After the last drop of award-winning Missouri wine is gone, give your empty wine bottles new life with this easy DIY. With just a few supplies and a little patience, revamped bottles are the perfect home for easy-to-care-for succulents!
Supplies:
Clean, empty Missouri wine bottle
Masking or freezer tape
Glass cutter (find at your local craft store or hardware supply store)
Container for pouring hot water – ladle, measuring glass, mug, etc.
Pot or sink full of boiling water
Pot or sink full of ice water
Sanding block (optional)
Potting soil
Succulents
Directions:
1. Start with a clean, empty wine bottle. To remove wine labels, soak bottle in soapy water for at least 30 minutes and then peel labels off. Pro tip – use a knife or craft razor to help remove stubborn labels.
2. Measure 2-4 inches down from the shoulders of the wine bottle and wrap a piece of tape around the circumference of the wine bottle. Pro tip – your measurement will be based on how deep you want your planter to be.
3. Using the tape as a guide, take the wheel end of the glass cutter and press into the bottle to make a semi-firm line around the circumference of the bottle. This will create a ‘score’ line around the bottle that should be visible when held close to a light source. Pro tip – avoid pressing too firmly into the glass with the cutter wheel, and avoid going over your score line multiple times.
4. Remove tape from wine bottle and set bottle aside. Be sure to remove the cork or cap and set aside (but don’t throw it away).
5. Prepare a large container of boiling water and a large container of ice water, and make sure a measuring glass is in within reach. Pro tip – place these two containers in a large sink or tub where they can be close together, or implement both sides of a double sink.
6. Hold the wine bottle over the container of boiling water at an angle and use a container with a handle (a measuring glass works well, but you can also use a mug or ladle) to pour boiling water over the score line, rotating the bottle so that the entire score line gets covered with boiling water; continue until the bottle is heated thoroughly. Pro tip – don’t let the neck or mouth of the bottle dip into the water, as this will lead to uneven breaks in the glass.
7. Hold the wine bottle over the container of ice water at an angle and use the measuring glass to pour ice water over the score line, rotating the bottle so that the entire score line gets covered with ice water.
8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 until the glass breaks; if desired, use a sanding block to smooth any jagged edges. Pro tip – glass is persnickety and won’t always cut perfectly, so be patient and have a few backup bottles just in case!
9. Once both ends of bottle have cooled, replace cork/cap on mouth of bottle and invert so that the neck and shoulders rest atop the bottom half of the bottle (see photo).
10. Fill with potting soil and your succulent plant of choice. Give your plant a sip of water, place in a sunny spot and enjoy your upcycled creation!
