DIY Hanging Herb Garden
The weather is getting warmer and we’re all sheltering in place. So what do you do? Go for a jog? Lol ok… Start a new hobby? Maybe later. Try my hanging herb garden DIY? Obviously.
I’m seeing a lot of “inspirational chefs” on Instagram lately….myself included, so I decided to create a hanging herb garden for our windowsills. Using fresh herbs takes your “blah” looking dish to the next level. Making potatoes? Sprinkle with some rosemary. What about pizza? Sprinkle dat fresh oregano on there! Thirsty? Muddle fresh mint leaves with some barely expired fruit and pretend like you know what you’re doing.
Anyways…this DIY is pretty simple, and you don’t have to make it for herbs. You can substitute house plants, succulents, or even some faux plants.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Potted Herbs
Pots (w/drainage hole)
Dirt
Pebbles
Cup Hooks
Embroidery Floss
Fishing Line
Scissors
Optional:
I didn’t have any pots with drainage holes that I liked, so I took my ceramic drill bit and made one myself. I don’t really recommend this unless you really want to use a certain ceramic pot with no drainage hole in it. If you choose to do this make sure you use the appropriate drill bit for ceramic/brick. Always keep the surface wet so the dust doesn’t fly everywhere. Be careful, wear gloves and safety glasses. Use pressure but be prepared for the drill to push through the pot… you don’t want to the ruin the surface underneath. I recommend using an old piece of wood to lay the pot on, or do it outside on the grass. I’m not a noob so I did mine in the sink.
Now lets get crafting!
First, measure how long you want your pot to hang from the top of your window frame. For example: I wanted the top of my pot to hang 36” from my hook. You’ll want extra length for tying knots. I just did arms length, and it was more than enough.
Since I’m using a 5” pot I knew they were going to be a little heavy and I didn’t want to just use embroidery floss. I also used fishing line for some extra strength. If you’re using little pots you can get away with no fishing line.
Making Hanging Planter
Cut 3 pieces of fishing line and 6 pieces of embroidery floss of equal length. I wanted a thicker look so I doubled up on embroidery floss. This will also help hide the fishing line too. I wanted to use three different colors for my hanger, so I cut two pieces of each color floss. I ended up with 6 pieces of floss for 1 pot.
Tie each of the fishing lines in 3-4 knots onto the embroidery hoop. Tie the embroidery floss on onto the hoop on either side of the fishing line. So the fishing line will be in the middle of each piece of floss.
Once all three section of fishing line and floss are tied, fit your pot through your hoop and make sure it hangs evenly.
Add cup hooks to the top of your windowsill. (I’m using the same ones from my previous hangings)
Place string into cup hook and adjust height, then tie. Make sure to place the pot into the hoop so you can make sure it’s hanging evenly, this will also help weigh the ring down so it’s easier to adjust and tie. Once you have it at the desired length, tie a series of knots and trim the excess.
Plant herbs:
Use a piece of wet coffee filter or newspaper and cover the bottom of your pot. This will prevent pebbles and dirt from falling out of the drainage hole, while allowing the water to drain out.
Add a layer of pebbles at the bottom. This will create a reservoir for the water to collect and drain/evaporate naturally. This will also help to prevent root rot and soggy soil.
Add dirt and burrow a hole to add your plant to. Add the plant and more dirt to cover completely. Spray with some water so the dirt clumps together. This will prevent any loose dry soil from floating up when you water your plant for the first few times.
Add your planted herbs to the ring and enjoy!
Pretty simple right? Now you have fresh herbs in a sunny window for all those amazing dishes you’re about to cook. Or some fresh herbs for that frozen pizza you’ll eventually bake because no one wants to wash dishes.
Xoxo, Josue
