From the page: Glass is a blank canvas
Idea 9
Windowsill herb garden in low jars
Growing herbs in jars on the windowsill is a legacy of European kitchens, where canning jars became winter planters. Glass is great for seedlings because you can see the soil's moisture and the roots' progress — a natural gauge. It works because herbs like basil, chives, and mint have short roots and do well in small containers, as long as they get plenty of light.
What you need
- Wide-mouth jars
- Pebbles for drainage
- Potting soil with fertilizer
- Herb seedlings or seeds: basil, chives, mint, parsley
- A window with at least 4 hours of sun
How to make it
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1
Make a ¾-inch layer of pebbles at the bottom — in a jar with no drainage hole, this layer is what keeps the roots from rotting.
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2
Fill with damp soil up to about two fingers from the rim, without packing it down too much.
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3
Plant the seedling or seeds at the depth listed on the packet (rule of thumb: twice the size of the seed).
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4
Place it in the sunniest window in the house and water only when the soil surface feels dry to the touch.
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5
Always harvest from the top, cutting the new shoots — this makes the plant branch out and get bushy.
Finishing touches
mint is aggressive and will take over the jar; give it a jar of its own. Turning the jars a half rotation every week keeps the plants from growing lopsided toward the sun.
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