How to Make a Vertical Garden with Plastic Bottles 2026

Today we will teach you how to make a vertical garden with plastic bottles in an easy way, which you can do yourself for the exterior of your home.

Using empty plastic bottles for this project fits perfectly with my philosophy of sustainable manufacturing, using what you have, to create a vertical garden.

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And the best of all is that they are free!

We're not soda drinkers, but we found a whole box of empty containers and took them away to make our hanging garden.

#1: Watch the video!

Click to see the video on how to make a vertical garden with plastic bottles

Then follow the tutorial and start planting!

#2: Gather the Materials

Along with the soda bottles, you will also need:

• 1/8″ Galvanized Aircraft Wire Cable, Cable Ferrules for Cable Crimping
• A wire cutter and cable snagging tool,
• Metal washers (#6)
• S hooks (3/4″)
• A metal ruler
• Bookmark
• Loop spinner (or other long, thin object)
• Adhesive tape
• Wood stove with a pointed tip,
• Aquarium gravel,
• Transparent waterproof putty or epoxy putty,
• Land/fertilizer
• Plants of course

#3: Select your Plants

I used a combination of succulents and Himalayan plants in pots from Ikea.

At $3.99 each, they're a real bargain and I'm grateful to be able to find them this time of year!

#4: Remove the label and measure

I used 5 bottles for my hanging garden, but you could make as many as you want.

When the weather improves outdoors, they would also make a great display to hang on a massive scale!

To start, remove the label from the soda bottle.

I used the label to cut a rectangular piece that measures 5 1/4″ x 3″.

I folded the label in half lengthwise and marked the center of each side.

#5: Mark the corners and holes

I put the label back on the bottle through the middle of where it was attached.

I found that with the combination of the glue residue and the static cling, my particular label stuck really well.

Mark the four corners with the black marker and measure no less than 5/16″ from the center on each side and place two more dots on the bottle.

#6: Aligning to cut

Remove the label.

Apply two pieces of masking tape to a metal ruler and place it on the bottle lining up two of the points you marked with the black marker.

The metal ruler should be placed on the outside of the line you are cutting; It will give you a cleaner line when using the wood burner.

#7: Use the wood stove to cut

I use a wood burner to cut the plastic (you can also cut the plastic with a knife instead). Make sure you are using the tool in a well-ventilated area;

Doing this step outdoors is ideal.

Also make sure you have a heat-resistant surface to leave it on while you work, and to be safe in case you forget to unplug it.

I leave mine on the stand with a metal tray underneath.

Heat the wood burner with a pointed tip. Insert the tip starting at the location you marked earlier and use the edge of the ruler to guide the wood burner until you have reached the second point on the opposite end.

Do this as steadily and quickly as possible or you will distort the line if you leave it in one place too long and melt the excess plastic.

Once you learn how to do it, you'll be cutting through plastic with ease. Remove the ruler, then move it to the other side and cut the bottle the same way.

#8: Cut the sides

I used a piece of metal and bent it into a curve around the bottle.

I used it the same way as the metal ruler to guide the wood burner and cut the plastic on the shorter end of the bottle.

Once all 4 sides of the rectangle have been cut, you can remove the inner plastic piece, but do not throw it away (we will use it later).

#9: Making holes

Take the tip of the wood burner and drill a hole through the two points you marked 5/16” from the center of the label.

Just hold the tip for a second or you'll make the hole too big; It just needs to be big enough to pass the cable through.

#10: Mark the bottom holes on both sides

With the bottle facing right, insert the long loop spinner through the hole downward until it reaches the bottom of the bottle.

Mark the spot with the marker and do the same for the other side.

Turn the bottle upside down and make a small hole at the two points you marked.

#11: Cut the cable

Now we are ready to build the suspension system.

Measure two 12″ pieces of airplane wire for each bottle and cut them with wire snips.

#12: Make a bow

Insert the wire through one end of the metal ferrule, bend it into a loop, and insert the same end into the other side of the ferrule.

My ties were about 1/2″ in length.

Place the ferrule on the stamping tool and squeeze it to seal on both ends of the metal.

#13: Finished wires

You'll end up with cables that look like this:

#14: Thread and wire washer

Put a washer through the wire so that it rests in the loop you just made. Insert the wire through the hole at the bottom of the bottle and through the top hole.

Make a loop on the top of the wire using another ferrule as you did before and secure it with the swaging tool.

#15: Drain plugs for indoor use

Continue with the rest of the bottles until each has two wires threaded through the holes with washers on the bottom to support the weight.

If you use it outdoors, be sure to add a few more drainage holes at the bottom.

For indoor setups, I would suggest adding a bead of clear waterproof putty or epoxy putty to cover the bottom two holes (from the inside) so water doesn't seep in and drip down the wires.

The epoxy putty will be easier to work with because you can roll it into a small ball and squish it around the holes.

If you use caulk, to prevent it from seeping too much into the wires, you can squeeze it into a plastic cap and use something like a coffee stirrer to apply it around the holes on the inside of the bottle.

Make sure the wires are pressed tightly against the bottom of the bottle (you can tape them when dry if necessary).

Allow the putty or epoxy to dry according to package directions before you begin planting.

#16: Planting and installation

Place some plastic on the table surface to catch the mess if you do this indoors!

Gather your plants and planting materials (soil, gravel, shovel).

Be sure to purchase soil suitable for your plants; Here I am using cactus soil for one of the succulents.

#17: Add gravel for drainage

Do you remember the piece of plastic you saved from the middle of the bottle?

I used it to confine the soil to the center section of the bottle (so I could save on the amount of gravel I had to use), but you can choose not to use it if you prefer and fill the entire container to the sides.

Cut the plastic in half lengthwise and insert it into the bottle so that the concave part surrounds the wire (facing inward).

Put a layer of aquarium gravel on the bottom.

This is optional, but helps with drainage. (Note that if you are doing this project outdoors, you can skip the gravel entirely and simply add more holes to the bottom of each bottle for drainage.)

Add a layer of soil to give the roots something to grow into.

#18: Add plant material

Lift the plant from its container and loosen most of the soil around the roots.

Plant in the bottle and surround with more soil to secure.

Do not overfill the soil or it will wash over the edges when you water the plants.

Continue planting the rest of the bottles until they are ready.

Now you are ready to hang!

#19: Transport the bottles to the installation site for assembly

I put all the finished bottles in a cardboard box and transferred them to the kitchen. I installed my hanging garden on the side of the non-working sliding door, so we still have access to our backyard.

To prepare, I hung two shower curtain rings on the curtain rod over my sliding glass doors.

If you don't have a curtain rod, you can substitute the eye hooks and screw them into the wood trim the same width as the cord holding the bottle (approx. 5 3/4″).

I created two new hanging wires (about 24″ long) and hung them from the curtain rings to start the garden at a suitable height.

We use 3/4″ S hooks as connectors.

#20: Install using S hooks

My husband hung each bottle, one at a time, connecting them as he went with the S hooks until he reached the bottom.

#21: Ready

It's hard to get a good picture with the window backlighting, so I tried closing the ties, but I can attest that the hanging garden looks stunning in the kitchen!

You could change the settings and adapt this idea for any window;

Just add a few more columns and stagger the floors.

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