Bottle Biology
Upcycled Growing System
1 plastic bottle with cap Scissors Marking pen Braided Mason string
Sharp knife or blade Nail and gas torch, stove or candle flame, OR hole punch 1-3 petri dishes
1 8-oz deli container Paper towel Soil Water
CUTTING THE BOTTLE 1. Use a pen or Sharpie to draw a line around the bottle where the shoulder of the planting unit would sit comfortably inside the base. 2. Use a sharp knife or blade to puncture a hole in the bottle where you want to cut. 3. Cut plastic bottle into two pieces along the line. Cut with the scissors pointing downward for smoother cuts. 4. Flip the planting unit upside down, put two small holes on each side of the planting unit near the top edge using a hole punch, safety 5. pin or heated nail. Make two small holes on each side of the base unit, also near the top. 6. Make two small holes in the bottle cap.
MAKING A HOT NAIL POKE
Make your own hot nail poke using a piece of wood and a nail. Find a tree branch that is approximately 1 cm or so in diameter, and cut a 6-cm piece off the branch. Use a hammer to stick the nail into the piece of wood, roughly 1 cm from one end. Heat the nail and use it to make holes in the plastic bottle.
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CONSTRUCTING THE UNIT 1. Cut a piece of braided Mason string that is half your armspan (from the tip of your nose to the tip of your finger, when your arm is straight out to your side). 2. Thread the string through one of the holes in the base from the inside of the base to the outside. 3. Pull the string through the hole and tie a knot on the end. The knot should be on the inside of the base. 4. Continue to thread the string through one of the holes in the planting unit from the outside to the inside of the planting unit. 5. Insert the string through the hole on the opposite side of the planting unit, from inside the planting unit to the outside. 6. Pull the string through the hole on the planting unit from the outside of the planting unit to the inside 7. Tie a second knot in the string, so the knot is on the inside of the planting unit. 8. Pull the planting unit down the string until it is resting on the base. Two dozen Bottle Biology units were prepared for the launch of the Bottle Biology campaign at the Wisconsin Energy Institute on August 29, 2013.
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GROWING A SEED
1. Cut a strip of paper towel that is 1 cm wide and ~30 cm long. 2. Cut diagonally to create ‘diamond wicks’ that are 3 cm long from tip to tip. 3. Trace the bottom of one of the petri dishes on paper towel and cut to make paper towel discs (3 total) that are ~ 9 cm in diameter. 4. Wet the paper towel discs and place each one into a petri plate. Place 10 diamond wicks onto each paper towel disc. 5. Place 1-2 seeds on the top half of each diamond wick, and put the lid on the petri dish. 6. Fill 8-oz deli container with 1-1.5 cm of water; place each petri dish at a steep angle in the deli container. 7. Place the deli container under a good light source and observe as the seeds germinate. When the the leaves have expanded, the seedling can be transferred to the Bottle Biology unit.
BUILDING A SYSTEM 1. Collect water from a stream, lake or faucet. 2. Twist the cap onto the planting unit. 3. Cut a 25-cm (10-inch) piece of string. Fold it in half and string it through the two holes in the cap. The string will wick water from the base to the soil. 4. Grab a seedling and hold it next to the wick. Fill the planting unit with soil until the roots and wick are entirely covered. 5. Fill the base with water until the water level is touching the cap. 6. Place your Bottle Biology unit under a lamp or a window for 12 hours a day, and watch your plant grow!
Starting with a large number of seeds will increase your likelihood of germination success, although you’ll only need to plant one of the seeds in your Bottle Biology unit.
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MAINTENANCE
Once constructed, Bottle Biology units require very little maintenance. Soil in the planting unit and base provide the plant nutrients. Water in the base hydrates the plant. Monitor the water level in the base, and add water when the level drops 1 cm or so below the cap. Make sure the unit is near a good light source, such as a south-facing window.
SOURCING Recycled plastic bottes: Camp Randall Stadium Soil: W. Madison Agriculture Research Station Water: Stream, lake or faucet Plants: Buttercrunch lettuce seedling Light: Natural sunlight or desk lamp
STAY ENGAGED Take pictures of your Bottle Biology unit as it grows and share them with the Office of Sustainability on Facebook and Twitter using #Bbio. Sign up by entering your contact information on sustainability.wisc.edu/bottlebiology to receive Bottle Biology follow-up event invitations Visit sustainability.wisc.edu for more information about Bottle Biology. For more Bottle Biology activities, visit bottlebiology.org University of Wisconsin-Madison Office of Sustainability sustainability.wisc.edu 09/28/2013
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