Plastic Bottle Greenhouse

[Lazgaot]

I saw that PDF a while ago but I have reservations on the draughtproofness (sp?) and weather sealing. Surely rainwater would leak though the gaps? I don't think the bottles would deteriorate as quickly as we think, how long does a polytunnel last? 4+ years?

[lainey lou]

It's supposed to take about 3 days to make, were thinking of doing one at school to go in our new garden.

[OllieMartin]

I'm still investigating making a greenhouse out of wine bottles as I think it would be longer lasting and I'm giving a huge party at the weekend. But I think glass bottles will make the structure too heavy - so it'll be back to the plastic bottle idea. I'm intrigued to see if it will work.

If you want to cut the bottoms off wine bottles I've heard of a trick, not sure if it's true, but if it is it'll be faster than cutting plastic bottles.

Put oil in the bottle up to the line you want it cut off at and then put a red-hot poker (the fire prod, not the flower!) through the bottle neck and into the oil. Apparently the bottom will just snap straight off from the heat.

[rustylady]

Put oil in the bottle up to the line you want it cut off at and then put a red-hot poker (the fire prod, not the flower!) through the bottle neck and into the oil. Apparently the bottom will just snap straight off from the heat.

Lovely Ollie, what happens to the oil??? All over your kitchen???

[OllieMartin]

Lovely Ollie, what happens to the oil??? All over your kitchen???

You and Pandora have something in common; you both ought to think outside the box.
I'm thinking tub or washing-up bowl.

[Snadger]

Lovely Ollie, what happens to the oil??? All over your kitchen???

The oil should be contained in the snapped off bottom as it is the upper edge of the oil where the break will happen..............allegedly!

[grannymem]

Who's going to try it first?

[grannymem]

Still thinking about those wine bottles...What kind of oil? Vegetable oil? Car oil? Oil of Ulay???

[Two_Sheds]

I'd appreciate any advice from anyone who has done it. Does it work well? Does anyone have any plans?

apols if someone already posted this link, but here's one they made earlier: Plastic Bottle Greenhouse

[Two_Sheds]

Just remember it would have to be re 'glased' every year as plastic bottles will eventually crumble to dust when subjected to sunlight!

Planet Green Bottle of Vancouver, Canada and its partner, Wells Plastics (UK) have introduced additive, Reverte, which causes a ... (PET) plastic bottle to oxo-biodegrade in 10 to 15 years

Therefore, normal PET bottles, without this magical additive, will last longer than 10-15 years, even in the presence of oxygen.

I've used PET bottles (pop and milk) on my lotty as cloches etc for 5 years now, and none of them has crumbled yet (although some of the caps do break down : they're made of different plastics)

[Pumpkin Becki]

I watched Friday's Gardeners World last night, and they showed photos of a plastic bottle green house built by a school - probably the same one as in the link. It certainly caught OH and my attention as an interesting idea, but practically speaking I'm not sure it would be that successful, like pdblake says, it looks a bit drafty, especially as I've never found a perfectly straight bamboo cane!! However, I wish you lots of luck and we'll expect photos documenting your efforts.