Nice job, Monte. You're going to be famous and we'll all say "I knew him when..."

I do like to use 2 liters but OF COURSE I keep it much simpler. I don't use string or anything to carry and I also find that the top will stay put if just shoved on there. I use an uspide down "V" for the notch (someone else's design posted years ago). Then in spring I can just pull up on the top to create big side windows for vents.

I use them for cuttings, too, which I was doing here, and it works well for those, too.
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Karen

I use them to root cuttings in also and it works great.

Original 2 Liter Tutorial

I found this in the archives.

Looking at it again I think it explained what I was going for better than the post I just made.

Classic case of overthinkinÂ

IÂll just post the images.

YaÂll can fill in the blanks.

LAYOUT THE LINES

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START THE CUT

Doing this before you do this before you do the drain holes and with the cap on allows you to do this easier.

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FINISH THE CUT WITH SCISSORS

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MAKING THE TABS

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THE "PINCH"

This is what makes putting the two halves back together so easy. The lower part just falls into the notch and you lock it in with by pushing the tab to the inside.

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WHATS ALL THAT OTHER STUFF MONTE ???

When I did this I was experimenting with dividing up the space like a mini cell pack.

You could create segregated areas inside the bottle with some card stock.

I made up a template for the shape and cut pieces out of index cards.

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THE FINISHED PRODUCT

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"Man I gotta get out of the house"

Monte,
Thank you for posting these pictures again.
I wonder why we can't keep your tutorials on FAQ for references. They have always been inspirational.

Fine by me. I used to have administrative rights on the site back when Spike owned it.

Trudi may still be able to do it though.

The big hold up is the images need to be hosted on GWeb.

The way things are, if I remove the pics from the photohosting site there on, the FAQ would be left with "dead" links.

Some of my SCM forum posts are that way now.

(insert Groucho Marx voice here)

"..and belive me if you've ever had dead links"

Gotta get with Trudi.

She's knows she's welcome to use my ramblings in anyway she chooses to spread the word on WS.

The Instuctables posts I did are blowin' up hit wise.

Was up to a couple thousand when I looked in earlier.

More converts---more fun for all.

Wow! Almost signed in with that as my password lol.

I think I'll wing it with guides, looks like 2 tabs then. The back should be maybe 1-1/2 inches wide? Why?

5 inches check, wasn't sure.

Can't I just skip the yarn and pick them up from the bottom?

That index card divider is nifty! Just what I need to separate seeds and looks easier to fill with soil than tp rolls.

Thanks so much! Guess I won't be taking my bottles back for the deposit.

Plus this might be the answer for rooting especially my rose cuttings under my lights but may be able to root other cuttings and skip the cloner.

"I think I'll wing it with guides, looks like 2 tabs then."

Yes, 2 tabs

"The back should be maybe 1-1/2 inches wide? Why? "

No particuler reason. Could be more, could be less.

That was a later upgrade I came up with after doing a number of these.

Having it a bit wider gives you more "wiggle" room.

Just makes it easier to "tip" the two halves together.

Study the picture tagged "The Pinch" (with my bandaged finger).

You can clearly see the rear tab is on the inside and with a little pinch to slightly deform the bottom half it easily drops into the notched area.

All you need to do is slip the "half tab" to the inside to lock things together.

I promise I'll do a You Tube video eventually and you'll see that the saying about a picture being worth a thousand words is very true.

If you prepare the bottle like I do it slips together almost on its own.

Can't I just skip the yarn and pick them up from the bottom?

Of course you can. With the interlocking tabs it is pretty secure as is.

You could put a couple of tape tabs across the seam or do the yarn over the neck trick as you see fit.

It can't be said enough that all things WS are flexible depending on the comfort level and skill of the do-er.

For me I like absolute security so I go with yarn.

YMMV

The whold index card divider thing was a burst of enthusiasm that has pased.

Unless I can recruit some small person's into doing the cutting.

Otherwise HOS works perfectly well.

do you leave the cap on while your seed are growing?
and do you put drain holes in the bottom?

After seeing tokens bandsaw video where he simply makes a single, verticle cut in the bottom part of the bottle, making slipping the 2 halves together infinatly simpler than what I have been doing and suggesting I have decided that it is my new Favorite Method.

At least today.

Things change you know.

"Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.
John Steinbeck (1902 - 1968)

Monte the Multiplier

I agree, Monte, that's a great design. Of course my method is far more primitive, using only scissors and a steak knife. I've been using that design for several years. I can't remember who first came up with it, wish I could. (they say it's recent memory that goes first).

That design works especially well for propagating cuttings, inside the house or outside. I currently have some coleus cuttings in one. After about a week in there, they're looking good.

Karen

"the top will stay put if just shoved on there"

Now those are the kind of technical terms I can understand. ;) LOL* I'm a "just shove it on there" or "chuck it in there" kind of gal.

I posted this in another forum, but I read your thread here and am wanting to try your method.

I am very green at this I will say at the start. I have planted some flowers and shrubs before but I just planted them and said now grow and I walked off. Some did grow.

Now we have moved into a small town and I am building a backyard garden. I am pretty good at building things. My "Hardscape" is nearly done. Now I am having to learn how to plant and take care of plants. The names are killing me, I don't know one from the other.

I planted some Encore Azaleas last year. Some of them nearly died that I put under two big Oak trees. The guy at the garden center looked at them and told me to cut them back. I did and 3 died, but 12 are doing well in my greenhouse. I took the cuttings, maybe about 4" long, put them in root tone and planted about 250 two months ago. Some, maybe 20, are still green and seem to be putting on new growth. not a very good percentage.

I had some Holly at another house where I had to trim them back. I tried the same rooting thing and none are going to live.

Today I cut back some Lavender plants plants that I cut back. I have put root tone on cuttings that are about 5" long and planted them. Maybe I will have better luck with them.

I don't know what I am doing, but it's not costing me but time, I am retired and I am learning. So I am looking for suggestions.

I also read another thread about "misting". I am guessing that plants that are being rooted must be kept in a more humid environment than I am using, but I am not sure from what I have read so far. I don't drink anything from 2 liter, but I do drink a lot of Gatoraid from 20 oz bottles. And I drink Sunny-D, maybe either of those bottles would work.

Here is my question, is this bottle method providing the increased humidity and how ?

Here is a link that might be useful: My Garden

Monte..I'm following you as far as using index cards as a divider if one wants to plant several kinds of seeds, but I'm not grasping the reason for the white paper inside the liter bottle..what's the purpse? I know I'm slow but need some help here.

Karen, et al. --- I like the upside V on the tops of 2-liters, too. If my memory is correct (and more and more often it isn't) Tiffy is the one who posted photos of this method several years ago. Surely beats tape and the four-flap tuck in method. I like Monte's way of making two of the flaps shorter, though, and want to try that.

Sorry, it is now spring.

All further questions will have to be held until next year.

That is all. LOL

Awwww, I can't make you wait.

So here's what I got.

Rolacoy,

I'll not be able to offer you much as I only do seeds.

Propagating from cuttings is an area I'm unfamilier with.

Maybe someone else can step in?

Pippi,

The only reason I have the paper in is as a background too try and make the pictures "read" better.

It's easier to see the guide lines against a white background.

Monte, I thought that same thing after I had posted the question to you. Sorry for the inconvenience

I follow some of the steps in your instructable, except no string and like Token, I make 1 cut instead of 2. Only it's in the top of the bottle. One slit about 1 to 1 1/2" on the top half of the bottle, makes it pretty easy to slide over or inside the bottom. The bottom stays more stable that way. No string is needed because the top and bottom fit snugly together.

One thing I like about 2 ltr bottles is that they are very easy to rinse, store in the basement, and re-use. Some containers I am using for the 3rd year of WSing.

I wish I had a band saw though. :)

I posted this in another forum, but I read your thread here and am wanting to try your method.

I am very green at this I will say at the start. I have planted some flowers and shrubs before but I just planted them and said now grow and I walked off. Some did grow.

Now we have moved into a small town and I am building a backyard garden. I am pretty good at building things. My "Hardscape" is nearly done. Now I am having to learn how to plant and take care of plants. The names are killing me, I don't know one from the other.

I planted some Encore Azaleas last year. Some of them nearly died that I put under two big Oak trees. The guy at the garden center looked at them and told me to cut them back. I did and 3 died, but 12 are doing well in my greenhouse. I took the cuttings, maybe about 4" long, put them in root tone and planted about 250 two months ago. Some, maybe 20, are still green and seem to be putting on new growth. not a very good percentage.

I had some Holly at another house where I had to trim them back. I tried the same rooting thing and none are going to live.

Today I cut back some Lavender plants plants that I cut back. I have put root tone on cuttings that are about 5" long and planted them. Maybe I will have better luck with them.

I don't know what I am doing, but it's not costing me but time, I am retired and I am learning. So I am looking for suggestions.

I also read another thread about "misting". I am guessing that plants that are being rooted must be kept in a more humid environment than I am using, but I am not sure from what I have read so far. I don't drink anything from 2 liter, but I do drink a lot of Gatoraid from 20 oz bottles. And I drink Sunny-D, maybe either of those bottles would work.

Here is my question, is this bottle method providing the increased humidity and how ?

Here is a link that might be useful: My Garden

Thank you Monte for this instructive post!

Rolacoy, thank you for sharing your photos...what a beautiful pergola and water garden! Your landscaping is very inspiring.

I'm new to winter sowing, and have only sown seeds in milk jugs and 2-liter bottles. But it does look as if kqcrna above uses the 2-liter bottles for propagating cuttings. This is interesting to me too, because I have some coleus and begonia plants I'd like to see if I can grow cuttings from.

I think the 2-liter bottle basically acts as a mini green house. Hopefully someone with experience propagating cuttings in 2-liters knows more about this and will post.

I find the Gatorade bottles very difficult to cut drainage holes in and to cut in half, because the plastic is very thick and hard. I'd recommend the Sunny D bottles...I used some of the Sunny D's for winter sowing and they were really easy to make drainage holes in. The plastic of the Sunny D bottles is more like milk jug plastic and easy to cut with scissors.

As for azaleas, I don't know much about them, but I've heard that the Encore Azalea is actually more sun-loving than most people realize. Below is a link to a thread on GardenWeb that discusses this aspect of the Encore.

It could be there is just too much shade under your oaks for the Encores...you may want to try a different species of azalea?

Thanks again to Monte for the great 2-liter tutorial.

Here is a link that might be useful: Encore azaleas not thriving--suggestions?

Monte wrote, "Otherwise HOS works perfectly well."

HOS = ?

FAQ Hunk of Seeds

Hunk of seeds--take a bit (hunk) of seedlings between your fingers and pull it off from the rest. Then plant that hunk in one spot. Eventually some of those seedlings will die off but there should be at least one that will survive and grow into a nice plant. If several survive I might divide them later. Planting in hunks makes for quicker planting than separating each seedling and most of us have more seedlings than we need.