By Mary Booth
As lockdown procedures came into effect, concerns rose of potential food shortages. Many of us began looking at ‘grow your own’ opportunities as the start of Spring took hold. Even with limited space or apartment living, growing prospects entered our minds. I began watching YouTube videos from gardeners enabling me to make better use of my space, but also using plastic bottles as they tend to be more versatile and ecological than heavy plastic or clay pots.
One garden video showed the start of a small seedling of plum tomatoes that were planted in large plastic bottles to hang. Once the seedling developed a strong stem, netting was placed around the spout to hold the tomato plant in place. The seedling was then placed through the spout and hung on a sunny garden wall.
As plants that need sun to grow will naturally gravitate upward, I watched my seedlings begin the process of growing up the side of the bottle. Now in June, the plants are beginning to flower and I am in full view of the length and strength of the rooting system through the clear plastic. It has been more enjoyable having the plants at eye level and I have made the most of limited space.
I have also started a series of bell pepper plants that rest against the wall. By doing the reverse and cutting off the spout and creating drainage holes in the bottom of the bottle, I can easily stack my peppers closer together as they grow and transport them into sun spots as the summer progresses. This is a very low-cost, limited space experience that could reap huge reward!