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There’s something about having fresh herbs at your fingertips that can make all the difference in a meal. An easy DIY Mason Jar Herb Planter will give you delicious fresh herbs, like aromatic garlic chives, rosemary, or basil to use in your tasty savory dishes.

And even though wintertime is one of the most challenging times to keep fresh herbs around the house or garden, you’ll be covered! There are some hardier varieties such as parsley, oregano, or rosemary (in certain zones) that can survive outdoors, but what if want some useable herbs and table decor also? Check out my DIY Mason Jar Herb Planter.

Herb Planter in a Crate

I had noticed these mini crates in the craft section of Wal-Mart and thought they were cute. I believe they’re a perfect size for cd’s, but not many of us still keep cds around anymore, so I searched for a use for the mini-crate.

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Of course, I’d already purchased it at this point because I knew I’d use it for something. (Raise your hand if you have a stash of craft or garden supplies that you just knew you’d use at some point! Me, too!) I’d already purchased one of the larger crates as a book box for our youngest gardener, so I knew it was easy to paint and pretty versatile. 

At the time I purchased the crate, the girly gardener was making and selling jars of hot chocolate mix so she could send money to our sponsored child in Kenya. He really wanted a bike, and she was hard at work earning the money for said bike. (She did end up raising the full amount!)

I noticed though during this time that in between batches of hot chocolate mix, she was storing the extra jars in the mini-crate. This got me thinking about what I could store in the jars and also have as a functional display piece on our table. The answer: herb planter.

DIY Mason Jar Herb Planter Supplies

• Small wooden crate (From Wal-Mart, Michaels, or Hobby Lobby)
• Spray Paint of your choice (I used Rustoleum.) 
• 3 Pint Mason Jars (I used regular mouth, since that’s what I had, but the wide mouth would be even better!)
• River Rock (or rocks you have laying around)
• Brass name tag holders
• Herbs of choice (I used rosemary and garlic chives)
• Gorilla Glue (optional, see instructions below)

DIY Mason Jar Herb Planter Instructions

1. Take your small wooden crate outside and use your spray paint color of choice to paint all over and inside the crate. Let the crate dry, then apply a second coat.                                         
2. Once the crate is dry, gather the rest of the supplies together. Begin by affixing the small brass labels to your box. Using a ruler, measure the front of your box and determine how far apart you want your labels. (Mine were 1 1/2 inches apart.) Use a pencil to mark where each label will go. The labels did come with small screws, which you can certainly use, but since the screws would have come through the other side of the wood pieces, I opted to use Gorilla Glue to adhere my brass labels.                                                                                           
3. While the labels are drying (if you use the glue), go ahead and begin preparing your mason jars for planting. Take a handful or river rock and place them in the bottom of each Mason jar. This is to promote drainage for your plants.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               
4. Then take your chosen herbs and remove them from the plastic containers they came in. You’ll want to gently break apart excess potting mix that won’t fit into the jar and get down to the root system of the plant. Gently push the plants into the jars and add additional potting soil where needed.                                                                                                                           
5. Create labels for your brass label holders by cutting small slips of paper from card stock or index cards. Label them with a Sharpie or other permanent marker and slide them into the holders. 
6. Add your mason jar herbs to the crate and display! Keep your herbs watered (but not drowned), and be sure they have plenty of light.                                                                                           

Notes

• For a temporary display, choose herbs that you will then be able to take outside and plant in the garden (weather permitting). 
• Use this for a fun centerpiece for your spring dining table or any table setting. 
• Once herbs are used, you can repurpose this Mason Jar Herb Planter into fun storage for pens, pencils, and markers, or any other supplies that may need a home. Simply rewrite the labels for whatever you are storing.

Although I am an avid gardener, I don’t always have the touch for indoor plants. So, I love it when I find an easy way to grow plants indoors, and have a fun way to display them like my DIY Hanging Succulent Planter. I’d love to know if you try this project and what herbs you decided to try! Comment below and let everyone know what tasty and fresh herbs you’ll be using. Have a great week and happy gardening!