A Bottle Tree For My Garden "Reuse of Junk" How To Make A Bottle Tree.
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How To Make A Bottle Tree
I have wanted a bottle tree for my garden for along time. I love bottle trees. Bottle trees are also called "haint" trees. I don’t have one but I have been saving bottles for my tree. I have green and blue bottles, but I’m looking for the pretty red bottle. Red bottles are hard to find many have just a coating on them which will come off. I want a really red bottle and I will find one. I know they're around.
My husband has to get the time to help me with this but so far he has not had that time.
Just to much going on this year. We didn't get our pond in either. Oh well, next year.
Different Ways to Make A Bottle Tree.
Bottle trees can be made from metal rods and welded, but that isn't the kind I want. I just want it made from an old dead tree which we can find in the woods. Some are made from wood bought at the Home Depot or the like. What ever way you want to do them would work.
The bottles should be placed upside down the neck of the bottle facing the trunk of the tree. Evil sprits looking for trouble will be attracted to the bright beautiful colors and will go in the bottles and can't get out. The sun in the morning will burn up the evil spirits. Just think how many terrible bad spirits the bottles will catch on Halloween night. The bottles will also keep spirits from entering your home.
Blue is for health they catch the evil spreading sickness. When the wind blows you may just hear the moan of the evil spirits.
I love the bottle tree on the right in the entrance so pretty. There is no reason you can't put one inside your home. Small one by the window to catch the evil before it enters.
They glisten in the sun and howl in the wind. Some say they originally came from Europe and then to North America brought over by African slaves. They very often are part of a Southern garden. They are beautiful. Who really knows the true story but they have been in Southern gardens for a very long time.
You can buy the trees on the Internet and you can also buy the bottles. Like I said I have been collecting the bottles. I have to get the bottles from other people I don't drink so don't always have bottles. I've even hit the liqure store looking to see if I can find a different bottle or my red bottle.
If you don't want to put up a tree. You can hang a jar in a tree add colored water, also known to capture evil spirits.
No place for a bottle tree. You can also buy witch ball they were hung in cottage windows in the 18th century England to ward off evil spirits.
Witch balls come in so many pretty colors.
I mentioned the blue and it was thought to protect the home from illness. I think this is a very pretty blue tree.
A bottle tree would brighten up the cold winter garden and you can add twinkle lights, how pretty would that be?
This is my story of the bottle tree maybe by next year I can put a photo of my own tree on this hub.
Tell people your putting in a bottle tree and you will be surprised at how many bottles you get. They may look at you like your crazy. My children looked at me like I was crazy. They always think I'm crazy with my ideas.
You can make a tiny little tree with colbat blue bottles. Go in antique stores, rummage sales and flea markets. The bottles here are from my collection of blue. One is a wine bottle, an old sheltzer bottle, the rest are shot glasses. A bottle tree with small shot glasses would be pretty. You just have to make the rods they hang on larger or figure out another way to connect them, maybe with wire.
Oct 30, 2011 UPDATE
I found a red bottle at TJ Maxx for $4.99. Hobby Lobby also had some but they were more expensive and looked like they were painted bottles. This one isn't painted it is red glass. We live in a small town so I don't often get to any of these places so when I had the chance I looked for the red bottle, found one and bought it. I found this one at TJ Maxx in Michigan.
The red botte tree below is very pretty just like the blue one. I wonder where they got the red bottles.
This is the starting of my bottle tree.
We finally got started on the bottle tree. We used a pole from Home Depot. The pole is 3x5. My hubby nailed large spikes into the pole. First he drilled a hole to get the spikes started.
I would have rather used a tree stump but even in our woods we couldn't find one which worked. At first I had trouble getting bottles I needed. Now that people know, I'm getting the bottles pretty fast.
My husband's putting up the bottle tree in the video and photos. We plan to have lots more bottles than what you see on the last picture. I want it to look full like the top photo in this hub.
We have a video of the making of our bottle tree and some pictures. All are below.
We put lights on the tree for Christmas.
When our weather gets warm enough I'm going to add morning glories and sweet peas to grow up the pole. I will take more pictures to add to this hub but I think it will be awhile. April 26, 2012 it's 37°.
I found the red bottle
2012 in March I finally found a red bottle. It's called Bevlamo Sparkling Moscato. If you know anyone that drinks this wine you can maybe get the bottles from them. If you drink wine and like this wine Sam's club has it for $11.99. The bottle is very pretty and will look great on the bottle tree.
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diogenes, thanks for stopping by. Your so right they don't need watering. I guess I remember my grandmother's garden she always put pretty little tinkling items in her garden.
Great hub. I have ruby red bottles that can be found in
antique shops there's also cranberry red. The ruby ones are in my collection of other ruby red glass canisters ect.
I really never thought of antique shops. That would be a good place to look..I also thought maybe places like Hobby Lobby might have them. I have one in my kitchen that I bought at a yard sale but I want to keep it in my kitchen.
Thanks writer20, for stopping by and leaving comment.
I love this idea! I've not heard of it before, but would love to try it. Maybe it's time I started collecting bottles. Thanks for the useful, interesting info. God bless.
SusieQ42 Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I thank they look so nice in a garden.
I love this idea. When I was in Costa Rica, I noticed a lot of these. Also, they use cut off bottles to line walk ways. The bottom of the bottle is up so it's very smooth.
mary615 thanks for stopping. I have never seen the bottles lining walk ways. I was out in my yard today looking around trying to figure out where to put my tree. I already have some post in the yard I could use for the tree instead of using an old tree branch.
Thanks for this hub! Great info and ideas. I have a sawed off tree in the backyard which looks like a sculpture and I was thinking of what to do with it. Now I will wait till next spring, collect bottles and try to create a bottle tree.
Growing up in the deep south (Mississippi), I'm well acquainted with bottle trees. The ones I saw most in my childhood (ages ago!) usually had blue Milk of Magnesia bottles.
Actually, I love the photo of the metal indoor bottle tree in front of a window. I would like something like that on a smaller scale, except I know the bottles would quickly collect dust and need washing frequently. Perhaps a very small scale indoor bottle tree that could sit on my grandma's antique marble-topped table in front of the bay window would work. You've given me an idea, and I already have several pretty colored bottles. Let me know where you find that red one...okay?
Enjoyed!
Jaye
Gyspy Rose Lee that sounds like that would work out just right for a bottle tree. Thanks, for stopping by and leaving comment.
JayeWisdom, I also think the indoor one is so pretty. I didn't realize they used Milk of Magnesia bottles but why not. No one wanted to throw away that blue color bottle Milk of Magnesia came in. I will let you know when I find a red bottle and thanks for stopping by and checking out my hub.
I had no idea of the history of bottle trees. Interesting!!! I have a cousin in Illinois that hangs pretty glass bottles in his trees. I'll send this to him in case he is also interested in the history and did not know this but just used them for the decorative effects. He has a real flair for decorating his home both inside and out. Thanks. Voted up, interesting and useful.
Hi moonlake, what a fantastic idea, I have never heard of a bottle tree, but like you I would have to make one rather that buy one!
I start looking for bottles tomorrow!
thank you for sharing, voting up. Best wishes MM
I wasn't aware of bottle trees, either. Marvelous! Beautiful! I did, however, once have a couple of blue bottles that I set on a window sill to catch the morning light. ;D
Peggy W, Thank you and thanks for stopping by and giving me an up vote.
Movie Master, Thank you for leaving a comment. I will be out there looking for the red bottle. I would also like to get a yellow one, don't think have one yet.
JamaGenee, I still put blue bottles on my window sill in my pantry. Thanks, for stopping by and reading my hub.
Cool hub and I loved the photo's, I think I may make a tree in my garden next year..just for looks
Voted up and awesome
manthy,Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment and an up vote.
I have also never heard of a bottle tree, but am inspired now to create one for my garden. I will definately be on the look out for coloured bottles, but like you would like to come upon them over time, that way each bottle will come with a story, rather than just buy them all at a store. I love this idea, thank you Moonlake, my votes to you for this wonderful hub:)
Fennelseed, Thank you for stopping by and for the up vote. It seems like when making a bottle tree people are using all sizes and shapes. My kids have brought bottles over to me and a friend said she had a some blue bottles for me. So I'm excited to get my tree done.
Oh my gosh I want this I want this I want this. What an amazing and informative hub you have created. I love the history here and the photos too. As I plan my move South and my lovely garden - there will definitely be bottle trees. I can start the collecting now.
Bookmarked to share and of course rated up and more. Yay!
TheListLady, Good luck on your move South and collecting your bottles. Bars throw away great bottles each and everyday so if you know anyone that has a bar you can get lots of your colors there.
Thank you, for stopping by and for the up vote.
Very well written and what a cool little project. Looks like you could even sell something like that. They do look really awesome. Very creative and a great way to use them. Voted up and awesome.
I think they are cool too. When one shows up in my garden they may not think that around here they may look at as dumb. Oh, well.
thelyricwriter, thank you, for stopping by and for the up vote.
I love bottle trees and love the pretty blue and green glass. I was saving up some blue bottles then got rid of them on a clean out binge. Sorry I did. Your pictures are beautiful!
Dolores Monet, Thanks for comment. Don't you hate cleaning binges then being sorry for what you threw away. Every time I watch Hoaders on tv I start throwing things away.
So amazing and interesting. Never heard of bottle trees. I did not know that bottle trees were part of history instead of junk decorations. Great hub.
Cheryl J., Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. I'm still collecting bottles got a pretty light green yesterday.
What a great idea, from now on I will also collect bottles! I love the blue bottle tree, it will look great as an installation in the garden and if it prevent illness it is even better:) I have seen glass jars in trees but never like this when the bottles are the "tree". Thanks for this wonderful idea and it very timely too, because I know my neighbour is about to throw away her old glass bottles that she used for homemade lemonade. Voted up,
Tina
thoughtforce, Thanks you for stopping by. I think their nice additions to a garden not sure of the way up north people here will know what I'm doing. I have never seen one here.
What a beautiful piece of folk art! When I buy my house, I want to have a bottle tree and whirligigs!
Oh, I love whirligigs too. Thanks so much for checking out my bottle tree hub.
That is sooo cool. I love the texture and funky shape.
alphagirl,
Thanks for comment I also love the way they look.
Hi Moonlake - Enjoyed this article. Thanks.
Thinking back a time or two :) I recall messing around with glass etching when I was in school. As I recollect, I put a design onto a piece of glass using wax (grease would have worked I'm thinking) and then set the glass on top of a ceramic bowl that contained some hydrofluoric acid. The fumes from the acid frosted the glass where it was not coated and the result was a frosted design on the glass when I removed the wax pattern. That hydrofluoric acid is rough stuff, so read up on its use before you mess with it.
Many years later I used another strong acid that prepped plastics and silicates (much like glass) to accept aniline dies (many different colors - and some are like the food colors you use in dying eggs for the Easter bunny...). Just for the fun of it, and to keep everyone nice and safe... I would suggest filling a clean glass bottle with vinegar and letting it hang around for a while. Then, I'd drain the bottle of all but about 10% or the vinegar, add some food coloring (probably a lot of it) and fill the bottle to the top with distilled water that you can buy to drink (bottled water - but not mineral water or spring water). After that I'd let it hang around some more before pouring the contents out (maybe for re-use in the next bottle) to see how it worked out. This may take some experimenting, but at least it will be low cost. May work well for a multi-color bottle tree without spending tons of time and gasoline money trying to find already colored bottles.
If it works with coloring the bottles, the colors might last a good while because, upside-down, the bottles will not fill up with rain water.
Let me know what happens...
Gus :-)))
Hi - I,m back again...
Did the vinegar + color thing in a small glass jar. Heated the stuff for a few seconds in the microwave and let it sit - now about 10 minutes - and it is picking up a pretty blue color. Used Paas (brand) easter egg coloring tablets...
Gus :-)))
GusTheRedneck,
Thanks for stopping by and for the ideas. The vingar thing sounds like fun to do. Will have to try it.
I remember the etching, there use to be kits for sale. Some friends of ours still have an etched design on their window that they did long ago.
Hi Moonlake
The very first picture of the colorful bottle tree caught my eye. I think this is a great backyard idea and might even get around to making one for my own! Thanks for sharing this awesome hub.
Princesswithapen
princesswithapen,
Thanks, for stopping by and leaving a comment on my hub. I have a dead post from an old tree by my drive-way and one of my gardens I would like to put my bottle tree there but I would embarrass my son if I did that. He wouldn't want any of his friends to see it.
Oh my, I've got to start collecting bottles. Each of these trees is so unique--and I love the concept's origin. Great hub!
The Dirt Farmer,
Thank you, for stopping by my hub. Glad you enjoyed it.
Wow, this is so cool. It's like art and nature!
arusho,
Thanks for stopping by. I have enough bottles for starting my tree. Thinking about getting done this year my husband wants to wait till next Spring.
Awesome hub. THose are amazing trees.
kikalina,
Thank you, and thanks for visiting my hub.
Really interesting and unique. A bottle tree would look awesome in our herb garden.
homesteadpatch,
Thanks for stopping by. We just added a few more bottles to our tree and I have three cleaned ones ready to go on. People are starting to find out about it and are bringing bottles to me.
MoonLake ~ #OMG -- Now I really love these bottle trees. You learn something new every day. The beautiful video reminded me of Calder's Mobiles. Now I can see why you really love these colorful trees. Actually, glass is one of my favorite loves. If I wasn't trying to clean everything out I might just try my hand at one of these and maybe they would shoo away the birds from the garden! Blessings, Debby
Debby Bruck,
The reason I like them is because of the story behind them. They are so pretty. I don't think of them as taking the place of a real tree. I'm going to try and get morning glories to grow up the tree in the Spring.
Thanks so much for leaving a comment.
Hi MoonLake - Please post photos of the lovely morning glories on your Spring Tree. I sent this Hubpages out into the twittersphere so that hundreds of thousands of other people can read, admire and learn. Twitter / @DebbyBruck: Did you ever hear of a bottle tree? http://bit.ly/w2UseF
Debby Bruck,
I will put pictures on if I can get them to grow up the tree. I need to get out there to take some more pictures I do have more bottles on it.
Thanks for the twitt is that what you call it?
This hub is awesome! I love recycling and finding new uses for things. I've thought of a bottle tree before, but never actually carried out the idea. You are amazing! :)
cclitgirl,
Thank you, Part of the fun of having a bottle tree is the search for the right bottles. I found some odd colors at Goodwill.
Thanks so much for stopping by.
I love this hub!!! I have a bottle tree and love the way it looks at varying times of the day. Now I know that it will help ward off evil spirits! I also collect bottles on my windowsill and have started to edge an area off using upside down bottles. I also love sea glass which a lot of from bottles as such. Thanks!
johnr54, Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. We still have to finish our tree. There is so much room on it for more bottles.
diogenes 7 months ago
Just saw a segment on the bottle tree place on Route 66, quite a character (Long). They have their place I suppose and make a nice tinkling sound in the wind...don't need watering either. Bob