Don't Toss Old Jars, Repurpose Them Into A Kitchen Herb Garden

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Having fresh herbs ready at your fingertips can be an invaluable cooking resource. Plus, there are herbs to have on hand for making certain cocktails. Luckily, herbs are easier to grow than you think, especially if you have old jars lying around the house. You can repurpose those jars to start an indoor herb garden.

With some pebbles and potting mix, you can make a suitable bed for either seeds or transplanted seedlings to grow well in your sunniest kitchen window or under a grow light. A pebble base helps keep root tips from becoming waterlogged, since your average household jar doesn't have drainage holes.

There are many ways to use mason jars in the kitchen, and using them for herbs has one major benefit over growing them outdoors: You don't have to move them inside for cold snaps or other inclement weather. Herbs to grow include rosemary, basil, dill, cilantro, oregano, parsley, and mint. You can also use jars to grow some of the underrated herbs you should be cooking with more often, like marjoram and Thai basil.

For your indoor herb garden, start with 12- to 16-ounce jars, which will be a good size for many herbs. Glass containers like mason jars are ideal because you easily observe soil moisture and root development, though any jar can work. Place 1 to 2 inches of pebbles in the bottom of each jar.  

Next, add a potting mix up to an inch or two below the rim. Note that potting mix, a soilless blend of materials specifically designed for growing plants in containers, is different from potting soil, which contains soil and is best used in outdoor garden beds. One good option for jarred herbs is Miracle Gro Organic Indoor Potting Mix.

From there, simply plant the seeds in the jar according to the seed packet's instructions. If transferring plants to the jars, quickly but carefully pull apart the roots for better growth — air exposure can harm the roots, and too much force will tear them. Place the plants in jars and top them off with tightly-packed potting mix. Whether planted or transferred, gently water them immediately and place in the sunlight. Now it's time to watch them grow!