32 Recycled Plastic Bottle Ideas For Home Garden & Crafts

32 Best recycled plastic bottle ideas to reuse & make garden planters, self watering systems, upcycled crafts, DIY home decorations, etc!

From water bottles to milk jugs, we all have plastic bottles that go to the recycle bin almost everyday. How about some creative reuse and up-cycle?

Best recycled plastic bottle ideas to reuse & make garden planters, self watering systems, upcycled crafts, DIY home decorations, etc

When I set out to gather a few ideas on how we can reuse plastic bottles, I did not expect to find so many amazing and useful things to make for our home and garden. Proceed at you own risk: you may never look at recycled plastic bottles the same way again!

DIY plastic bottle mini greenhouse

DIY plastic bottle mini greenhouse

*Some resources in article are affiliate links. Full disclosure here.

This super quick recycled plastic bottle greenhouse can effectively raise the temperature about 10 degrees! There are 3 tips on how to use them well.  ( A Piece Of Rainbow )

DIY Plastic bottle fruit picker

DIY Plastic bottle fruit picker

You can use 1 liter or 2 liter bottles to make a recycled plastic bottle fruit picker, depending on the size of the fruits you’re picking. See video tutorial below-

up-cycled Plastic bottle fruit picker

Allan recommends in his tutorial a plastic beverage bottle with “feet” on the bottom to add rigidity to the picker part and help for a claw that captured the top of the fruit.

Recycled plastic bottle hanging planter ideas

Recycled plastic bottle hanging planter ideas

This amazing vertical garden is made from plastic bottles hanging along a wall in a narrow walkway just outside the house. Via Bitrebels

Reuse plastic bottles to make garden planters

Reuse plastic bottles to make garden planters

Make a hanging herb garden with plastic bottle planters and add your personal touch with hand-drawn labels. Via Grillo Designs

Recycled plastic bottle planter ideas

Recycled plastic bottle planter ideas

Grow a fun and productive tomato arch with self-watering planters made from recycled plastic bottle. Video tutorial below –

Plastic bottle vertical garden

Plastic bottle vertical garden

A vertical garden made of plastic soda bottles like this is great for growing herbs and smaller vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, arugula, etc. ( Original image source lost. Please let me know if you find it!)

Recycled plastic bottle hanging garden ideas

Recycled plastic bottle hanging garden ideas

This video tutorial below shows us how to make a hanging garden to grow vegetables like celery in plastic bottle self-watering planters-

Strawberry planter with plastic bottle reservoir

Strawberry planter with plastic bottle reservoir

Learning from a failed strawberry tower last year, we made several improvements. This built-in plastic bottle reservoir made a huge difference! ( A Piece Of Rainbow )

Recycled plastic bottle self watering planter ideas

Recycled plastic bottle self watering planter ideas

To convert a standard planter into a self watering container you’ll need a watertight container with a lid, this will act as the water reservoir, a tall water bottle, this will act as the fill tube, and 2 strips of fabric, these strips will draw water from the reservoir to the soil above. Via Bucolic

Plastic bottle garden irrigation ideas

Plastic bottle garden irrigation ideas

How to reuse plastic bottles in the garden? One of the best ideas is to make irrigation systems from recycled bottles. See below for some creative variations-

Plastic bottle plant watering system

Plastic bottle plant watering system

Going on vacation for a week? Set up a slow drip watering system for your plants with just a plastic water bottle and a dry cleaner’s hanger.

make plastic bottle plant watering system

Tutorial via Sages Acre

Recycled plastic bottle garden irrigation ideas

Recycled plastic bottle garden irrigation ideas

There are many ways to reuse plastic bottles for garden irrigation. You can hang the bottles, use them at soil level, or bury them in the ground. Check out the following examples.

Reuse plastic bottle for garden watering

Reuse plastic bottle for garden watering

These two video tutorials below are two ways of using plastic bottles to make drip irrigation for the garden.

Recycled plastic bottle drip irrigation ideas

Recycled plastic bottle drip irrigation ideas

Here’s another video tutorial below, and an article on plastic bottle watering systems.

Water bottle drip irrigation video tutorial.
plastic bottle drip irrigation in garden

Another easy way to reuse plastic bottles for potted plants or garden irrigation is to use self watering spikes you can get on Amazon.

Make garden plant labels with recycled plastic bottles

Make garden plant labels with recycled plastic bottles

This a a really simple and useful idea: make garden plant markers / labels from cut up plastic bottles, especially those white milk jugs. Via Creative Ramblings

Upcycled plastic shampoo bottle garden light

make plastic bottle garden light

Cut a translucent bottle, pop in a LED tea light.

Upcycled plastic shampoo bottle garden light

You can make a garden light from a plastic bottle in under 1 hour.  ( Instructables | Ruud )

Reuse plastic bottle to make an organizer

Reuse plastic bottle to make an organizer

Love this organization hack and the gorgeous fabric added onto the bottle with Mod Podge. If you are concerned about hanging it directly on the plug, just hang it on the wall next to an outlet. ( Make it Love it | Ashley )

Upcycled plastic bottle crafts ideas

Upcycled plastic bottle crafts ideas

Make an enchanting lantern using a plastic water bottle and a piece of paper. Tutorial here.

Upcycled plastic bottle Christmas crafts

Upcycled plastic bottle Christmas crafts

Upcycle plastic bottles to make some festive hanging star lantern Christmas decorations. Video tutorial below-

Plastic bottle crafts: make a bird house

Plastic bottle crafts: make a bird house

This enchanting birdhouse is made from a soda bottle.

16-amazing-plastic-bottle-reuse-apieceofrainbowblog (11)

The adorable roof tiles are made from old CDs, which could also be cut-up plastic sheets. Video tutorial below-

Reuse plastic bottle to make a bird feeder

Reuse plastic bottle to make a bird feeder

Bird feeders offer us wonderful ways to enjoy nature and make some feathered friends. You can make a simple bird feeder from an empty plastic bottle, juice container, or soda bottle in 10 minutes following this tutorial.

Soda bottle cat planter crafts

Soda bottle cat planter crafts

I will never look at a soda bottle the same way again! Ingenious! ( Bru DIY )

Plastic bottle watering can

Plastic bottle watering can

I have this love for watering cans…. one can never have too many of them, right? ( A Journey To A Dream | Astra )

Recycled plastic bottle garden sprinkler ideas

Recycled plastic Bottle garden sprinkler ideas

To make this homemade sprinkler, you just need a clean empty 2-liter soda bottle, and a 3/4 inch female x 3/4 female swivel hose adapter. Via Clever Crafty Cookin Mama

DIY plastic bottle garden lawn sprinkler

Another option is to tape the hose to the bottle. Tutorial via Housing a Forest

plastic bottle hanging shower sprinkler in backyard

Hang the plastic bottle sprinkler for more outdoor fun in the summer backyard. ( Original image source lost. Please let me know if you find it!)

No sew plastic bottle organizer case

No sew plastic bottle organizer case

Imagine going on a field trip, this would be perfect for keeping an art journal! ( Doodlecraft | Natalie )

Recycled plastic bottle chicken water feeder

Recycled plastic bottle chicken water feeder

The basin type waterer can get contaminated quickly by these active little cuties. Heather used sturdy plastic jugs ( like juice or vinegar jugs) and these easy to install Poultry Chicken Waterer to make some great hanging waterers. ( Scratch Cradle | Heather )

Recycled plastic bottle greenhouse

Recycled plastic bottle greenhouse

A very green greenhouse and a great way to reuse plastic soda bottles for your garden! ( Master Gardening & IzzyM )

Painted Bottle Passive Heating System

Painted Bottle Passive Heating System

I LOVE the use of old jugs that have been spray painted black in this greenhouse.  They are filled with water.  During the day the water warms up, and at the night, they radiate extra heat inside the greenhouse!  ( Heather | How Does She )

Up-cycled soda bottle shade canopy

Up-cycled soda bottle shade canopy

OK, most of us may not be ready to do this : named POP Culture, 1,500 recycled bottles with a bit of colored liquid in each bottle creating a magnificent parking canopy, it sure inspires us to see new levels of possibilities!  ( Garth Britzman )

Plastic Bottle Kayak

Plastic Bottle Kayak

Merrily merrily… life is a dream. Plastic bottles and Liquid Nails Adhesive are all we need for a carefree day floating on a lake with a DIY kayak made from sports drink bottles.  ( Instructables | Jake )

Plastic bottle air conditioner

This inspiring design by inventor Ashis Paul offers an innovative way to draw cool air into homes using plastic bottles. His company have helped people to install these units- which don’t need electricity to function- in more than 25,000 households in developing areas of the world.

If you don’t want the up-cycled magic to end, check out 18 inspiring ideas for upcycled glass bottles and jars or these 21 DIY greenhouses with lots of recycled materials!

DIY-Greenhouses-apieceofrainbowblog

23 Comments

  1. some people have great imaginations to make use of a plastic bottle.. Like the sprinkler. but we have a hose pipe ban in the uk. oh and nice brown grass,shinking clay soil that is sodden in winter and everything gasping for water, but not cheap to use the metered supply so we collect from the roof rain fall, trouble is no rain for an age in our area.!!!
    Now I have been holding on with some kefir milk white 1 lt size bottles that someone in my household wants to throw out as the answer to any bits of clutter. These bottles are quite solid and the label pulls off so easily. I can see them as skittles with a bit of sand in their base, but no one to play with or even my back wanting to. I could paint on them, but what other uses could i have for them. Only got a small English garden so limited to how much we grow and i use a lot of glazed blue big pots for my annuals on the patio. Add on the someone saying load of old rubbish if it is not of natural materials. any ideas you can come up with to share with us all? I am sure kefir milk is sold there for good gut bacteria.

  2. I want to apologize to you for my earlier comments about grammar and spelling. Spending years learning to be a reporter, I was held to a high standard and part of that standard was spelling correctly and using proper grammar and tenses. I stand by my review of your site, it truly is incredible, creative and mind blowing. There are so many ideas and simple DIY choices, I can do so much more with my grandson. Thank you and I hope you will forgive me.

    • hi missy simpson, thank you and no worries!! =) i grew up speaking a language that does not use past or future tense, and i never worked hard on spelling haha! my writing definitely can use lots of improvements, thank you and happy to have you as part of our community! =)

  3. These are so great ideas! My sister is trying to reduce her family’s waste and recycling, and reusing different items is a part of the process. I’m sure she’ll love these clever ideas and will get to work immediately. Thanks for the inspiration!

  4. Dear Ananda,
    This month has been a nightmare for me and my family and God knows I need a little piece of rainbow. Your site is infused with such happiness, it is a safe spot. Loved #3 and #4 above: the first for its poetic beauty and the second for its lovely efficiency – definitely need to grab a pair of scissors and make it. Your posts always encourage me to actually ACT, and I enjoy this 🙂 Speaking of plastic bottles: I did find on IG at some point lovely and colorful works of art made with plastic bottle caps – think along the lines of mosaics, collages etc. totally doable with kids… Cannot wait to try too. Have a great day!

    • hey my friend! sorry to hear you had a tough month! life can be complicated at times, take good care and find time to do small things that makes you smile!! xoxo

  5. What awesome ideas! I love being able to epicycle things I’d generally just toss in the trash or recycling bin. Will have to try some of these out!

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