Soda Bottle Terrariums

When I was in Girl Scouts, we made all sorts of crafts, learned cool new things I probably never would have otherwise and camped in the wilderness (or someone's backyard) all for the love of our badges.  One of the crafts we made was a very cool terrarium from a 2-liter plastic coke bottle.  Back then the 2-liter soda bottles had a hard plastic bottom attached to the plastic bottle itself (I think to keep it from falling over).  This was my first terrarium and every since I have had a "thing" for terrariums (and of course for recycling lol).   Though I did not find a picture in my thousands of family photos but I did find a post from an old school article, circa 1979, that is the exact terrarium.  I am so excited to share the original with you.  As well as the more recent version of the same terrarium idea and a completely wild over-the-top version of that!  So let's get our terrarium on shall we!?!

First, I show you the original 1979 terrarium...

Step One: Pop off the plastic bottle's colored bottom (get a finger under it and pull)
trying not to crack the plastic of the soda bottle (much cheaper plastic back then).

Step Two: Cut the clear inner bottle, just below its upper bulge at the top.

I think a utility knife/xacto blade might work better here but don't think they 

were invented yet.

Step Three: Make a slit from the bottom edge up 2-inches of one side of the
resulting dome, overlap the cut's edges, and fit the rounded piece
into the flat-bottomed base.

Final step: add small layer of gravel at the bottom, then a small layer of
sand, with the rest soil.  Plant your terrarium plants, water till moist, then add
a layer of decorative rock (aquarium rocks), put the dome on and
viola you are done!

Second, the new 2013 version of the same terrarium idea. 

2013 soda bottle terrarium

2013 self watering soda bottle planters

And now for the ultimate version called an ecocolunm!

What a great project to do with kids!

Sidebar here, as I was searching for some information online about the soda bottle terrariums I came across this blog.

With these pictures...very cool but not sure how healthy growing in plastic would be.  Anyone?  Though I guess growing something when you have nothing is better than nothing at all.

Lots and lots of herbs and veggies to eat!

Very innovative with recycling plastic bottles.

Today I give thanks for the things I have in my life and am grateful!

How about you?

Happy Fall y'all!!!

Best wishes,

Sheri

xoxo