Container Requirements

• Containers with plastic bottles must be large enough to accommodate the mature size of a plant. They must provide adequate drainage, as waterlogged soil leads to root rot and increases disease susceptibility. For best results, create holes on the sides of the container near the bottom to avoid standing water. Choose plants with similar light, soil and moisture requirements if you’re planting more than one species in a single container.
  
  

Vegetables

• Small vegetables thrive in containers. Use five-gallon containers for larger species, such as beans, cabbage, cucumbers, eggplants, lettuce, peppers and tomatoes. Three-gallon containers hold crops such as beets, carrots, green onions, lettuce and other leafy greens. Root vegetables and leafy greens thrive with only three or four hours of sun, while other species need full sun and grow best with eight to 10 hours of direct light each day, according to the Virginia Cooperative Extension.
  
  

Herbs

• Perennial and annual herbs create a fragrant, attractive container garden in pots that contain plastic bottles. Many herbs also bloom with colorful flowers. Species that thrive in containers include basil, chives, cilantro, dill, garlic, mint, parsley, savory and thyme. When planted alone and without bottles, most herbs can thrive in 6-inch pots, but if bottles are included, use larger pots. Use larger pots to accommodate woody, shrubby herbs, such as rosemary and lavender. Most herbs thrive in full-sun exposures.
  
  

Annuals

• Several types of annuals -- plants that germinate, bloom, go to seed and die within a single growing season -- thrive in pots that contain plastic bottles. The Colorado State University Extension recommends fuschia, geraniums, impatiens, morning glory vines, trailing petunias, pentas, salivas, verbena and wishbone flowers. Annuals prefer full-sun exposures.
  
  

Ornamental Grasses

• Smaller species of ornamental grasses grow successfully in containers with plastic bottles. Many ornamental grasses produce showy, tall inflorescences in spring or late summer. Choose cold-hardy species that can overwinter in containers. Grasses that thrive in containers include feather reed grass, fountain grass, hair grass, miscanthus and switch grass. These grass species grow well in full-sun to light-shade exposures.