Windowsill Herb Garden :: DIY project for little hands

I’ve always dreamed of having a garden and picking fresh produce to feed my family. Now that we live on a farm and are beginning our homestead, my desire to begin my garden grows by the day. Unfortunately, summer is not the best growing season here in South Florida. It’s really not a good time for someone without a green thumb to start a garden.

I’ve seen some friends who started indoor herb gardens, so I decided to give a try. Worst case, everything dies and I try again. Best case, it flourishes and I can replant them outside in the fall. To my surprise, it has been a success so far!

Supplies Needed:

-Mason Jars (Wide Mouth)

-Rock, Marbles or Decorative Stone

-Potting Soil

-Herbs (or seeds)

Step 1. Gather your supplies and set up your workspace. This can be as simple or elaborate as you want. I used large, wide-mouth mason jars I found on clearance at Target. You can use jars, flower pots, cans, etc. Anything with a wide mouth will work.

Step 2: Cover the bottom of the jars with rock, marbles, or decorative stone. I used rock from our driveway, but you could get creative with colored marbles or stones. The rock helps with drainage and keeps the roots from getting moldy.

Step 3: Fill the jar ¾ of the way full with soil. I used some leftover soil I found in the barn, but would’ve preferred to use something meant for vegetables instead.

Step 4: Put one herb plant in each jar and cover the rest with soil. I have Sage, Basil, Mint, and Rosemary. Other great options are Thyme, Spearmint, Oregano, Parsley, Cilantro. You could also plant seeds instead of mature plants.

Step 5: Label or decorate your jars. I added some white/gold twine and used a label maker to label my jars. You can skip this step and keep it simple.

Step 6: Water and place in a sunny windowsill. It is very easy to overwater herbs, so be careful! I water them every 5-7 days as the soil dries.

This was a super simple DIY and I was really impressed with how well Maverick (1.5 years old) did with it. We have really enjoyed watching them grow and both kids have helped prune the plants. We’ve used the basil for pasta dishes and mint to add flavor to our drinks. We have also used the trimmings at a treat for our chickens! They loved it.

We would love to see all of your windowsill garden creations! Tag us on Instagram so we can share them.