How to Start Growing Herbs in Mason Jars

I am in love with cooking with fresh herbs, and just having them around in general because they smell so good and they’re so cute. Mason jars have also become really popular, and they have a nice look to them, so why not plant your kitchen herb garden in some cute mason jars? I did a lot of research through blogs on Pinterest and started with my first herb, a cute little Thyme plant, about a month and a half ago. (I wanted to make sure it would survive before I posted anything. Because the last few times I’ve tried to grow herbs they’ve died) This is actually one of the least expensive crafts I’ve ever done, because most of the materials were either pretty cheap, or leftover from something else. So lets get started.

Materials

Smaller sized herb plant of your choice. I started with Thyme, then got Basil and Oregano as well. One of the basil plants was about $4.00 from Trader Joe’s and it was larger than the others, The others all came from Target, they were the living herbs packages that are in the produce section, about $1.99 each.

Large to small jars, depending on the size of your plants. I used a small jam jar for the Thyme, a large Ball jar for the Basil, a Prego pasta sauce jar for the Oregano, and a Bertolli pasta sauce Jar for the other Basil plant.

Moisture Control Potting soil. You want to make sure it is moisture control because many varieties of herbs are sensitive to moisture and susceptible to root rot.

Potting pebbles. I found some nice white decorative pebbles for potting at Home Depot.

Leftover Herbal tea for mulch/fertilizer if desired.

Directions and Tips

First make sure that your jars are cleaned inside and out. A good way to get labels and glue off jars is to soak in hot water and dish soap, then peal of labels and scrub with a green scrubber or steal wool.

Place an even 1/2 to 1 inch layer of pebbles at the bottom of the jar. This helps drain off excess water, prevents root rot, and just helps with the general finished look of this project.

Measure the level of soil you will need by placing the plant in the jar with the top of the root/ soil about 1-2 centimeters below the rim of the jar. Note where the bottom of the root ends, and set the plant to the side.

Fill to pre-measured level with moisture control potting soil. If desired, layer in a little bit of the herbal tea leaves for extra fertilizer.

Crack the root of the plant. This means loosen up the soil around the root so that the roots can expand once the plant starts to grow more.

Place the plant into the jar and fill in the empty spaces with soil. This was particularly difficult with the Bertolli jar because the opening at the top was so narrow compared to the width of the rest of the jar, so take that into account when choosing your jars.

Now just water and place in a sunny area. Most varieties of herbs need about 6 hours of sunlight per day, so sometimes I switch them between windowsills to get the most out of the changing light.

My general rule of thumb for watering is to feel the soil, and if it’s still moderately damp the plant can make it one more day without watering. Many herbs we commonly use in cooking are native to more dry and sunny places such as the Mediterranean, so you want to make sure not to over water.

Also make sure to prune from the top of the plant every once in awhile, this will promote new growth and help your plant grow bigger, this is especially true of the Basil. You want to prune from the top because if you prune from the bottom, the plant becomes top heavy and weak and might break or fall over.

Also keep an eye out for the plant going to seed, and prune any flowers. A plant going to seed produces leaves that aren’t as good tasting, and some plants die after seeding.

If you have pets, such as cats, try to keep them from nibbling on the plants. This is not only bad for the plants, but also could be harmful to your pet’s health. My roommate’s cat ate some of the Thyme, got an upset tummy and threw up, but it didn’t seem to have any other adverse effect. But better safe than sorry.

Hope you enjoyed this little tutorial! I know I’m definitely enjoying having some nice plants in the house, and the fact that I have some really nice herbs on hand all the time for cooking. Feel free to share any additional tips you might have!

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