Those indoor 'greehouse' bottle thingies

[Shortie]

I've been given an empty one and would love to get it up and runnign but haven't the first clue about planting them up or caring for them as I've never owned one before.

Can anyone offer advice? What's this type of planting called so I can Google it?

[sewer rat]

Shortie
I think what you are talking about is called bottle gardening - I remember my parents having two or three when I was a kid - in fact I have a bottle that was used for this purpose lying in the darkest recesses of one of my sheds. Other than that I can't help you further - try googling bottle gardens

[Shortie]

Perfect Rat, got it with 'bottle gardens' on google - cheers!

[Jaxom]

Shortie. When it comes to bottle gardening you place an inch of pea gravel in the bottom and then add water to the top of the pea gravel. Tap water is best. Next put in an inch of grit. Then two inches of sterilised soil. The reason for sterilised soil is so you don�t introduce rampant weeds to the jar.
Next you choose some slow growing houseplants that are a little bigger than cuttings. To plant the plants in the bottle you first use a stick as a dibber to make a hole where you want the plant to go. Next using two thin but long wide bits of wood [they are like large lollypop sticks] you hold the plant between the ends of the wood strips and lower them one by one through the neck of the bottle into the holes you have made.
Next firm the soil round each plant. When you have enough plants in the jar/bottle add something like pebbles of a nice piece of washed drift wood [this can come from a pet shop] to add a little interest and then seal the bottle with a cork bung.
From now on you will never have to water as the bottle has its own supply below the grit in amongst the pea gravel. This water will evaporate as the bottle warms up and condense as it cools down. You should never have to take the cork bung out unless you wish to change what is in the bottle.
I am no authority on bottle gardening so would advise doing some searches for more information.
Jax

[Jaxom]

reservoir is the word I wanted to use but could not spell it till now.
even the spell checker didn't help.


for ....the bottle has its own supply below the grit in amongst the pea gravel. it should have read ....the bottle has its own reservoir in amongst the pea gravel.

Jax

[Shortie]

Cheers Jax... this one's missing the cork though I think but I do remember my Aunt's had a corkages ago and that was pretty cool! Might have to see if she still has hers....

[nick the grief]

Add some charcoal as well shortie , stops the water going off

[Jaxom]

Also keep to bottle out of direct light, as too much will encourage the plants to grow too quickly. Dwarf plants are best suited to bottle gardens.
Jax