand paper to even the cut and make it nice and smooth.

It didn't end there. We needed to make more. This time we bought a bottle cutter from Hobby Lobby. Have you been there? It's Michael's on steroids--out of this world. I think it cost about 15 dollars with a coupon.

++Supplies++
wine bottle
bottle cutter or glass cutter
big pot for boiling water
sink for ice water
2x2 inch mesh/screen/chicken wire
cotton string
potting soil
plant

Sorry for the rambling. Here are your directions.

Gather as many wine bottles as you can. I would be lying if I said it works perfect every time. You are going to use your bottle cutter and score a line around your bottle.

 Then you are going to fill your sink with the coldest water possible and add all the ice cubes from the freezer.

Next, boil water in the biggest pot you have. Once it is boiling keep it at a nice simmer.

Now carefully submerge your bottle into the boiling hot water for 5 seconds and then submerge your bottle into the ice water for 5 seconds. Continue alternating temperature shock until the bottle breaks on the line.



At this point you should have a top piece and bottom piece and when flipping the top over and inserting it in the bottom half you should be left with as least 1 inch of breathing room from the neck of your bottle to the floor of the bottle. **MAKE SURE YOU MEASURE PRIOR TO SCORING YOUR BOTTLE (see last picture)

 Now you are going to need screen, chicken wire, or mesh. Pretty much anything that you can thread a string through that will hold dirt up from falling into the water. This is about 2x2, double check with the bottle to make sure it will fit nicely into place, adjust accordingly. Cut 3 cotton strings which, when folded in half, reach the water (see last picture). Feed the string into the screen making sure that both ends are equally as long once pulled through.

 

Plant whatever you would like. This little guy is a fern, isn't he so cute? You can add succulents or anything that is small. You're going to want to water your plant the first couple of times until your plant adapts to the self watering system.

Have fun!