Make a Root Waterer Using Recycled Plastic Bottles

I have been aiming for xeriscape, or at least low water usage gardening, but now and then I fall in plant lust for something that wants more water than everything else around it. Rather than dousing everything, I started using plastic beverage bottles as root or drip waterers for specific individual plants. It has worked remarkably well, it's virtually free, and it is reusing/recycling. Those are all good attributes, in my book.

Peel off the labels, wash the bottle thoroughly, and put the cap on securely. Use an Exacto knife to cut 4 to 6 small X's, evenly spaced around the bottle, a few inches down from the neck of the bottle. Then cut the bottom off the bottle. (I keep the bottoms to use as beer saucers for slugs!) In the photos below I just used a water bottle I had on hand to demonstrate:

Bottom cut off, and I marked the small "x" I cut with marker so you could see it:


Close-up of the "x":


Bury the bottle, cap down, about two-thirds of the way deep near the plant you want to water and fill it up with your hose or watering can. The water will seep out slowly near the roots. You can easily hide or camouflage the visible part of the bottle behind other plants. The 2-liter soda bottles don't work particularly well for this because of their shape, but any bottle with a fairly tapered top should do. My favorite is a quart-size brown root beer bottle. I also keep a watering can nearby so I can easily pour more water in as needed.