Herb Pots

I paid a visit to Junk Market Style this morning for a look at all of Janice Gurney's wonderful makeshift planters. I have to admit that I think just about anything can make a wonderful pot or decorative cachepot.

When I was a kid, we had plant pots on every windowsill, on our porches, crowding the sides of the stone steps leading up to the front door, and even sharing some of the steppingstones in the yard.

My mother pressed just about anything she could find into service too, including old glass pitchers, discarded pans, straw hats, and even old wooden drawers. She had a knack for bringing it all together with flair.

Eco-Friendly Planters That Give Found Objects a Stylish Second Life

Janice's photos reminded me of those sweet days when we'd visit the second-hand stores just to browse.

If you have a minute, take a look at her pics in: Just Plant It! , and while you're there, Jim Healey has photos of his Rusty Old Wheelbarrow Planter that are worth a look too. The addition of some dill, a little cilantro and a few chives would make them perfect.

Special Note for Planting Herb Pots

When choosing pots for herbs, make sure that you select vessels with drainage holes. Most herbs can tolerate a range of soil conditions, but they demand good drainage. To make sure that your plant doesn't get wet feet (that's root rot for the uninitiated), fill the bottom of the pot with small stones, sand, or even clay pot shards.

If you plan on using a decorative cachepot for display, have a regular old pot inside the cachepot, and elevate the interior pot with a row of marbles or stones so that it will drain well.

If you have a container that doesn't have drainage holes and you want to modify it, there are special tips you can get for Dremel-style drills that can make holes in ceramic. Learning how to use them make take a bit of practice though.