Semi-automatic Hanging Plant Watering System

Have you ever had your plants die because they get to much, or not enough water? Do your plants take up too much space in your yard? Do pesky squirrels and rabbits like to munch on your plants? If so, then this is the solution for you! Plants are great additions to any home as they make you feel closer to nature while also being aesthetically pleasing. However, for some, watering their plants is a difficult chore, which requires a heavy water bucket that can spill and is also difficult to control. If you have many plants, watering can also be a lengthy task, and with that bulky watering can you could end up overwatering or underwatering your plants. Plants also take up space, and it can be a challenge to find a nice place for them. Additionally, if a plant is potted on the ground it is vulnerable to all types of rodents. In this instructable, I will teach how to solve all these problems at once by building a hanging, semi-automatic plant watering system. This solution is also an environmentally friendly option since it makes use of plastic that might have normally been thrown away. This system will save you time by watering your plants more efficiently while also saving space by hanging from above rather than sitting on the ground.

Supplies

One 16oz bottle

One 1 liter bottle

Paracord

Wood burner

Plastic milkshake straw

Water resistant flex tape

Soil

A plant

A stick (at least 12 inches long)

Scissors

Marker

Ruler

Step 1:

Plug in and turn on the wood burner to heat up the tip. Always assume that the woodburner is on and never touch the tip to avoid burns. Also exercise general safety precautions with the device, like always being aware of its location and keeping it away from young children. As the wood burner is heating up, first use the marker to draw a line around the one liter bottle to about 5 and ½ inches up from the bottom. Then use your scissors to cut the bottle into 2 pieces along that line.

Step 2:

Then take the bottom half of the bottle and use your wood burner to carefully burn no more than 4 holes in the bottom of the bottle. This will allow for the flow of excess water out of the soil. Next, Using the ruler, draw two lines directly across from each other on both sides of the bottle about 1 inches from the top. Then use the wood burner to make 2 holes in the middle of those lines.

Step 3:

Next, cut about 2 and ½ inches of paracord and thread through the two holes that you just made on the top of the one liter bottle. Knot the ends in the side of the bottle so that the paracord forms a type of handle for the bottle. Then use your wood burner to melt the ends of the knotted portion of the paracord to ensure that the ends will not fray and come undone overtime. Now you place in your plant, soil, and fertilizer (optional) of your choice. This portion of the system will be the pot for the plant, so set this part of the instructable aside for now while we build the water reservoir.

Step 4:

Use the wood burner to make a very small hole at the bottom of the 16 oz bottle. You may now turn off the wood burner as it is no longer needed. Then, cut your straw in half so that it forms a type of chute as shown in the picture. Draw a line about 1 inch from the end of the chute and bend the straw backwards along that line. This should flatten that 1 inch portion of the straw so that it can be taped to the bottom of the bottle. Use the water resistant flex tape to attach the chute to the bottom of the bottle. Make sure that the chute is aligned perfectly with the hole at the bottom of the 16oz bottle while also lining up your line with the edge of the bottle.

Step 5:

First cut about 6 inches of paracord and tie it around the middle of the 16 oz bottle. Next cut 4 strands of paracord that are 1 and ½ feet long each. Now tie those strands through the price that was already tied to the 16oz bottle.

Step 6:

Now you can put your soil and plant in the bottom half of the one liter bottle that you tied the paracord to earlier. Fill the water reservoir with water. While you do this, water should be pouring out of the hole down the chute, so keep the whole bottle over the sink to avoid spilling water. Once the bottle is full, tightly secure the cap, the water tension between the outside of the bottle and air should stop the flow of water once the cap is sealed. Now hang the two bottles on the stick so that the chute is aligned in a way that is above or slightly inside the hanging bottle with the plant in it. Now hang the stick anywhere outside in a place where the plant will still get optimal sunshine. Whenever you feel like watering your plant, simply open the cap for a few seconds to allow water to flow down the chute and into the pot. When the water reservoir gets low, simply refill, remove the bottle from the stick, fill it back up, and return it to its hanging position.