DIY Mason Jar Planter: Create Your Own Herb Garden

Here in Michigan the weather is finally warming up during the day and staying warm enough at night that we can really start our garden. Until recently it was still getting so cold at night that the plants weren’t safe outside. This year we are starting a pallet garden with many vegetables. While we love having fresh veggies on hand we also love having fresh herbs. It turns out that planting herbs in mason jars is really easy and then you keep them inside and move them outside as it warms up. Here is a really fun Mason Jar Planter DIY project that is perfect for adding herbs in and around your garden.

This Mason Jar Herb Garden Tutorial was first published May 5, 2015. I have made a few updates and shared it here for my new readers to enjoy.

Mason Jar Planters Tutorial

Planting herbs in mason jars is easy and this fun mounted planter gives it a fun twist with versatility. The only trick to how to use mason jars as planters is to watch your sun levels and your water levels. Because the roots are exposed, you don’t want full sun all day long. The roots don’t need to get cooked! So partial sun is preferred. The clear glass allows you to keep an eye on your water level and helps prevent you from overwatering. However, there are no drainage holes so don’t overwater. If you are using large mason jar planters, you may want to add an inch of rocks to the bottom of the jar to help create mason jar planters drainage.

Craft Supplies:

• mason jars, you can get these at your local grocery store
• metal hose clamps – the size will vary depending on the size of your mason jars, you can get these at your local hardware store
• wood pieces – pallet wood or garden stakes
• screws
• drill and drill bit
• herbs
• potting soil

Mason Jars As Planters

Are you wondering if you can use a jar as a planter or pot? Well, herb plants in mason jars are a natural fit. You have your kitchen plants in your extra kitchen supplies. Plus, the clear glass jar makes it easy to see what the water situation is with the plants and whether they are getting dry or have too much water. This makes growing herbs successfully easier!

Mark a spot on your wooden board piece where you want the hose clamp ring to hold the mason jar.  Mark a spot inside the hose clamp where you want it to attach to the wood piece.

Use a nail or a tap to place a small hole in the clamp where you marked it.  Using the drill, add a small hole where you’ve marked the wood so the screw will not split the wood when it’s put in place.

Screw the clamp into place.

Add a little potting soil to the mason jar and then transfer you herb plant into the mason jar. Fill in any extra potting soil as needed at the top.

Pound the stake into the ground near your garden or anywhere you like in your outdoor space.

Slip the mason jar into the clamp and use a screw driver to tighten until the mason jar doesn’t slip and is secure.

That is it! There you have my easy tutorial for planting herbs in mason jars.

Pro Tips For Growing Plants In Mason Jars

Growing plants in mason jars can be super cute and functional, especially for herbs and small houseplants. Here are some tips to keep your mason jar garden thriving:

1. Pick the Right Plants

Mason jars are best for small plants with shallow root systems. Great options include:

• Herbs: basil, parsley, thyme, cilantro, chives
• Succulents & cacti
• Small houseplants: pothos cuttings, baby spider plants
• Microgreens or lettuce

2. Add Drainage & Water Wisely

Mason jars don’t have drainage holes, so you need to fake it:

• Add a 1–2 inch layer of pebbles, gravel, or clay pellets at the bottom to catch excess water.
• Optional: layer a piece of landscape fabric or a coffee filter on top to keep soil from sinking into the rocks.
• Without drainage, overwatering is a fast track to root rot so water sparingly.
• Use a spray bottle for delicate watering control, especially for seedlings or succulents.

3. Give Them the Right Light

• Place jars near a sunny window (south or west-facing is ideal).
• If growing herbs or leafy greens, they’ll need at least 4–6 hours of sunlight a day.
• No sunlight? Try a grow light—clip-on LEDs work great for indoor jars to get enough light.

Conclusion

These funky and cool Mason Jar planters are a fun way to add planters to an area where you may not have an existing flower bed or table to set them on. They help create a vertical garden. You can also add a DIY Mason jar planter or two or three to you kitchen window sill and skip all the nifty staking. Do you think you will make your own mason jar planters?

Related Posts:

7 Easy Mason Jar Crafts

The Health Benefits of Spices and Herbs

Thrifty Herb Window Gardening: What, Why, and How