This DIY Kitchen Herb Garden uses upcycled materials and is great for growing herbs both indoors and out. I absolutely love having fresh herbs to cook with. Typically, I grown them in large containers outside and on the porch. It’s nice though to have a some smaller plants in the kitchen, the ones that get used a lot like basil, oregano and parsley to name a few.
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Planters can be expensive. I knew I wanted to something more economical for this kitchen herb garden, and lately I’ve been much more mindful about waste. I decided to try painting some soup cans and am happy with how this project turned out. It’s great when you can upcycle something and it turns out incredibly cute.
If you want to spiff up your outdoor garden, check out this Old World Inspired Painted Flower Pots DIY.
With Mother’s Day coming up, this DIY kitchen herb garden would be a lovely gift for a mom who loves to cook.
Supplies Needed for DIY Planters:
soup cans
craft paint
paint brushes
adhesive chalkboard labels
white chalk marker
small rocks or pebbles
potting mix
starter herb plants
How to Make a DIY Kitchen Herb Garden
First, wash and dry your empty tin cans, and paint them. My mom painted our cans with Anne Sloan Chalk Paints in the colors Versailles and Provence. Any chalky or acrylic craft paint will work. I personally love the chalk paints, because they go on so smooth and creamy and you usually only need one coat. Foam brushes are perfect for painting your cans. Let the cans dry completely.
Get your labels ready. I used these adhesive chalkboard labels
made by Crafty Croc, but any adhesive labels will do. I also used a Crafty Croc white chalk marker
. BTW… those are my affiliate links. Let these dry while you do your planting.
Place a handful of rocks in the bottom of each tin can. This will allow for drainage. You might also want to drill a few small holes in the bottom of each can.
Add a small scoop of dirt. You won’t need much, because the plants already come with dirt. Use your best judgement on this. Carefully, place the plant into the can and top off with additional soil if necessary. After you are finished with all of your planting, be sure to water them.
Wipe off any dirt from the cans with a cloth and add your labels.
I have to admit that I’m kinda loving how these turned out. About the plants, if you have time, you could easily grow your own herbs from seed. Here is a Step-by-Step Upcycled Seed Starting Tutorial. However, if you are in a time crunch or are just impatient like me, small starter plants from the garden center work great.
If these herbs are snipped and used frequently, you should be able to keep them in the cans for a long while. However, there may come a time when you will need to find them a new home out in your garden. If that happens, just start some new ones!
You might also enjoy seeing how I used an old beverage cart for this DIY Garden Cart project.
Originally published on April 20, 2015.
This is the cutest way to repurpose some old cans. I have been thinking about starting a small garden and this idea would be perfect!
That’s the most adorable herb garden I’ve ever seen! What a great way to get fresh herbs and a little whimsy at the same time.
I love fresh herbs, and this is such a cute way to keep them in the house. Thanks so much for sharing this!
What a neat idea for your kitchen! We use a few herbs very often, so it would be handy to have them within reach.
I love this idea. I was just thinking that I wanted to start a garden.
What a cute idea. And what a great way to recycle soup cans.
I’m definitely making these! I love fresh herbs, and the look of these is just TOO adorable.
I’d love to recycle some cans like this. They really did end up looking amazing!
Those are so cute, love the chalkboard paint!
I love this! This is perfect for me. We don’t have a garden but I would love to, so this is a great option until we move!
I love growing herbs. It is so nice to pick your own fresh herbs to cook with. I even have my husband cooking with herbs now.
I am SO in love with this idea! We are looking for ways to add some bright pops of color to our kitchen and this herb garden would serve that purchase and more.
These came out super cute! Neat idea! I would like to try to grow my own herbs and that’s a great way to recycle the cans instead of just tossing them!
I bet these look adorable in your kitchen! Such a fun way to upcycle some tin cans!
What a fantastic DIY project, I’m definitely going to try this. I love those chalk board labels. That’s a great idea.
This would be a fabulous Earth Day project to make with my kids this week. I love the look of the soup cans, but knowing they’re reused makes it even better.
Such a great idea! I love that you upcycled tin cans for the containers!
I should make one for my mom for Mother’s Day! She loves using fresh herbs
This is such a cute idea! I’m going to try this in my backyard!
This is a spectacular idea. Perfect for a gift.
That looks like a great gift for teachers. Just in time for teacher appreciation week.
This is an awesome idea. I am going to show this to kiddo because I am pretty sure she will want to do this for her grammie. So cute.
I have been wanting to grow my own herbs and save money! Also, I love the cute cans you painted and used.
This is such a cute way to do a herb garden. i will have to make a few for my house.
Great Mother’s Day gifts! I plan to help the kids make some of these for their Mom
How cute! I have been using more recycled products for crafts and these are adorable. I love the chalk paint too.
That is an adorable garden and so cute! I would love to have a few for my own.
These came out super cute and make for such a practical gift idea. I need to grow my own herbs this year and will consider these for my kitchen.
These are so cute! Easy and fun to make too! Love it!
Not as a gift, but I am planning to create my own herb garden this year – just trying to work out the details! I didn’t realize that the rocks would allow for drainage in a closed container, awesome!
Thee are beautiful! I would love to make a set for myself and my mother-in-law for Mother’s Day!
This is so cute! I’ve been thinking about starting my first garden. Your idea makes it a little less intimidating.
I love love this idea.
I love the fact that you are up-cycling soup cans. That is a great way to make something from nothing and being able to use chalk to label is awesome.
So cute…love the colors you picked for the recycled cans…great idea! Thank you for sharing at Share it One More Time
These are so cute! I love upcycled soup projects! Thanks for linking up at DIY Sunday showcase this week!
These are so cute and inexpensive to make. Love upcycled projects! Neat idea! I am pinning to my gardening board. Visiting from Sunday Showcase linky.
They look lovely, perfect for the kitchen window sill or just by the back door. I love the chalkboard stickers you used, perfect for this.
What a great idea..those are adorable!
Thanks so much for sharing at Inspire Me Mondays. Can’t wait to see what you share next week 🙂
This herb garden looks great!
These are so cute! I have been wanting to plant some herbs, and this idea will get me started. I love the use of the cans, painting them, and the labels. Can’t wait to get started. Thanks!
This is a cute way to grow some herbs in the window. I love the pretty colors and the chalkboard labels. I need to start growing my own and drying them for myself instead of buying. Pinning and sharing, Thanks!
Awesome re-purpose+a VERY creative way to display must have herbs!! Thank you so much for sharing at The Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop!!!
I love the idea of having herbs in the kitchen. It’s the keeping them alive that’s hard…
It’s such a neat idea! I would like to get this as a gift 🙂
Love these! Thank you so much for sharing with us at Brag About It!
~Laurie
This is so super cute. I would love to have some of these in my kitchen!
This is such a great idea! The cans look super cute!
I love this idea! I wouldn’t be doing it as a gift, though. I want to do it for myself, lol!
These are adorable. I love growing my own herbs, though I’ve never thought about giving herbs as gifts. Thanks for the idea.
These are really cute! I think I’d be more inspired to cook if I had fresh herbs in my kitchen.
\ want to grow my own herbs, instead of running between different shops looking fir the fresh herbs I need, buying them in a pack, using only a portion of it and letting the rest rot away.
Thing is, I’m wondering, can I grow them like that in the middle of a large city? Won’t they get all the pollution and all? Will they be safe to eat?
This is such a wonderful idea. I am going to start saving cans now so I can make this for my mom and my sister for their respective birthdays. I know they will love it!
It’s exactly what I needed for my mother’s birthday! She loves herbs, but she doesn’t have a garden, so that was my idea for a gift. I’m making a little kitchen garden for her and for myself this weekend. I’m sure she’ll definitely appreciate it. Thank you for the hints!
I really love this idea. I have recently started doing more cooking and really thought about having my own herbs but I am not much of a gardener. This looks like such an easy and cute way to grow my own.
These are such cute practical gifts. I know so many people that would appreciate and love them. Thank you for posting.
I’ve done something similar outside my house but I like bigger portions thanks
These are such a genius idea. I love this easy, DIY upcycle!
This is such a great idea and I love the upcycled cans too.
What a cute idea. I’m going to do this for my neighbor.
I am seriously doing this! Just so over spending my hard earned money on pricey herbs at the supermarket!
It;s a great idea. We have so many on those tin cans to recycle, it’s nice to know they can be reused for something very useful.
what a nice idea knowing you are upcycling and being creative and thoughtful all at the same time!
These herb pots are so cute and look so easy to make. My mom would really love some to put in her kitchen window. This is a craft we could both do together. Thank you!
I really want to grow herbs and this is a great idea! And because it’s easy, I can do this!
This is such a cute and easy way to start learning how to grow your own herb. IM going to do this with my 3 precious little girls who I know would love to do this. Also we would be recycling our cans. so this is a win win in my book.
I love this post! My daughter just purchased a house and because of all we are doing to remodel we decided on no Christmas presents. Little does she know Mom just can’t do that and this is a fantastic idea! Thank you!
I think this is a great idea for a gift. I personally would love to get this. I have a garden where I have lots of vegetables but I don’t have any herbs!
This is such a neat idea. I love reusing and upcycling items. Love it!
This is a great idea for growing herbs.
I really want to grow herbs as I’ve discovered fresh tastes so much better than dried. I love your idea; so easy!
These are so cute! I have some lavender seeds I’ve been meaning to plant. This would be a fun and colorful way to plant them inside.
We just started a little herb garden in our backyard. taking all these tips for sure. thanks for sharing
DIY KITCHEN HERB GARDEN is such a fun and lovely craft. I would enjoy doing this with my daughter.
This is such a fine idea. They are nice enough to give for gifts.
I love how this turned out great way to reduce, reuse and recycle. Perfect proect to do with my family. Thank you for sharing.
This is an excellent idea, will definitely keep this in mind.
Very appealing! I love having fresh herbs growing in my kitchen windowsill and use them often.
So Simple and very creative! Thanks for the great crafting idea!
This would be perfect for us because when the wind comes it just makes us lose all our herbs 🙁 but if they’re in the cans we can move them around until the weather calms down.