Learn my tips and tricks to create a beautiful thriving garden bed in no time.

surefire way to create thriving garden flower bed

The SureFire Way to Create a Thriving Flower Garden Bed

We live on a beautiful tree-filled lot in North Carolina. I love all our trees, but sometimes I crave a spot for beautiful sun-loving flowers. The area near our mailbox is one of the only places that gets enough sun for a full-sun flower garden. Unfortunately, that spot by the mailbox wasn’t really thriving.

Back when I first created that flower bed, I was an inexperienced gardener. I didn’t condition the soil, and the only thing that really seemed to be happy there were a few transplanted iris tubers from our backyard. They never bloomed in the backyard, so I figured they’d be happy in a sunnier spot.

Each year I anxiously awaited some pretty iris blooms, but every summer I was disappointed. This Spring something unfortunate happened, that was actually a blessing in disguise. Our mailbox got hit and it split the mailbox post in half. At the time I was too busy to deal with it, so I put a few screws into the post and left it alone through the spring and the summer.

Now that Fall is here, it’s the opportune time to amend that area and plant a thriving sunny flower bed!

Why Fall is the Best Time to Plant a New Garden Bed?

Summer can be a formidable environment here in North Carolina. The hot weather quickly dries up any moisture in the soil and the sun can scorch tender shoots from new plantings. But, once Fall arrives, the temperatures are milder and not as harmful to those tender new plants. While it might seem like the plant isn’t growing when planted in cooler weather, under the soil those roots are growing and getting established. When Spring arrives, the plant will be more established and ready to send out new shoots and flowers.

How to Decide Between a Straight or Curved Bed?

It may seem daunting trying to decide a shape for your flower bed. Unless you have hardscapes that dictate your shape, look at your house style to help decide.

This right-angle styled backyard looks great against a large transitional coastal home.

Meanwhile, in Massachusetts, this Cape Cod style house looks right at home surrounded by loose curving beds.

Lowe's Spring Makeover Reveal | Pretty Handy Girl

An English countryside row house is perfect for informal plantings that hug the brick wall but spill into grassy areas.

In the city, where planting areas may be small, a few neatly planted foundation plantings look perfect.

Of course, these aren’t rules that can’t be broken. Ultimately, it’s your yard, so make it a reflection of what you love!

Planning Your Flower Bed:

Interesting flower beds have a variety of colors, shapes, sizes, and textures. Create a sketch for your ideal garden bed before heading to the nursery. In your plans, position taller plants at the back of your bed and shorter plants in the front. Make sure you leave enough room between plants as they fill out and mature.

flower bed sketch on graph paper

Although your plans might change once you reach the plant nursery, at least you have a general idea for what you want before being overwhelmed (or underwhelmed) by the choices.

Perennials or Annuals:

Perrenials are plants that grow and return every year. They are the “plant it and be done” way of gardening. By contrast, annuals are plants that typically bloom once and then die. Some annuals will deposit seeds to start new plants next year, but typically they don’t return in full force like the parent plant. Although they don’t last, annuals are a great way to inject new colors and style into your existing flower bed (especially while you are waiting for perennial plants to fill out.

When combined, perennials and annuals can create a beautiful flower bed. Personally, I like to plant mostly perennials in a flowering bed because I’m lazy and I still get beautiful new flowers every year. Annuals are usually reserved for my planter pots. (You can learn how I create knock out container gardens in this article!)

Landscaping 101: Tools, Planting, and Adding Color to your Landscaping | Pretty Handy Girl

However, to give some much-needed color to my new flower bed, I added some annuals (specifically some pansies). Our climate is usually mild enough that they will bloom once again in the Spring before dying. Then I’ll swap them out with seasonal perennials in full bloom. Buying plants in the Fall and Spring will give you a better idea of how the mature bed will look throughout the year.

What Exactly is Full Sun, Part Sun, Part Shade, and Shade Conditions?

Plants each need a certain amount of sun, but those amounts and types are varied. To successfully determine the amount of sun your property receives, create a sun map by observing your yard throughout the day. (Tip: Don’t create your map in the winter or early spring before the trees have all their leaves out or you may be surprised when that sunny area is mostly shaded in the summer.)

  • Full Sun – Plants with a full sun denoted on their label need a minimum of 6 hours of direct sun to thrive.
  • Part Sun – Plants in the part sun category must receive 3-6 hours of direct sun to be happy. But they require some protective shade or dappled shade the rest of the time.
  • Part Shade – Plants in the part shade category can also handle 3-6 hours a day, but they like early morning or dappled shade as opposed to receiving their sun in the mid-day when the sun is at its hottest.
  • Shade – These plants love nothing more than a good shady spot under a tree or shaded by a structure all day. They can handle a little morning or dappled sun, as long as they get to stay cool the rest of the day.

Tools & Materials to Create a Successful Flowering Garden Bed:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Landscaping 101: Tools, Planting, and Adding Color to your Landscaping | Pretty Handy Girl

Materials and Manual Garden Tools:

To create a new flower bed, you’ll need a few supplies.

Optional: Garden hose or string & stakes

Landscaping Power Tools:

Although you can create a flower bed by hand, having power tools at your disposal will not only save you time, but they can save you from an aching back and sore muscles. I can tell you first hand, breaking up tough red clay and compact soil can be one of the most sole-crushing activities if you don’t have a power cultivator! While creating my new garden bed, I fell in love with the power and versatility of the STIHL Battery-Powered KombiSystem.

Here’s where I need to let you know this post has been sponsored by STIHL. If you’ve been around for a while, you know I absolutely love the quality and power behind the STIHL name. For this project, my friends at STIHL sent me the battery-powered KombiSystem and some attachments to try out.

What’s so Great about the STIHL KombiSystem?

If you’re like the majority of homeowners, you don’t have a lot of storage in your garage or shed for yard tools. Although I built this cute garden shed a few years ago, it’s become the default storage for everything from yard tools, to bikes, and beach gear. We’re running out of space in there, which is why I love that the KombiSytem consists of one powerhead that powers a wide variety of attachment tools. This will save you tons of space in your yard storage area and allow you to acquire new tools as you need them without buying a new machine for each landscaping task.

Powerhead: KMA 130R

Attachments from Left to Right: Straight Hedge TrimmerAdjustable Hedge Trimmer, Adjustable Scythe, Pole Pruner, Lawn Edger, Brush Cutter, Bed Redefiner, Blower, Mini-Cultivator, Power Sweep, Bristle Brush Sweep

(Not Pictured: String Trimmer,  Reciprocator, and newer attachments can be found here.)

While you are saving space, there’s no lack of power with the KombiSystem powerhead! The powerhead are available in a battery-powered unit or several gas-powered ones. Personally, once you go battery-powered you never go back! Several years ago, STIHL convinced me to try one of their battery-powered mowers. I thought for sure it would fail to keep up with our 2/3 acre of lawn. Boy was I wrong. Since then, we’ve slowly replaced our gas tools with battery-powered STIHL tools. What I like most about the battery power versus gas, is finishing all our landscaping tasks without smelling like a gas station!

Lest you think battery-powered landscaping tools are only for neat little postage-stamp-sized yards, we live on a heavily-wooded lot. Our landscaping is a constant battle against nature therefore, there’s no room in our yard storage area for wimpy landscaping tools.

Personal Protective Equipment:

When using power tools, it’s imperative to wear appropriate protective gear. When creating your new flower bed, you’ll need to have these on hand:

How to Create a Thriving Flower Garden Bed in No Time

When you’re starting from scratch, creating a new garden bed can seem like a daunting task. But, I’ll show you the quickest and most effective way to create a thriving flower garden bed in no time! As I mentioned above, you can use manual hand tools, but you’ll soon find yourself fighting against hard-packed earth and wish you had power at your disposal.

Laying Out Your Border:

If your new flower bed consists of straight lines, use stakes and string (or long pieces of pipe or lumber) to layout your bed. But, if you want beautiful curves, you can’t beat a garden hose. The hose won’t easily create sharp bends, which means it will keep your lines smooth and aesthetically pleasing. Plus, it will hold its shape long enough to let you outline the bed with spray paint.

Once your bed outline is defined, set your plants and any objects into the bed and make adjustments to your bed perimeter as needed.

Outline your bed shape with spray paint and then it’s time to dig in that dirt! I created a video so you can learn the quickest way to create a new flower garden bed. (Hope you get a good laugh at my husband’s commentary.)

Video: Quickest Way to Create a New Flower Bed

Conditioning the Soil:

If you’ve ever dug a hole in a new spot and planted something only to find it dead a few weeks later, you now know how important it is to condition the soil before planting. New plants need soft and nutrient-rich soil to thrive. Think about how tiny and tender new roots are? They aren’t strong enough to push through tough red clay or compact soil. Plus, they need soil rich in minerals and nutrients to support healthy growth. To condition the soil, mix some native dirt with good quality topsoil and compost (if you have some.)

Composting: Black Gold for Your Garden and Flower Beds

If you haven’t started a compost pile, what are you waiting for?

How to Compost - Magnificent Garden Soil| Pretty Handy Girl

This is FREE nutrient-rich soil for all your gardening needs! It’s also a great way to recycle your veggie scraps, coffee grounds, eggshells, fresh flowers, and even your newspaper! To learn how easy it is to start a successful compost pile today, read my article here.

Free the Roots:

Potted plants can have roots that have outgrown the pot. When this has happened, they will grow around the inside edge of the pot creating a root-bound situation.

It’s important to cut into the perimeter of the root ball and free the roots to encourage them to grow out into the new soil.

Planting for Optimal Success:

Now that you have your good soil and a plant ready to spread its roots, it’s time to plant. For the best chance at survival, dig a hole twice as wide as your plant’s root ball. Add several inches of quality topsoil and compost into the base. Then put your plant in the hole. Fill the sides around the rootball with more topsoil and compost material. Then gently step around the plant to compact the soil against the root ball. Doing this will get rid of any air pockets around the roots.

Landscaping 101: Tools, Planting, and Adding Color to your Landscaping | Pretty Handy Girl

Types of Mulch:

Mulch is an important addition to any flower garden. It helps retain moisture so your plants don’t need to be watered as often. Mulch also acts as a weed barrier. And finally, it acts like a blanket protecting new root systems from a sudden cold snap.

beautiful two color mulch pathway

Shredded Hardwood Mulch: Shredded mulch is my preferred choice of mulch. It’s easy to acquire, organically breaks down adding nutrients to the soil, tends to stay put, and adds a nice dark brown color letting the colorful flowers really shine. The faster decomposition is the only negative to this choice because you need to re-apply yearly.

Pine Nuggets: Pine nuggets tend to last a little longer than shredded mulch. It also adds a nice dark color around flowers. But, pine nuggets are lightweight and tend to float or blow out of the bed easier than shredded mulch.

Pine Straw: Pine straw is an easy mulch to get your hands on. It’s sold in bales and is lightweight and easy to spread. If you have lots of pine trees, you probably have plenty of free pine straw. Unfortunately, when first spread, pine stray doesn’t retain moisture as much as other types of mulch. It also decomposes quickly. Finally, a strong wind can blow pine straw out of your flower beds.

Rubber mulch: A while ago, someone discovered old tires could be turned into mulch by shredding and coloring it. This seemed like an environmentally-friendly idea at the time (because how many discarded tires can we reuse for creative projects)? Ultimately, using rubber mulch has several downsides. It’s been highly popular under playground equipment because it offers a little cushion. But, colored mulch easily stains clothing. When heated by the sun, it emits a rubber odor.  Rubber mulch can also burn, and heaven forbid it catches fire, it will spread toxic fumes into the air. Finally, although it doesn’t break down as quickly as natural mulches, it will eventually break down and leach chemicals into your soil (not good for your garden!) Let’s all agree to stick to natural materials for mulch, okay?

Watering:

New plants need more water than established plants. Water the soil until damp daily for two weeks. Skip watering if you have rain in your forecast. Too much water can cause a host of problems, so try to water deeply once a day until the soil is wet, but not soggy.

After two weeks, you can lighten up on watering and only water if you haven’t had rain in a while.

What to Do if Plants Die?

The first rule of gardening is to learn from your mistakes and don’t give up. If your plant dies, try to determine why. Did it get too much water, was the soil not conditioned? Was it getting too much sun or too much shade? Do you have deer or animals that ate it or perhaps you had a harsh winter that killed your plant. It’s also possible the plant wasn’t healthy when you bought it. (Many nurseries have a warranty of new plants, check with them to find out how long they will guarantee your plant.)

Regardless of how a plant died, don’t beat yourself up about it, go ahead and dig it up and put something else in the spot. Every gardener learns from their mistakes. Over the years they learn which plants thrive for them and how to make some plants happier.

I leave you with some pictures of my new flower garden around the mailbox! When you plant your new flower bed I’d love to have you share them with me!

If you like our new mailbox obelisk, I’ll share plans for you to build your own soon.

In the meantime, learn how to paint any metal copper for cheap!

And finally, learn how to use concrete pavers for professional-looking edging.

What do you think? Big improvement?

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I think I’m going to love a sunny spot for more flowers this year!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for STIHL™. I was honored to work with them on this project and was given complimentary products. All words and opinions are my own. I have not been told what to say. As always I am very particular about the sponsors I work with and you will be told if you are reading a post that has been sponsored or in which materials were provided.

If you liked this tutorial, you’ll love my tutorial for creating an easy and inexpensive mulch and stone path:

How to Create an Inexpensive Stone & Mulch Walkway

Or how to create a rot-resistant raised garden bed:

How to Build a Rot-Resistant Raised Planter Bed | Pretty Handy Girl

 

DIY American Flag Planter Box

Want to add a little bit of a patriotic flair to your Summer porch or patio? This DIY American Flag planter box is so simple to make from start to finish, you can easily create one for yourself.

DIY American Flag Planter Box

DIY American Flag Planter Box

I hope you all enjoyed the Make It May series. I leave you with this adorable Americana planter Amanda created and hope you’ll make one too for your porch.

I’ve been slowly adding patriotic pieces, like this Americana plant stand, to my porch decor over the years. With a few extra fence pickets left over from a previous project, I decided to whip up this planter box to add some extra red, white, and blue to my Summer porch.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Instructions:

1. Cut the wood pieces

Measure 6″ from the end of one fence picket and mark with your speed square. Use the miter saw to cut the fence picket at the marked line. Repeat this step until you have six boards cut to 6″ each.

Measure 8 ¼” and mark with speed square. Use the miter saw, cut the wood at the mark you just made. Repeat this step until you have four boards cut to 8 ¼” each.

2. Assemble the planter box

Apply glue to the edges of each board where they will connect with each other. This step makes your box extra secure.

Use the nail gun to attach the boards together to create the base.

Continue nailing until the bottom tier of the DIY planter box is complete.

Repeat the steps for the second tier of the planter box. Apply wood glue to the bottom of the second tier and place it on top of the bottom tier. Use clamps to hold both tiers in place and allow to dry for 12 hours.

3. Paint the American Flag Planter Box

Paint stripes on the longer sides of the planter box with red chalky paint. Use painters tape to create straight lines (or just free hand it like I did).

DIY American Flag Planter Box

Fill in the rest with white chalky paint stripes.

Paint the shorter sides with blue chalky paint. When it’s dry, free hand white stars or use a stencil. In my opinion, freehand painting gives this American Flag planter box a nice rustic touch!

DIY American Flag Planter Box

Add little feet if desired to the bottom of the planter box using wood glue.

Fill with potting soil and add flowers! You could also skip the soil and set a pre-planted 6″ flower pot inside the planter box.

DIY American Flag Planter Box

Red Geraniums and white Alyssum look great in this DIY American Flag Planter Box. The red and white combo really completes the patriotic look.

If you build this planter box, what flowers would you try?

I’m Amanda, and I am the creator and voice behind the food and DIY blog, Domestically Creative. What started as a place to share updates with friends and family after we moved from Illinois to Tennessee and then to Texas, turned into a passion for finding creative and frugal ways to feed us and decorate our homes.

I have always had the “make it myself” attitude and I’m not afraid to bust out the power tools or get creative when it comes to decorating our home on a budget. You can usually find me scouring the local thrift stores, garage sales and estate sales looking for my next makeover (like this litter box cabinet), or dreaming up ways to make our new house feel more like home. My most recent project was giving my home office a much needed facelift. Some of the plans included creating a fun inspirational accent wall and adding pegboard to store my craft hoards.

I currently call Missouri home, where I live with my husband, dog, and 2 cats in a pretty dull, late 90’s split level. My husband and I both love to travel the U.S and recently purchased a small travel trailer to tag along in our journeys. In our free time together we can usually be found working together on a home project, exploring a new place, or just lounging with our pup, Delilah.

I’d love for you to connect with me on social media via Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter!

It’s spring-time and the perfect time to start a garden. Build this raised garden bed with or without a cucumber trellis and start gardening tomorrow!

Raised planter bed and cucumber trellisHow to Build a Raised Garden Bed with a Cucumber Trellis

Is there anything better than vegetables grown in your garden? They are hard to top! Cucumbers are very easy to grow, but do best if you give them a little extra care. When we decided to build a second raised vegetable garden, we decided to plan in advance to make it a strategic cucumber garden with a raised wooden trellis. We’re excited to show you how to build a DIY raised cucumber garden.

Hey y’all! We are Morgan & Sean McBride, and we blog at CharlestonCrafted.com where we are crafting our first home into our dream home and empowering you to try DIY. We share with our readers a variety of projects aimed at helping new homeowners make their homes their own. Some highlights include: our completely DIY coastal kitchen makeover; our tropical hammock oasis; and our budget laundry room refresh! Our most recent big project was our DIY concrete stone-look patio, which we are obsessed with. I’m likely to be found sharing behind the scenes and lots of laughs over on Instagram Stories, so pop over and say hey!

How to select a location for your cucumber garden:

The number one thing to remember when selecting a location for your cucumber garden is to make sure it receives plenty of light. At least five hours of morning sun is ideal, and afternoon sun on top of that is good too. You also need to be prepared to water your cucumber garden a lot because they need a lot of water, plus they are growing in the summer, when it is hard to keep these things hydrated.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Instructions:
Build your garden upside down. Start by cutting your 4″x4″ into four equal pieces one foot long each using a miter saw.

Cut your 8-foot-long 2″x8″ in half with a circular saw or miter saw.

Lay out your 10′ boards with your now-4′ boards on either end and place your 4″x4″ pieces in the corner. (It helps to lay a small piece of scrap wood in each corner to keep the 2″x8″s raised a half inch or so, but make sure the posts stay on the ground.)

Attach your four posts to the inside of each board keeping corners flush using the decking screws.

Dig four post holes in your garden location and install your flipped over, constructed raised bed by placing the long ends of the posts in the holes.

How to build a cucumber trellis:

Materials:

  • Three- 2″x2″x8′ boards
  • One- 2’x8′ lattice
  • Brad nailer
  • 1″ brad nails
  • Circular saw

Instructions:
A cucumber trellis is super easy to build. First, build the frame by cutting two 4-foot-long pieces out of one of the boards and three 3-foot-long boards out of the other two.

Use your nailer to attach the three foot boards to the inside of the four foot boards with two lining up on the outside edges and one exactly in the center.

Next, lay your lattice down on the frame and cut it along the edge with your circular saw. It should be 3 feet, 3 inches. Do that again with the excess to create a second piece for the other side.

Lay the two pieces of lattice down on the frame, marrying them next to each other in center. Use your nailer to go around and nail down the lattice to the frame.

Now, cut two 2-foot-long boards with a 45 degree angle from the remains of the 2″x2″ to serve as your legs.
Finally, position the two legs on the back of the frame and nail the frame down to the legs.

Add garden soil to fill your raised bed about 3/4 of the way full and then add the cucumber trellis on one side. You want to pick a spot that is accessible from the side so that you can easily reach under the trellis.

We are so excited to plant cucumbers in this garden this spring. The trellis will keep them off the ground and give the cucumber plants the support that they need to grow successfully. As a bonus, we also plan to plant lettuce under the shade of the cucumber trellis, where they should thrive out of the direct summer sun.

Thanks for having us and be sure to come visit us at CharlestonCrafted.com.

You can also connect with us on facebook, instagram, pinterest, youtube, twitter, and etsy.

A Note from Pretty Handy Girl:

I love this project that Morgan and Sean built, especially with spring right around the corner. It’s definitely time to start preparing your garden for the growing season.

You may have noticed that the lumber used for the raised planter bed and trellis is pressure-treated lumber. You should know that there is some debate over whether it is safe to use pressure treated lumber for an edible garden. Personally I like to use Cedar or other naturally rot-resistant materials to prevent the chemicals from leaching into your food. You can also choose to prime or line the inside of the bed. I’ll leave the decision up to you.

You may also like this tutorial for building a rot resistant raised planter bed:

How to Build a Rot-Resistant Raised Planter Bed | Pretty Handy Girl

 

It seems to me that we could all use a little distraction during this season of social distancing. I encourage you to step outside and try your hand at one (or two) of these DIY Projects to Get Your Garden Growing! Not only will you set yourself up for some fresh fruits, veggies, or flowers, but you can also soak in some sun yourself to improve your mood.

DIY Projects to Get Your Garden Growing

If you’re itching for some outside time, or need to start thinking about working on your green thumb, I have several gardening tutorials to inspire you! Let’s get growing!

How to Compost - Secret Gardening Formula | Pretty Handy Girl

Here’s the basics for how to compost and get top quality soil for your garden and landscaping for FREE!

 

Landscaping 101: Tools, Planting, and Adding Color to your Landscaping | Pretty Handy Girl

Choosing the best gardening tools for the job will make it so much easier!  Check out this comprehensive list of gardening tools and what they’re best used for.

 

It may be tempting to throw out a leaky garden hose, but did you know it’s fairly simple to fix? It is! I have the solution for you in this tutorial on How to Fix a Leaky Hose!

 

DIY Living wall

Not everyone has an expanse of land for a garden. You can easily plant herbs in this easy DIY Living Wall Planter Tutorial.

 

Raised Planter Bed with Cucumber trellis

Build this simple raised planter bed with cucumber trellis in no time and start growing cucumbers to eat (or for your DIY beauty routine.)

 

Quick and Easy DIY Fan Trellis

This easy spring trellis doesn’t require too much time, tools or money.  The best part is, you can make it exactly the size and shape that is right for a wall, by your mailbox, or your raised planter bed.

 

This fence trellis is easy to build, and will turn a dull fence into a living wall!

Is modern more your design style? Then you’ll want to check out this super simple DIY Modern Trellis.

 

How to Build a Rot-Resistant Raised Planter Bed | Pretty Handy Girl

Make this Rot-Resistant Planter Bed and never worry about the planter breaking down. This is my fifth year with these beds and they still look beautiful and rot free!

 

How to Build a Square Foot Gardening Grid that Won't Rot | Pretty Handy Girl

If you square foot garden, you have to see how to create a square foot garden grid that won’t break down and is super easy to lift up when you need to till your soil.

 

How to Build a Vegetable Trellis on a Budget | Pretty Handy Girl

Now that you have that planter ready to fill, you’ll need to know how to make a trellis (and save lots of money) by following this tutorial.

 

Love tomatoes? Great then you’ll love learning how to grow an incredible bumper crop of tomatoes this year.

 

Tips to Create Knock Out Container Gardens | Pretty Handy Girl

Maybe you don’t have much room for a garden. No worries, you can still display your green thumb with knockout container plantings!

 

How to Install Sprinkler System

Wouldn’t it be amazing if you could water your own garden or landscaping automatically? Yes? Then learn how to install your own sprinkler system.

 

Get your shed or garage organized with this hanging garden tool organizer!

Once you’re done planting, you could get your organization game on with this simple storage solution for garden tools.

I hope you find several of these tutorials inspiring and hope your weather is cooperating enough to let you get outside and dig in the dirt. Take care!

Growing herbs indoors is not as difficult as it sounds! Whether you are short on garden space, or just want to have fresh herbs available to you all year long, this tutorial for an indoor herb garden using Mason Jars is simple to create.

Indoor Herb Garden

Indoor Herb Garden with Mason Jars

Hello, it’s Amanda from Domestically Creative and I’m back with another simple tutorial. This time we’re creating an indoor herb garden from Mason Jars and a thrift store wooden crate. Here’s how to make one for yourself or to gift to a friend.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Instructions

Step 1—Cleaning and Prepping

If you are using a thrifted find for your indoor herb garden, you’ll want to be sure to clean it really well before painting. If you aren’t using a thrifted box, check out this planter tutorial on building something similar for yourself.

Thrift store box before painting

Decide on which type of paint you’ll be using to paint the wooden box with. I chose to use chalky paint so there is less sanding and prep work required. If you choose to use latex or another type of paint, you’ll want to sand as much of the existing finish off as you can to get a smooth, blemish-free base to paint over. You’ll also need to use a primer before painting.

Painting the Indoor Herb Garden

Step 2—Painting the Indoor Herb Garden

Give the wood box 2-3 coats of paint, letting the paint dry completely between coats. It may be necessary to lightly sand between coats to ensure a smooth finish.

prepped and painted herb garden box

Step 3—Optional Stenciling

My indoor herb garden includes a vinyl applique cut using a Silhouette Cameo. You can find vinyl appliques online, or find a stencil to adorn your own indoor herb garden any way you choose.

hand picked fresh herbs 25 cents vinyl applique

Step 4 —Planting herbs in Mason Jars

To plant herbs in a Mason Jar, you’ll want to add a 1 ½” layer of rock at the bottom of each jar. This will give any excess water a place to drain so the roots of the plant do not rot.

Planting herbs in Mason Jars with rocks as drainage

Next, add a layer of potting soil to fill 3/4 of the glass jar. Create a divot in the soil for the roots, and then place the herb in the jar. Cover the roots with Sphagnum Peat Moss, filling the jar the rest of the way to just below the mouth of the jar.

Planting herbs in Mason Jars

Give each herb a small amount of water or a few spritzes from a spray bottle of water. Do not overwater.

Step 5 — Assembling the Indoor Herb Garden

Put each Mason Jar in the wooden box or crate and arrange to your preference. Place the indoor herb garden in a sunny and warm location for the best growth.

Assembling the Indoor Herb Garden

Step 6 —Caring for indoor herbs

Keep each jar of herbs watered, but not overwatered. It’s best to do a finger test to the soil. If it is dry to the touch, give the soil a few spritzes of water. If the soil is moist to the touch it does not need watering. Harvest herbs as needed with scissors, or as they start to outgrow the container. 

Rosemary and Cilantro indoor herb garden

Next time you have something on the menu that calls for fresh herbs (even in the middle of Winter), you can just walk over to your indoor herb garden with Mason Jars and gather what you’ll need.

Hand picked Fresh Herbs

What are some herbs that would make a great addition to your own indoor herb garden?

I’m Amanda, and I am the creator and voice behind the food and DIY blog, Domestically Creative. What started as a place to share updates with friends and family after we moved from Illinois to Tennessee and then to Texas, turned into a passion for finding creative and frugal ways to feed us and decorate our homes.

I have always had the “make it myself” attitude and I’m not afraid to bust out the power tools or get creative when it comes to decorating our home on a budget. You can usually find me scouring the local thrift stores, garage sales and estate sales looking for my next makeover (like this litter box cabinet), or dreaming up ways to make our new house feel more like home. My most recent project was giving my home office a much needed facelift. Some of the plans included creating a fun inspirational accent wall and adding pegboard to store my craft hoards.

I currently call Missouri home, where I live with my husband, dog, and 2 cats in a pretty dull, late 90’s split level. My husband and I both love to travel the U.S and recently purchased a small travel trailer to tag along in our journeys. In our free time together we can usually be found working together on a home project, exploring a new place, or just lounging with our pup, Delilah.

I’d love for you to connect with me on social media via Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter!

See all of Amanda’s tutorials HERE.