Grow Fresh Mint with Recycled Plastic Bottles: A Simple Hanging Garden DIY
Want to grow your own mint at home without needing a backyard or expensive gardening tools? With a couple of recycled plastic bottles, a bit of creativity, and a love for fresh herbs, you can build a hanging mint garden that’s eco-friendly, space-saving, and incredibly rewarding.
Why Grow Mint at Home?
Fresh mint adds instant flavor to teas, salads, and desserts — and it smells amazing. But instead of buying it every time, why not grow your own? Mint thrives in containers, making it perfect for balcony gardens, small patios, or even indoor spaces.
Reuse and Grow: Turning Plastic Bottles into a Mint Planter
This DIY project transforms waste into something useful — a vertical mint planter using plastic bottles. It’s affordable, sustainable, and ideal for urban gardeners.
What You’ll Need:
2 clean plastic bottles (1.5–2 liter size)
A sharp knife or scissors
A wide straw or small perforated pipe
Twine or wire for hanging
Potting mix
Mint cuttings or small plants
A small drill or heated nail for making holes
Step-by-Step: Build Your Hanging Mint Garden
Step 1: Prepare the Bottles
Cut the first plastic bottle horizontally into two sections.
Top section (with the cap): Will act as the water reservoir.
Bottom section: Will house the mint plant.
Step 2: Create a Simple Watering System
Drill a small hole in the cap of the top bottle. Insert a thin infusion tube or narrow straw through the cap — this will allow water to drip slowly into the plant bottle below.
Step 3: Set Up the Hanging Reservoir
Hang the top bottle upside down, cap facing downward. Make sure it’s securely suspended above the second bottle, so gravity helps the water drip down naturally.
Step 4: Prepare the Mint Planting Bottle
Using a heated nail or drill, make small holes evenly around the sides of the second bottle. These are where you’ll insert your mint cuttings or starter plants.
Step 5: Insert the Internal Watering Straw
Use a wider straw or perforated plastic tube as a central watering channel inside the mint bottle. This helps distribute moisture evenly.
Step 6: Add Potting Mix
Carefully fill the second bottle with a well-draining potting mix. Make sure the wide straw stays centered as you fill. Gently pat down the soil, but don’t overpack it.
Step 7: Plant Your Mint
Insert mint cuttings or small plants into the holes around the bottle. Ensure the roots are in good contact with the soil and water them lightly to settle the plants in.
Step 8: Connect the Bottles
Align the infusion tube from the top bottle so that it feeds directly into the central straw inside the second bottle. This allows for slow, continuous watering.
Step 9: Hang and Enjoy
Choose a spot with partial sunlight — a balcony, kitchen window, or backyard wall works great. Check the water reservoir every couple of days and refill as needed.
Sustainable Gardening Meets Style
This upcycled mint planter doesn’t just give you fresh herbs — it’s also a statement of sustainability. It turns everyday waste into a vibrant, living feature that adds green to your space and flavor to your meals.
Final Tips for Success
Use clean bottles to prevent mold or bacteria.
Monitor water flow — if it’s too fast, adjust the tube size or use a cotton wick.
Prune regularly to encourage bushier growth and prevent the mint from becoming leggy.