Jar Herb Garden
I saw a picture of herbs grown in jars about a month ago and knew that I needed to figure out how to make my own Mason jar herb garden. I decided to hang mine from the back fence, and I love it (I’m hanging a lot on the fence lately).
I actually didn’t use canning jars for this project, but used a hodge-podge of glass jars I found in a box—most seem to be old glass mayonnaise jars by the shape. Repurposing! Jars not made specifically for home canning should not be used to can as the glass is not generally suited for frequent and sudden changes in heat. This was a great way to use jars that would otherwise be recycled or thrown out.
A few other notes: I found that thyme, mint, lemon verbena, and oregano grow pretty well in jars, but basil and rosemary weren’t very happy. Some herbs need more room than a jar allows.
You will need:
- jars
- small rocks or other drainage material
- potting soil
- herbs
- pipe clamps (3” – 5”)
- 1” screws
- a screwdriver or two
Place about an inch of rocks or other drainage material in the bottom of each jar to be planted. Add potting soil and your herbs. Water them in well so they survive the heat.
To hang them, you'll need to screw the clamp into your fence or board, then add the jar. I found that placing the screw between the holes in the pipe clamp worked best to secure it to the fence. I added a screw between the last two holes and attatching it directly to the fence made a strong enough connection to hold.
After screwing the pipe clamp to the fence, tighten it around the jar with a screwdriver. Make sure the clamp is tight before letting go of the jar. Mine have made it through pretty strong wind and thunderstorms without moving a bit, so I’d say they’re secure.
I harvest the herbs when I need them and will make sure to pick them all before they are spent and dry them for use later. Fresh herbs hanging from the fence. Fun!
