plastic bottles

[winnie]

Does any one have any good ideas for using large plastic bottles? I've been saving them for something??!!!

I used a few with a tapered neck to sink into the ground to help water to the courgettes roots but don't have any other ideas. Are they big enough to put over plants?

Any suggestions?

[Mrs Dobby]

I'm thinking of using the base end as a mini cloche or cold frame to help get my seeds to grow, and protect them from birds when they first shoot, but dont know if this will work or whether anyone has any experience of doing so.

Another use is to use them as a 'cap' on a bamboo cane, one to save your eyes getting pocked out and secondly to scare birds off when they move in the wind. Lots of people on our lottie use them this way, so it looks like it may well work!

[martini]

You could use the cap end as a cloche and, if the bottles big enough, the bottom end with a few holes pierced in the base for sowing seeds - waste not want not

[sewer rat]

As martini says, cut the bottom third off the bottles and I use the top two thirds as a mini cloche for my brassicas - stops the birdies too. You can leave the cap on or take it off for ventilation purposes. They work really well - I used about fifty this year - they are a pain in the butt to store though !

[nick the grief]

If you cut a little door about 2" from the bottom then fill to just below this with coars sand you can use it for a mini proagatoe for a cutting or two. Purt a laggy band round it to kee the door shut or sellotape & use the top to regulate the air flow like this

[martini]

Brilliant ! Were you a Blue Peter presenter in a former life?

[nick the grief]

I wish, What I could have done with those nubile young girlie presenters didn't involve sticky back plastic ..... although

[martini]

I only really remember Valerie Singleton

[Lesley Jay]

Oh Nick!! What will I do with you???

[nick the grief]

Answers on a postcard to .....

[martini]

Here's an idea for you Nick - a thermostatically controlled electric blanket, a large leakproof tray and a cloche - did you see the jumbo propagator in the T&M catalogue (£100 ). I wonder would it work?

[nick the grief]

I've got one Martini

It's 8ft long & 2 ft wide & has 1/2 ton of sand in it!!!Called a heated Bench. As to the one in the T&M catalog, it will work quite well & unlike mine you can roll it up & put it away when you've finished but I suspect you could buy a heat blanket from somewhere like NA KAys cheaper & make a cover for in.

[dexterdoglancashire]

D'you know Nick, I knew I'd seen you somewhere before! I cut up my bottles so that I can use the tops and bottoms as little cloches and then use the middle bits as collars to try (repeat try!) to stop slugs etc eating my seeldings - yes it did seem to work this year - its just the catterpillars that it doesnt deter! dexterdog PS what do you do with sticky backed plastic? I used to cover my school books with it? YUK! especially in those awful 1970s designs!!!

[Mrs Dobby]

Sticky backed plastic?? Whew, thats posh!! Nah, school books were covered in spare 70's design wallpaper in our house!

[dexterdoglancashire]

actually, come to think of it.....when I couldnt afford sticky back plastic - yep! wallpaper was king! still, with those AWFUL designs!.................cringe cringe! dexterdog