Upcycle A Plastic Bottle Into A Space-Saving Solution For Growing Tomatoes

Anyone who's ever had the joy of growing them at home knows that tomatoes have the habit of taking over your patio, balcony, or vegetable patch very quickly. If you have a smaller space, this can be enough to put you off growing them altogether. What they need is a place to grow without taking up valuable real estate, which is exactly where repurposing plastic water bottles on a wall comes in. It's already common to use 2-liter water bottles for starting seedlings off, but larger 1-gallon bottles (just under four liters) can be turned into very effective wall-mounted or hanging planters. That's especially true for dwarf or patio tomato varieties, as most of these smaller plants only require 2 to 5 liters of potting mix. 

The first step is to find a large plastic water bottle to repurpose. Then, use a drill, screwdriver, or utility knife to make around 10 drainage holes ¼ inch in diameter along the bottom and lower sides of the container. Next, cut off the bottom base of the bottle. Attach the bottle, upside down with the cut side up, using zip ties, heavy-duty garden wire, or metal mounting brackets to a sturdy surface like a wall, railing, or fence. Fill the whole thing with good quality potting mix, place your tomato plant inside of the cut opening, and the plant will grow out from there. 

Tomato varieties matter a lot for tricks like this to actually work. Tomatoes grow quickly, especially larger types like beefsteak tomatoes or sprawling indeterminate varieties – they will outgrow small containers quickly. Instead, opt for compact varieties like dwarf tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, or any smaller bush species, as these are better suited to having less room but will still produce large amounts of fruit.

The advantage of this kind of set up is that it keeps the plants off the ground, which means less contact with damp soil. You can also reach the branches with more ease when it comes time to harvest. The rest of the standard tomato growing tips apply here. It doesn't matter if they're growing in a container, a bed of soil, or a water bottle — they'll still need enough sunlight, water, and fertilizer, and you'll still need to trim damaged foliage. Dwarf varieties typically need less support, but if a branch becomes too heavy with fruit, you may need to consider staking your tomato plant by tying that individual branch loosely to the bottle hanger or a nearby railing for extra support. Otherwise, this is practical gardening hack suitable even for inexperienced growers, as it makes use of vertical space while giving discarded plastic a second purpose.