What you will need:
• Clean, 5 litre plastic bottle
• Crimps and crimping pliers
• Trace wire (or any strong string)
• Scissors
• Craft knife
• Metal washers or old buttons
• Wick (thick, cotton cord
• Key ring
Read through all the instructions first before starting this craft.
Step 1
Remove the label and any dirt from your 5 litre bottle.
Step 2
Using a craft knife, make a small slit in the bottle just before the bottle tapers to the top.
Insert your scissors into the hole and cut all the way around.
Step 3
Make three holes equal-distant apart (to form a triangle) about 1-2cm from the top of your cut
bottle. Use a spike, nail or a small drill to make the hole. Do NOT make a cut, when the
garden is hanging the weight will cause the plastic to tear.
Step 4
Cut three equal lengths of trace wire (or sturdy string). The length depends how high or low
you want your garden to hang, we recommend anything from 50-100cm.
Step 5
Fold one of the wire lengths in half and thread it through the washer or button. Thread the
two ends of wire through the loop of wire so it "locks" onto the washer/button. This acts as a
stopper, preventing the wire from ripping or pulling through the plastic.
Step 6
Thread the two ends through the hole in the bottle and pull up.
Step 7
Thread the crimp onto the loose ends of wire, fold it over to make a loop and pass the ends
back through the crimp (don't crimp yet!).
Step 8
Repeat Steps 5-7 with the other two pieces of wire.
Step 9
Once you are sure that all three loops are the same length and your garden will hang evenly,
firmly flatten the crimps.
Step 10
Your three strings should now be crimped at the same length. Trim excess wire if necessary and
fit a key ring to the three loops.
Step 11
Make a hole in the lid of the bottle, just big enough to pass your wick through doubled over.
Fold wick in half and thread through the hole, from the inside out, so that the loop sticks
out the top of the lid with the ends hanging down.
Step 12
Adjust the wick so that the lid is in the middle and replace the lid.
Step 13
Turn the top part of the bottle upside down and place it into the bottom part of the bottle.
Step 14
If necessary, adjust the wick so that the two ends will stop just underneath the top of your
soil line (approx. 2cm from the top).
Step 15 (optional)
Your pot is now ready to use, but we suggest using some rust paint to give it a rustic feel.
Paint the outside of the bottle, but be careful not to get any paint on the inside of the
bottle - this will contaminate your soil, not good for anything you plan on eating!
Step 16
Once your rust paint has dried, it's time to fill your pot with soil and the plant of your
choice. Once the plant is in, water until the water reaches the halfway mark of the bottom of
the bottle - and there you have it, your very own Upcycled hanging herb garden!
NOTE: These gardens are super low maintenance. Excess water drains to the bottom chamber,
while the plant can suck as much water as it needs through the wick. No water is wasted - I
haven't watered my hanging gardens in three months (the rain has topped them up though).
If you live in a high rainfall area, it is a good idea to knock a small drainage hole halfway
up the bottom chamber; just to be sure the roots don't flood after a lot of rain.
