Bottle tower

Parts :- dripper 16 mm supply and 4mm feeder pipe Feeder to supply pipe connector Submersible water pump Timer controller Assembly:- Connect the dripper and the feeder connector to the two ends of the 4mm feeder pipe. Punch a hole in the supply pipe with the hole punch and insert the feeder connector in it. Remove the dripper from the feeder pipe. Insert the feeder pipe in the top end of bottle tower through a side hole and reconnect the dripper so that it remains inside the bottle. Connect the supply pipe to the pump kept in the sump using 20mm water pipes. Give power to the pump through the timer controller. Programme the on-off cycle for the pump as per climatic requirements.

You can use either of the options for planting in the bottle towers:- Option 1 (soil medium) :- Use 1/3 rd soil, 1/3rd coco peat and 1/3rd compost. You may add some vermiculite and/or pearlite to improve porosity and water retention capability. Option 2 (hydroponic medium) :- Use 60% coco peat, 20% vermiculite and 20% pearlite as growing medium. In this case nutrients are fed through solution in water. Fill the lower 2 inches of the bottle with pebbles to ease in drainage. Then fill the growing medium upto the cut slot. Plant the saplings  in the medium.   A number of bottle towers can be combined together. The bottle towers can be mounted on a suitable steel frame. Use a 75mm or larger sewer pipe to collect the drain from individual bottle tower. The two ends can be closed using end caps.  A drain pipe from this can be connected to sump. The plants can be watered manually from the top bottle of the tower or use a timer controlled drip irrigation...

You can use 5-7 bottles in one tower depending on the size of the bottle. Drill a hole in the bottom of the bottles using 44mm or higher hole saw. In the last bottle drill a hole using 19 mm hole saw. Slide the 20 mm pipe through the bottles with the smaller hole at the top. Make a small hole through the neck and pipe of the lower bottle using the pointed tip soldering iron.  Insert the steel pin or nail to lock the bottles in position. You can bend the pin so that it does not slide out. Using the pointed tip soldering iron cut slots on both sides of the bottle for planting. Paint the bottles as per your choice. Your bottle tower is ready for use. You can water from the top and water will tricle down from the lower end.

1. Hole saw Hand drill for hole saw  2. Soldering iron with pointed tip

1. Plastic bottles 2. 20 mm conduit pipe or grey PVC pipe   3. 75 mm or larger sewage pipe 4. Steel frame as required 5. Steel pin or nail