Since I’ve been selling jams and syrups at the local farmer’s market, I have been using tons of small mason jars and my kitchen is full. Overwhelmed by medium sized-mason jars, I wanted to put them to work! An idea that solved more than one problem, these herb gardens are adorable, functional and easy to make.

Herb Garden Functions:

-Get these jars out of my kitchen!

-Solve the problem of small bugs eating plants in my garden.

Mint and verbena herbs help to repel flies and other bugs, and I have huge pots of them in each corner of the balcony garden. Since the plants are working hard, but can’t be everywhere at once, I decided to spread them out so their benefits could be enjoyed by more of the garden.

I didn’t want to drill holes in the mason jars in case I wanted to use them again in the future, so I decided to place some pebbles in the bottom of the jar to help with drainage.

Filled the jar with a mixture of dirt and perlite, then I took some cuttings from my mint and verbena plants.

I mixed each jar to include a few springs of each plant, then watered them each well.

Since they are in jars, I won’t have to water them very often at all, maybe once per week at the maximum.

For the first 1-3 days, the plants will wilt and look like they have died. This is normal. Mint works on its roots immediately and then begins to come back to life with small new leaves. Verbena is the same, but takes a few days longer. Have patience. =]

Once your plants are established, place the herb garden jars anywhere you want and it will help reduce bugs and pests in the garden. Have you ever tried this?

Photos: Elizabeth Adan

By Elizabeth Adan

Elizabeth Adan is a Freelance Writer, Publicist and Brand Ambassador. Her blog Aquaberry Bliss is a unique outdoor lifestyle blog dedicated to expanding your world and inspiring your creativity. When Elizabeth isn’t traveling, you’ll find her writing, hiking or gardening. Find Elizabeth on Twitter @stillaporcupine and on LinkedIn.