An experiment. I simply don’t have space in which to start seedlings in the normal fashion in a windowsill, or under a full size grow-light. Small space, limited windowsills, and a cat (imagine the possibilities for mayhem); it dawned on me to use some of those empty clear plastic bottles as seedling starters. I really dislike using plastic bottles, but I am fond of flavored seltzer water (e.g., raspberry lime Poland Spring seltzer…) – so plastic bottles occasionally arrive in my abode.

the light bulb goes on

I cut a square “door” into the side of each one, around midway up before the bottle tapers toward the neck, and poured the soil in that way, then added enough water to leave moist soil. I’ll be adding slight drain holes later, as necessary, but for the moment (as you’ll see) drips were a risk I decided not to take. I then used a spare chopstick to poke my seeds to the correct depth and then gently cover them with soil. They are now hanging individually from their own coat-hooks on the wall, labeled with seed & date info, and draped with little white fairy lights to provide, hopefully, the necessary light by which to grow.

I planted – so far – only varieties that should grow up & out of the neck of the bottle, so that they can be moved outside when the weather becomes warm, but for the moment I’m hoping that the bottles will allow me to start the growing season for some hot peppers, beans, nasturtium, and peas, each just a little early. If it works well enough, my neighbors may be surprised by the appearance of some plants hanging from a couple trees in our apartment building’s backyard, safe from the depredations of squirrels, birds, and overeager landscapers. We’ll see…*