Maintenance Tools
As a longtime bottle garden enthusiast I have come to find that while planting tools can be easily finagled from items around the house, maintenance tools are much harder to come by. I want you to be able to keep your Captive World looking its best so I am offering two tools of my own creation that I feel are invaluable to the upkeep of a bottle garden. These tools are carefully handmade and are pieces of art themselves. Each one is unique.
Trimming Tool
This tool allows the gardener to cut off dead or overgrown portions of a plant. The hooked end slides up pulling a stem into the 'V' shaped portion of the tool. Both the hook and the 'V' have carefully placed blades that create a clean cut as they meet. To remove the cut portion it doubles as a pickup tool. Simply encircle part of the item to be removed within the teardrop opening without applying enough pressure to make a cut.
The unique shape of the cutting end allows it to be maneuvered without snagging or damaging leaves, and the gentle curve of the rod makes it possible to reach every tiny hill or valley.
Glass Cleaning Tool
Over time a dirty fog of algae, dust, hard water, and other particles builds up on the interior glass surface of a bottle garden. This haze not only mars the appearance of the tiny world, but can also block out necessary wavelengths of light.
The glass cleaning tool consists of two strong magnets separately encased with fabric. One of them has a scrubber affixed to it while the other has a small handle. The scrubber goes into the bottle while the handled magnet stays on the outside and controls the location of the interior magnet. The magnetic pressure is just enough to scrub off the haze as the unit is moved about.
Classic Tool Set
A collection of six classic bottle garden tools measuring 9" in length. This size is ideal for repurposed liquor bottles. The largest tool is just over 1/2" in diameter, with the others being much smaller. They are easily maneuvered through tight bottle necks and over tiny hills and valleys.
Brush-
Used to brush soil or debris off any surface from mossy hills to glass walls.
Scoop-
Perfect for moving soil about to create interesting landscapes as well as digging small holes and burying new plants' roots.
Tamper-
Tapping this tool on the soil gently packs it down. It is also used to press around the base of new plants to set them in place.
Wire Hook-
If hooked around a plants neck they can be lowered into place and then easily unhooked. The tool is also very useful for placing rocks or small figures as well as removing unwanted debris.
Knife-
Used to cut off overgrown or dead portions of a plant.
Poker-
The most versatile tool of them all. When combined with any other tool it
becomes a second hand. It will hold a branch down so it can be cut, move a leaf over to be brushed off, or pin a plant while it is pressed into place. It is also perfect for fine tuning those details