How to Make a Self Watering Planter Made From Wine Bottles

Set the wine bottle in the bottle-cutting jig, adjusting the glass cutter's height so it will score the bottle near the shoulders. The object is to cut the bottle so the top half will fit inside the bottom with the lip of the bottle unable to touch the bottom. Tighten the knobs to secure the glass cutter at the chosen height.

Press the bottle against the glass cutter while turning, scoring the bottle. Twist the bottle all the way around a few times to make the score as deep as possible. Remove the bottle from the glass cutter.

Heat some water in the tea kettle. When the water boils, hold the bottle over the sink, holding by the neck, or set the bottle in the bottom of the sink. Pour boiling water out of the kettle over the scored mark, turning the bottle slowly and pouring additional water until the entire scored area becomes hot.

Submerge the bottle in a bucket of ice water deep enough to cover the scored line. Listen for a cracking sound. Remove the bottle and twist the top and bottom portions in different directions until the bottle comes apart.

Poke a small hole in the center of the wire mesh screening using the tip of a scissors blade or a craft knife.

Cut a piece of cotton twine approximately 2 feet long and push one end of the twine through the hole in the screening. Tie a knot at this end to keep the string in place.

Feed the string through the upturned top portion of the wine bottle until the string comes out the bottle's mouth. The knot should be on the top side of the mesh. Push the mesh down inside the bottle until it sits at the bottle's shoulders, near the neck. Set the top of the bottle inside the bottom of the bottle, neck facing down, to hold it up as you prepare the plant.

Grip the plant in one hand while flipping the pot over, removing the pot with the other hand. Loosen the roots a bit with your fingers by squeezing the soil.

Set the plant and its soil into the top half of the bottle, removing excess soil if necessary. This top part of the bottle acts as the plant's pot.

Lift the top bottle half from the bottom and fill the bottom at least half full of water. Set the top half back down into the water so the twine is fully submerged.