Growing in pop bottles

[DwanePipe]

I'm quite new to the allotment and have seen on the net, ways to grow veg in old 2ltr plastic pop bottles. I have an almost unlimited suply of the 2ltr and a slow suply of the big catering 5ltr bottles.

I'm going to try to grow sigle dwarf beans/peas,gherkin and peppers in the 5ltr and in the 2ltrs single beetroot, igloo(mini) cauliflower, lettuce and maybe some micro toms.

The reason I want to use old bottles is that they're free and it would make quick and easy use of space.

The reason for the 2ltr bottles is less compost cost.

I'm going to position the bottles both in the unheated greenhouse and outside.

So, anyone got any hints or tips, best veg to grow? I guess the veg have to be dwarf or micro types, will a 5 ltr pot (prob 3.5ltr to 4 ltr soil) be enough for the veg I wishng to grow? Same for the 2ltr pot?

Cheers lookig forward to advice

[zazen999]

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ead_30193.html

There might be some help in this thread...

[Aberdeenplotter]

If you have an allotment you will have soil so why are you proposing to grow in compost and not in the soil? Just interested

[DwanePipe]

Going to be using a mixyure of soil, compost, perhaps some mulch and manure. I have a couple of hundred bottles in mind, these can go over unused plots for this year, alowing me to work about 1/2 of my new allotment(raised beds).

[veggiechicken]

Anything grown in pots needs more attention to watering - you don't need me to tell you that! So don't make extra work for yourself by growing in pop bottles, just because you have them, when you could plant direct in the soil.
In the greenhouse is a different matter so anything that will grow to maturity in a flower pot of similar size would be suitable.- a lettuce, spring onions, radish........

[Bigmallly]

I would be more tempted to use them as cloches as opposed to pots. Sorry forgive my ignorance.....welcome to the vine.

[Two_Sheds]

I've grown things like strawberries, lettuce etc in upside-down pop bottles. I wouldn't bother again: the light allows green algae to grow around the plants' roots, and it's all rather unpleasant.

They're OK as mini-cloches though, for rooting cuttings on the windowsill.

The five litre water bottles make good watering holes, but they aren't as robust as the black Morrisons buckets, which I'm moving over to.

The 5 litre bottles ARE good as demijohns, and for brewing comfrey tea in.

[DwanePipe]

I'm quite new to the allotment and have seen on the net, ways to grow veg in old 2ltr plastic pop bottles. I have an almost unlimited suply of the 2ltr and a slow suply of the big catering 5ltr bottles.

I'm going to try to grow sigle dwarf beans/peas,gherkin and peppers in the 5ltr and in the 2ltrs single beetroot, igloo(mini) cauliflower, lettuce and maybe some micro toms.

The reason I want to use old bottles is that they're free and it would make quick and easy use of space.

The reason for the 2ltr bottles is less compost cost.

I'm going to position the bottles both in the unheated greenhouse and outside.

So, anyone got any hints or tips, best veg to grow? I guess the veg have to be dwarf or micro types, will a 5 ltr pot (prob 3.5ltr to 4 ltr soil) be enough for the veg I wishng to grow? Same for the 2ltr pot?

Cheers lookig forward to advice

Thank for the help peeps.

I've re-thought my first ideas, taking on board the care/watering and algae problems. I think I'm on the road to cracking this one!

I've now linked together 5x5ltr. clear cordial bottles, cut the lower 2/3s of one face of each bottle (allowing a 2ltr black pot to be popped in), drilled holes in the bottle tops and put filters in.

I've bought some plumbing bits, scrounged an old water tank and put plastic water pipe on two walls of my greenhouse. Each set of 5 bottles has been slotted onto the pipe and a drip hole drilled in the pipe. So bottles hung upside down in 5s with pots in each, my greenhouse walls are now in full bloom (13 lots of 5, 65 plants on two windows of the greenhouse!).

The water tank holds about 100ltr and takes about 4 weeks to drain. I've put a simple gate valve on the exit of the tank which needs slight adjustment from day to day.

So far everything seems fine and dandy, plenty of cherry toms, peppers gherkins peppers, aubergine and dwarf runners in flower or fruit. Dwarf peas have already hit the plate!

Next year (if I can get hold of the bottles) I'm going to try move this system outside just using dwarf varieties and perhaps a wall of strawberries mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

[veggiechicken]

Any chance of a photo Dwayne? My imagination can only do so much

[DwanePipe]

I'll get 1 sorted... my phone's rubbish. but someone'll help.

[veggiechicken]

Thanks Dwane. its sounds too good to miss - I'm intrigued

[Dorothy rouse]

I'm confused, sounds hard work to me!

[snakeshack]

this I have to see,I can feel a wallof strawberries an pineberries coming on.

[MrsCordial]

I use plastic bottles all the time, but as cloches. Without exception now every seed or seedling I plant goes under its own incubator. It works very well for me. Having tinkered about a bit I now cut just the end off and plant lid-up, so the lid can be on loosely for ventilation, watering and having a good nosey. I forgot about three little gem seedlings that were under plastic until their leaves touches the sides and I spotted them and removed the cloches for good. They're the three strongest little gems by far, so I wish now I'd kept the rest under plastic for longer.

It also sorts out my previous constant problem of forgetting where I planted things *embarrassed face*. But on the down side, it looks like I'm mainly growing plastic bottles on my veg patch :O

[lottie dolly]

I'll get 1 sorted... my phone's rubbish. but someone'll help.

what happened to the pics,you got a few of going now,just as to what you have done,