I love the idea of creating planters out of what we already have on hand. And mason jars always seem to be in abundance around here, thanks to a few boxes of hand-me-down jars. These particular mason jar herb planters were created with a local Cub Scout troop. The easy to plant herbs were the perfect centerpieces for their end of the year banquet, and I was able to teach them how to plant herbs!

Herb Planters without Holes

Though it is possible to drill holes in glass, it’s a difficult process that I usually don’t have time for. So how can you create a good environment for a plant without drainage holes? Use rocks.

I like to place rocks in the bottom of containers without holes, since they help the soil to not sit at the bottom of the container. Rocks also give extra water a place to sit until it’s soaked up by the soil, kind of like a miniature self-watering planter. (Create a self-watering planter here for a fabulous salad garden!)

And while the rocks do add a bit of weight to the planter, this can be a good thing if you’re using these planters outside and a good gust of wind comes up. The rocks help to weigh the planter down, avoiding any broken glass.

What size mason jars for a planter

For this particular project, I chose quart mason jars, since the basil plants we had chosen were already a good size. If you’re using smaller plants, then you could get by with a pint jar. I personally like the wide mouth jars as well, since it gives more room to maneuver the plant into the jar.

Supplies for Mason Jar Herb Planter

1 Quart Mason Jar (wide mouth preferred)
Potting Soil
Rocks
Herb plant of choice
Optional: Milkshake Straw

How to Make a Mason Jar Herb Planter

Begin by gathering the materials together, and gently place rocks at the bottom of the mason jar. Use enough rocks for them to create a 1-2 inch layer at the bottom. (Optional: Place a milkshake straw beside the rocks and have it come up and out of the jar. This straw can be used as a way to water the plant with a funnel.)

2. Fill jar halfway with potting soil (this may get messy!) and shake the jar gently to get the soil to settle.

3. Take the herb plant out of its original container and loosen up the roots. Gently place the plant inside the jar, adding more soil if the plant seems to sit too low in the jar. (We use basil for our jar planter, and did you know if you prune it, it will grow like crazy!)

4. Use the extra potting soil to fill in any gaps not filled in by the plant. Gently pat the soil around the plant to be sure it’s in the jar securely. Water the plant to ensure it’s properly hydrated.

5. Place jar in sunny location indoors or out or decorate with a ribbon or tag for a fun gift or centerpiece!

Fun Variations of the Herb Planter

Have kids paint the outside of the mason jar before or after planting as a wonderful Mother’s Day gift or birthday present.
Tie a tag around the top of the plant with a recipe that includes the herb in the jar.
Swap out the herb for any small plant, even a succulent!
Create a small mason jar herb garden like ours!

Yield: 1 Planter

Mason Jar Herb Planter

Create this fun and easy DIY Mason Jar Herb Planter with just a few supplies!

Prep Time 5 minutes

Active Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Estimated Cost $5

Materials

1 Quart Mason Jar
Potting Soil
Rocks
1 Herb Plant
1 Milkshake Straw (optional)

Tools

Small garden spade

Instructions

Begin by placing rocks at the bottom of the jar. If you're planning to use the milkshake straw as a watering line, then add it along the inside of the jar now, too.
Fill jar halfway with good quality potting soil, and gently shake jar to get soil to settle.
Remove herb plant from its container and loosen the roots. Place the plant inside the jar. Remove and add more soil if the plant seems to sit too low.
Fill in any gaps around the herb plant with the extra potting soil.
Water plant, and place in a sunny spot indoors or out!

I hope you found this tutorial helpful, and I’d love to know if you give this fun activity a try! Here are some other fun planters I’ve created tutorials for on The Kitchen Garten:

Saving seeds is one of the easiest way to make your garden self-sufficient and to save money! Gardening can be an expensive if you’re not careful, so why not take advantage of all the free seeds that plants give off at the end of their season? Basil is one of the easiest plants to harvest seed from, and saving basil seeds will give you the ability to grow basil for years!

Why save basil seeds?

Basil seeds are so easy to save, that there’s really no good reason not to. They’re incredibly small, so storage isn’t an issue, and think of all the basil that you can grow from your very own seed. I like to think of my ancestors when it comes to saving seed. That’s what most of them did, not just to save money, but because seed companies and Amazon weren’t just dropping off packages on their doorstep in two days. Ha! Saving seed helps me to feel more self-sufficient, and that’s always a good thing.

Basil seed can also be use not just for growing more basil, but there are health claims about consuming basil seed. I’m clearly not a doctor (and I’ve never played one on tv), but the Faddy Eater at the Guardian tried some popular methods of consuming basil seeds, and you can read his trials here.

How to save basil seeds

There are two different ways to save basil seeds. The first involves letting your plants go to seed and dry out outside. This is easy for us to do since we live in the hot south. For this, I simply let our basil plants bolt (bloom) and once those blooms turn brown, I’ll harvest the seeds. To do this, I run my hand down the stem, collecting the seed heads. Then break them open to reveal the tiny black basil seeds inside. It’s very low-key and simple. (See the video at the bottom for how to do this.)

You can also cut your long basil bloom stalks off and bring them indoors. Set them on a paper plate or a paper towel. Give them several days to a week to completely dry out on your counter or table. Once the blooms are dried, remove the seeds as mentioned above and store. I have a video below showing you how to remove the tiny black basil seeds for the flower heads.

How to store basil seeds

As with most seeds, basil seeds should be stored in a cool dry place. This usually means a paper envelope or small plastic container that seals well. If using plastic, be sure your seeds are completely dry before storing. Moisture will negatively affect your seeds, so also be sure your container is completely dry.

If your basil plant has gone to seed and there’s still plenty of growing season left, then plant a second harvest of basil. Simply take those seeds from your bolted basil plants and sprinkle them in an area of the garden that’s ready for something new. Your basil plants should emerge within a few weeks. I’ve done this when we’ve had particularly hot summers, since excessive heat will cause basil to bloom more quickly.

Fun Ideas for Basil Seeds

Other than planting, you can use basil seeds as a fun gift for friends and neighbors. Know someone who is getting married? Basil seeds in tiny sachets would make a delightful wedding favor!

Want to keep track of your seed inventory? Grab my FREE Printable Seed Inventory Tracker; I hope it helps you out!