Growing herbs in mason jars is a beautiful and creative way to grow fresh herbs in your kitchen. Enjoy fresh home grown herbs even if you live in an apartment or it is the middle of winter. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know to set up your mason jar herb garden, and care for it so you can get to harvesting those yummy herbs.
I will admit growing herbs indoors can be challenging at first. If you have ever tried it and ended up with yellowing, tall, and spindly plants then you already know this. That is what I am going to help you out with today – no more tall, spindly herbs in your house!
People have been enjoying growing herbs in their homes for many years. I was reading a transcript from a 1933 radio broadcast the other day because, you know – why not? And, it was talking about this woman growing an indoor herb garden:
She has set out her indoor herb garden on the pantry window,…she says she expects to pick fresh parsley to garnish her platters in the middle of January and to have fresh sprouts of onions and chives for soups and salads and stews when the snow is blowing against the window pane.
Indoor Herb Gardens for Thrifty Kitchens, United States Department of Agriculture, 1933
I find it so inspirational and encouraging that even without the grow lights and equipment we have today, these ladies were still able to grow fresh herbs in their homes. If they can do it, then we definitely can too.
I like the idea of growing herbs in mason jars because, well… they look so cute! Also, it just has that sustainable and ecofriendly feel that I love. It is a great way to re-use things which I am all about. Reduce, reuse, and recycle!
My philosophy is that even though I want to live more sustainably and grow a lot of my own food, I also enjoy getting creative and making something beautiful. Then I get to enjoy it with my eyes as well as my tummy.
Do Herbs Grow Well in Mason Jars?
Herbs can grow very well in mason jars as long as they are provided with the optimal conditions. Your indoor mason jar herb garden will require 6-8 hours of sunlight every day to encourage new healthy growth and stop your plants from getting leggy as they reach for the sun. You will want to continually prune and harvest your herbs in a way that promotes bushier growth.
You need to have a good quality organic potting soil so they get the proper nutrients, and most importantly of all… do not over water. That is always the biggest issue when it comes to growing herbs in mason jars as there are no drainage holes. We care so much about our plants that we end up giving them too much water and that will lead to all kinds of problems.
Herbs will always be at their happiest when grown outside, but if you provide them with the right conditions and take good care of them they will grow just fine indoors in your mason jars as well.
Materials Needed for Growing Herbs in Mason Jars:
- Horticultural charcoal
- Small stones, aquarium gravel, or glass pebbles
- Good quality potting mix
- Mason jars
- Your favorite herbs
- Fun labels to dress up your jars and make it your own
What Size Mason Jar is Best for Your Indoor Herb Garden
A wide mouth mason jar is best for this diy mason jar garden project. I would recommend using a jar anywhere from 500ml (1 pint) up to 1L (1 quart). I found these jars on sale at my local Peavey Mart that are 750ml (1 1/2 pint).
You want a larger jar as this will provide ample room for you plant to develop a healthy root system. The wide mouth at the top will also make it easier to plant in, and provide more room for the herb stems as they bush out. Plants will often grow to the size of their container, so if you choose a larger jar, your plant will be able to grow a little larger.
You can purchase mason jars online, or at your local Walmart, or dollar store. If you are in Canada they also sell them at Canadian Tire or Peavey Mart. Another place to find old mason jars is at thrift stores. If you are really stuck and can’t find mason jars, you can reuse your glass spaghetti sauce jars once you are done with them. Then add fresh herbs back into those yummy pasta sauces you will be making. Another option is to use old pickle jars.
Best Herbs to Grow in Mason Jars
The easiest herbs to grow in mason jars are: basil, cilantro, chives, parsley, thyme, and mint.
If you want to see more options, then read my full post on my top must have herbs to grow in the kitchen. It will help guide you through the decision making process.
You want to choose herbs that you actually like to use in the kitchen, that grow well in your environment, and that don’t get too big too fast.
More compact or dwarf sized herb plants will do the best. Selecting herbs that grow well with less sunlight such as chives and parsley are an especially good choice since you will be leaving your mason jar herbs indoors.
If you are at the beginning of your journey when it comes to growing herbs, I would recommend using started plants for this project. You can get these at your local garden center, or if it is in the middle of the winter and they do not have any herbs you can often find rooted herbs for sale at your grocery store.
Since the opening of a mason jar is not very large – even when using a wide mouth jar – it will be easier if you select younger plant starts with a smaller root ball.
If you can’t find any started herbs, then your next best option is to buy some fresh herb cuttings from the grocery store and root them in water before planting. Starting herbs from seed brings a whole other set of challenges, and can take a long time before you will be ready to harvest.
If you decide to start from seed I would recommend trying basil as it is one of the easiest plants to get going and grows pretty fast compared to other herbs. Herbs such as thyme, and rosemary can take months to really amount to any size when started from seed.
How do you make a Mason Jar Herb Garden?
Making a mason jar herb garden can be done in four simple steps. Start with some clean jars, add activated charcoal and pebbles to the bottom, fill the jar with soil, plant your herbs, and water them in. This is why planting herbs in mason jars is so great. It only requires a few things, it doesn’t take much time to do, and it is great for beginner gardeners. Now let’s go over the steps in more detail to make sure you have success.
Step One – Add Activated Charcoal to Your Jar
Put about 1 to 2 tablespoons of activated charcoal in the bottom of the mason jar.
Activated charcoal is used to remove any odor that might arise if you have overwatered and there is water sitting in the bottom of your jar. Hopefully you will not need this. You should be able to find it at your local garden center or online.
I will admit I went down a bit of a rabbit hole on this one. I went out to buy activated charcoal for this project and I had such a hard time finding any. Then I remembered that I use this in my fish tank filtration system, so I headed out to the pet store. When I got there I realized it said “Activated carbon” not charcoal as I had thought.
Activated carbon is used in aquarium filters to absorb odors, help with discolouration and remove toxins within the water. It is meant to improve water quality and fish health. That got me thinking about what the difference is between activated charcoal and activated carbon – I found this website that went into quite a bit of detail on the topic. Essentially, it looks to me like they are very similar and I think the activated carbon will work great if you are unable to find activated charcoal.
Step Two – Add Some Pebbles
Add a shallow layer of small rocks, glass pebbles, or gavel depending on the look you are going for. You do not want a thick layer of stone as this could lead to root rot. If water is pooling at the bottom of the jar and has no contact with the soil, it can’t wick back up to be used by the herbs. Eventually the plant’s roots will find their way down and end up sitting in the water. If left for a long time the water can go stagnant which is not good for anyone especially your plants.
You also want as much soil in the container as you can fit, so you don’t want to waste any space with additional rocks.
Step Three: Add Soil on Top of the Rocks
It is important to choose a high quality potting mix for this step. My soil of choice is “Vegetable and Herb Promix”. It is certified organic and will feed your herbs for up to three months. It has a nice light texture and holds the right amount of moisture but also drains well. You want the majority of your jar to be filled with soil to provide a lot of space for root growth.
I like to pre-moisten my soil by first putting it in a large Tupperware container and adding water. You want it to feel like a damp sponge that you can form into a ball and squeeze with only a maximum of one to two droplets of water coming out. It should also crumble easily when pressure is applied.
In this step you will want to fill your jar about half way with soil. You will be able to judge how much soil to put in based on how large the plant root ball is that your are planting. If you are starting from herb seeds in your jar then fill to just 1 inch below the top of the jar.
Step Four: Planting Herbs in Mason Jars
Place your herb plant into the the jar and backfill with additional potting mix until the level meets the current level of your plant. If your root ball is too large to fit in the jar opening, then gently break up the soil around some of the roots until it fits. Once you have your herb root ball int he jar, gently press down on the soil around the base of the plant to firm everything in place.
The final soil level should be about 1 inch from the top of the jar – this will make watering easier. Finish with watering your herb in. Not too much water though, just enough to moisten the soil. Again, you do not want water pooling at the bottom of your jar.
Taking Care of Herbs in Mason Jars
Luckily most herbs are pretty easy to care for. They like the same temperatures that we do which is around 70 F. For best results, you will want to lightly fertilize your herbs about once per month with a good water soluble, all-purpose, nitrogen rich plant food that will promote foliage growth.
Once planted, you can set you herbs in a place where they will get plenty of natural sunlight or under a grow light. If you have them on a sunny windowsill, it is important to remember that windowsills can get much cooler in the winter or hotter in the summer than the rest of the house. Make sure the temperature doesn’t swing up and down too drastically.
Herbs generally don’t have many pest issues. I have heard that aphids can be one of the biggest problems. If you notice any aphids just put your herb plant in the sink and run under cold water to knock off the aphids. If you get a healthy plant, use high quality potting soil, and you have no houseplants with bugs already then risk is very low.
Lastly, choose a location with good air circulation to lower the risk of any fungal issues.
Providing Light for Indoor Mason Jar Herbs
Light may just be the most important aspect of growing herbs indoors. If they do not get enough sunlight you will end up with spindly, sad, little plants and no harvest. Light can be especially difficult to provide to your plants in the winter when the days are shorter and the light is less intense. To provide the 6-8 hours of direct sunlight that your herbs need you can either put them in a south facing bright window, or put them under a grow light.
If you are growing herbs in a windowsill, be sure to rotate them once per week, so they get good light on all sides. This will keep them bushier and growing upright instead of leaning over and reach towards the window.
Here in Canada and with my windows, I need to use a grow light, especially in winter. There are many options out there all ranging in price. Some ideas include a clamp light, a light you can mount under your upper kitchen cabinets, or a tabletop light set up.
How Often Do You Water Mason Jar Herbs?
Since mason jar herbs are grown in glass they will generally require less frequent watering. Check your plants about once per week to see if they need water. This can be done by observing the plant – is it droopy or do the leaves look healthy and lush? You can also check the colour of the soil. If it is much lighter then it could need water. The best way to decide if your herb needs water or not is by putting one finger down into the soil and feeling for moisture.
There is really no exact measurement for the amount of water to provide when you are growing herbs in mason jars. This will all depend on the size of your plants, the size of the jar, your environment, and the soil type you chose.
The main thing to keep in mind is not to water too much, only water enough to moisten the root ball. You should not end up with extra water sitting at the bottom of your jar. It is always best to air on the side of watering too little, then too much in this case. As you continue to care for and water your herbs, you will get a better sense of what they need.
Harvesting and Using Herbs Grown in Mason Jars
Harvesting your herbs will actually help them out by stimulating more growth. You will want to regularly prune and harvest your herbs in order to keep them compact and bushy. The only thing is not to cut more than 1/3 of the plant at a time so that it can continue to grow and photosynthesize.
Feel free to harvest little bits of herbs anytime you need them, and then just prepare them as you normally would for cooking or adding to drinks.
For tall stems like parsley, and chives, you will want to cut down and only leave about 1-2 inches above the soil level from the section you took. For basil it is best to pinch the top leaves off where it branches, for thyme you will want to trim from the new soft growth and leave the woody stems in place.
When to Repot or Refresh Herbs in Mason Jars
I would consider repoting or refreshing these mason jar herbs about every year, or if you notice the roots are really taking over. That is one bonus of growing them in clear glass – you can really see what the roots are doing. If you notice that your plants are not looking as healthy or are not growing as well it may be time to start over.
To repot your mason jar herbs, simply take everything out. Give the jars a good wash, then repot in the same way that you initially did. If your herbs still look happy then you can repot them. If not, then I would consider getting new plants. It would take a while for them to recover enough for you to get any harvest. Believe me – I have tried saving plants. It can be done, but how much time do you want to take before you have fresh herbs in your kitchen again?
Well there you have it. Now you have all the knowledge to go forth and start growing herbs in mason jars. Comment below to share which herbs you will try growing first.
Oh and don’t forget to save this post for later!
Until next time!
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