How to Make Your Own Drip Bottle for a Plant

Drip irrigation is among the most effective methods of watering plants. A small, single-plant version of a drip irrigation system can be made using an empty 2-liter bottle and a few basic tools. The system is not automated and requires filling the bottle every day or so to maintain continuous watering. However, in a small container garden the system provides simple irrigation to plants with almost no expense.

2- or 3-liter plastic bottles
Power drill with 1/16-inch bit
Utility knife
Scissors

Instructions

- 1
  Clean up the soda bottle by rinsing the interior with hot water and removing any labels from the exterior.
- 2
  Drill one or two holes in the cap of the bottle. The size of the holes determines the rate the water drips from the bottle. Start by drilling holes 1/16 inch in diameter. If the flow is too slow, enlarge the holes by drilling in the same location with a 3/32 or even a 1/8-inch bit. Start small. You can always enlarge the hole, but you can’t make it smaller. Screw the cap back on the bottle.
- 3
  Cut the bottom end of the bottle off. Use a utility knife to create a slit and then cut around the bottle with a pair of scissors.
- 4
  Insert the bottle, cap end down, into the ground next to the plant you want to water. Excavate enough soil so the bottle cap is level with the root zone of the plant. This may actually require digging the bottle in a little deeper as the summer growing season progresses.
- 5
  Fill the bottle with water. The water will slowly drain through the holes in the cap, dripping into the plant's root zone and providing continuous irrigation.

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