How to Create a Mini-Garden in a Bottle

Lena and Petya were always curious and passionate about experiments. Today, they decided to create a real mini-garden in a bottle. Lena had read in a book about how to create a closed ecosystem, where plants, air, and water work in harmony. Petya was excited by the idea and eagerly agreed to help. This was not only an interesting project but also a way to learn how plants can grow in a closed environment and how to take care of them.

“Have you ever thought about how to grow a garden right in a bottle?” asked Lena, pulling out a large plastic bottle and scissors. “We’re going to make a little ecosystem where plants will grow, and we’ll take care of them. Everything will work like a real little world.”

Petya looked at the bottle in surprise:

“In a bottle? That sounds cool! But how will we plant the plants in there, and will they have enough space?”

Lena smiled and explained:

“It’s actually quite simple. We’ll use a glass or plastic bottle, which will become the home for our plants. Inside, we’ll create a layer of soil, add a bit of water, and place the plants so they can grow in this closed system. We’ll need to take care of our mini-garden to create the right conditions for the plants.”

Lena and Petya prepared all the necessary materials for the project: a large plastic bottle, scissors, soil, plants, stones, and charcoal for drainage, as well as some water. Lena explained that first, they needed to make a hole in the bottle so they could plant the plants and create air circulation.

“First, we need to cut off the top part of the bottle,” said Lena, carefully cutting the plastic. “This will be the lid, which will protect the plants from dust and pollution and help retain moisture inside.”

Petya watched every step of Lena and helped her carefully cut the top off the bottle and prepare it for planting. After that, they began placing stones at the bottom of the bottle for drainage, so the water could freely flow and not accumulate in the soil, which was an important factor for the health of the plants.

“The drainage will help prevent the soil from becoming waterlogged,” explained Lena. “The stones and charcoal will absorb the excess moisture, and the plants will feel comfortable.”

Once the stones were in place, Lena added a layer of soil on top. The soil had to be light and breathable so the plants could grow properly. Petya eagerly helped by adding the soil to the bottle and leveling it out.

“Now that we have soil and drainage, we can plant the plants,” said Lena. “We’ve chosen a few small plants that won’t take up too much space and will thrive in this closed environment. We’ll plant them in different parts of the bottle so they can grow and develop.”

Petya took the small plants and carefully planted them in the soil. They decided to plant some herbs and a few succulents, as these are great for mini-gardens. After planting the plants, Lena lightly watered them and closed the bottle to create warmth and moisture for growth.

“Now we can watch our mini-garden develop!” said Lena, placing the bottle by the window. “This little garden will grow and develop on its own because it’s a closed ecosystem. We’ll water the plants as needed and make sure there’s not too much moisture in the bottle.”

Petya excitedly watched his mini-garden and was already planning what they could add in the future. Lena explained that to maintain the ecosystem, they would need to monitor the temperature and humidity inside the bottle. It was important that the plants received enough sunlight but didn’t overheat.

“In this mini-garden, there will be its own little climate, and the plants will get everything they need,” said Lena, placing the bottle on the windowsill where sunlight could warm it.

After a few days, Lena and Petya noticed that the plants were beginning to grow. The bottle maintained the perfect humidity, and the leaves were turning greener. The kids were proud of their small but effective garden.

“Look how quickly it’s growing! This is amazing,” said Petya, watching the plants.

Lena nodded:

“Yes, it works like a real mini-ecosystem. We created a closed system where the plants get everything they need, and we don’t have to worry about excess water or dry soil. It’s like a real little world!”

The next time Lena and Petya create a mini-garden in a bottle, they’ll already know how to properly monitor the humidity and temperature so the plants are comfortable and continue to grow. They looked forward to adding new plants to their little ecosystem and studying how plants grow in such unusual conditions.