It’s so easy! Learn how to water plants while you’re away with this incredibly easy wine bottle plant waterer project.

This five minute recycled wine bottle project allows the perfect amount of water flow, keeping your potted plants alive with ease! 

A vase of flowers on a white porch with a wine bottle inside.
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It’s funny that I’m writing this post in the middle of what feels like a monsoon. We have seen so much rain over the past couple weeks that this isn’t even necessary to water plants right now (sorry to those in California, wish we could share).

But as soon as I leave town, we all know what will happen – my beautiful patio plants that I have been nurturing for the past few months will be left in the scorching heat, unattended, without a drop of rain in sight.

Wine Bottle Plant Waterer

It’s the dilemma I face each summer when we travel. Do I pay someone to come over and water plants? No. I hydrate them like I hydrate myself. With wine. Okay, with water, but someone has to drink the wine to make this possible.

I’ve brought you some fun plant ideas in the past, including posts about the best easy care plants, my favorite Meyer Lemon trees, Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree, and my favorite ZZ plant.

“We might think we are nurturing out garden, but of course it’s our garden that is really nurturing us.”

-Jenny Uglow
A vase of flowers on a white porch with a wine bottle inside.

I may not have the greenest thumb, but I am an avid recycler. I like to make the most from what I already have. And wine bottles? Well, I have a few of those.

Supply List

  • Wine bottle
  • Wine bottle cork
  • Nail

How to Water Plants with a Wine Bottle

I created a self watering system from wine bottles in just a few easy steps:

  1. First, you’ll want to rinse and fill your wine bottle with water. 
  2. Stick a cork in it. Literally! Simply push it down as far as it will go. wine bottle self watering system | wine bottle crafts
  3. Next, using a nail (preferably, if you can find one- I used a screw for these images because it was the easiest thing to find at the moment) create a hole going through the entire length of the cork and remove. A nail in the top of a wine bottle cork.
  4. Insert wine bottle upside down into plant and it will be hydrated for up to three days!
A vase of flowers on a white porch with a wine bottle inside.

Water Plants While on Vacation

This project takes less than five minutes and your plants will thank you. They’re thirsty, and so are you! Everybody wins with this wine bottle recycling project. 

You can also do this with water bottles by creating a hole in the top of the plastic lid, but wine bottles offer additional watering time and are a little more aesthetically pleasing, don’t you think?

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Tips

If you’re struggling with keeping your potted plants from getting too dry, here’s a few tips that might help!

  • Use a high-quality potting soil. One that holds and releases moisture will be extra beneficial!
  • Too much water isn’t good either. Make sure that your plant has plenty of drainage so it only takes on the water it needs.
  • Adding a layer of moss on top of your soil can also help prevent moisture loss – it’s just another layer of protection!
  • Try the diaper trick! Yes… diapers. Especially if your container is shallow, it can be beneficial to place a diaper in the base of your container. It holds (and stores) water and helps keep the soil moist!
A vase of flowers on a white porch with a wine bottle inside.

I’m not sure who is more anxious to see the sun, my flowers or me. Happy summer and happy travels!

Looking for more ways to recycle wine bottles (or excuses to need them)? Look no further. Learn how to make a Wine Bottle Tiki Torch!

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29 Comments

  2. i should have done that before leaving for few days in San Diego. We have just came back and my flowers are quite dead….I hope I will have some back, especially the basil !

    Reply

    1. Yikes! Hopefully it helps next time. Maybe you can revive them? I’ve been surprised at how many plants will come back after being bone.dead. if I remove the leaves, water regularly & give it sun. My husband thinks I’m crazy, but is surprised every time!

      Reply

  3. Love this! Ok, I must ask…how do you keep your deck so white? Some of ours has been painted for a few months now (thanks to the rain we can’t seem to finish it) and there are dog prints and kid dirt all over it! Are there stairs up to yours, I can’t remember. That might be helpful if there aren’t. 🙂 We still have to paint the other decks and now I’m having second thoughts on the whole thing because the first one is so dingy looking.

    Reply

    1. We don’t have stairs – yet. Honestly, I think it’s all the rain we have been getting and that it’s stained in realist beige, which helps dirt blend in. It just gives the illusion of “white”. The dirt spots don’t really bother me and goes with my philosophy that it’s not any cleaner if you can’t see it. Have a great weekend!

      Reply

  4. Great idea- and thank you for the laugh about how you hydrate yourself. It’s a summertime Friday at almost 5:00 here in PA and I am catching up on your blog with a chardonnay by my side. Thanks for the endless inspiration.

    Reply