DIY Network

Soda-Bottle Terrarium From "DIY Crafts" episode DIC-116

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Figure A Figure B Figure C Figure D Figure E Figure F

Debbie Stapley, host of Crafts & Company, uses a soda bottle and cuttings from the garden to make a simple terrarium to sit near the window. This easy project is great for kids. Along the way, they'll learn some basic gardening principles.

Materials:
Clean, empty clear-plastic 2- or 3-liter soda
bottle (must have an opaque bottom)
Potting soil
Coffee filter
Craft knife
Table knife
Awl or ice-pick
Optional: pen or marking pen
A variety of small plants or cuttings (from a store or the garden)
Twigs
Moss
Plastic or ceramic figure
Ribbon

1. Remove the label from the bottle by soaking it in soapy water. Remove the opaque cup at the bottom of the bottle. If the base won't easily pop off, fill the bottle with very hot tap water and place the bottom of the bottle in a pan of hot water for a minute or two. Remove the bottle from the pan, and empty the bottle. Slide a table knife between the clear-plastic bottle side and the opaque base. Twist the knife, and the bottom should come off.

2. The clear bottle has a round bottom, and in the center the plastic is a little thicker. Working around the thickness, punch four or five holes around the bottom for ventilation holes. When you reassemble the bottle, this will be the top of the terrarium.

3. Using a craft knife, cut off the top the bottle at the point where it begins to slope toward the top. Since this portion of the bottle will fit down into the opaque base, you want it to have a slight inward slope (figure A).

4. If the opaque base has holes in it, place a coffee filter inside so the soil won't fall out the holes (figure B).

5. Place about an inch of potting soil in the opaque base.

6. Take the kids into the back yard, and choose some small plants or cuttings. Plant two or three in the soil. (A small ivy works well.)

7. Add potting soil around the plants so it comes to about 1/2" below the rim (figure C).

8. Place some twigs in the soil to add a rustic look. If you like, place a little figure such as a cottage in the soil. Place moss on top of the soil. Add a little water (figure D).

9. To close the terrarium, slide the cut side of the bottle down over the plants and into the opaque base. If the top won't slide into place, take a pair of scissors and snip around the cut edge, then try slipping on the top again (figure E).

10. Once the top is seated, tie a ribbon and bow around the base. Place it near a window, and enjoy watching the plants grow (figure F).