Mini Indoor Herb Garden

A few days ago, it was Earth day, and I think it's a good time to plant, so I've decided to build mini indoor herb garden. There are various ways to plant herbs, but i want to reuse plastic containers as recycling. It's very easy and inexpensive, but it looks great.

 Materials : : 
- Starter herbs as many as you want (be sure that they all fit in your container, and I recommend you to get them from local Farmers' Market)
- Potting soil
- Small plastic containers of some sort (any kind of and any size of)
- Big plastic container for plate
- String or yarn
- Wooden sticks from chopstick or popsicle stick (to make herbs name label) - optional
- A piece of cardboard (size:3 X 2cm for each herb) - optional
- Used coffee grounds - optional
Tools : :
- Double-sided tape or hot glue
- Scissors
- Awl or some thing that makes holes in things
- Water-based pen - optional

Make holes at the bottom of the container using your awl to drain water from soil.

There are two ways to wrap the string, but I recommend to use double-sided tape because it's easy, and you don't need to worried about making a mistake, such as burning yourself.
Attach the tape on the whole outside of the container.
Wrap string on the taped container. When you start wrapping string, make room at the very edge of the container to untie the string.(There is a video instruction to help you to understand)
(Using glue: apply glue on the side of the containers and begin wrapping string around outside of the containers. All steps are pretty same with using double-sided tape)

Wrapping string on the side of plastic container from Michelle Min on Vimeo.

Mix soil with used coffee grounds at the ration of nine to one.(used coffee grounds have effect of fertilizer for your herbs)

Take herbs out of the existing container, and remove  the soil from the herbs gently because it might damage the root of herbs. 

Plant herbs into the middle of the container, and cover with the mixed soil(step 4).
Then, gently press the soil to release any air pocket.

Take your cardboard piece(3.5X2cm) and write down the name of the herb on it with water-based pen. ( I got the cardboard from the coffee holder of my favorite cafe)
Then, take your stick(make sure the length of the stick. I recommend to have double length of the container).
Attach the double-sided tape on one side of it, and wrap the string or yarn whatever you'd like on the tape. It's better make a room to attach the name label at the end of the stick.
Now you can attach the label on the top of the stick and poke the name label in front of the herb.

Take the bigger container to make a plate. It is used salad plastic container, so we need to cut the lid and make two plates.
Then, do the same thing(step 3). Attach the double-sided tape on the each side of the container and wrap the string or yarn on it.
Place your herbs on the plate,.

Watch yours grow. Enjoy your herbs and tea!
I just baked "Rosemary herb cookies" from my mini garden for my classmates. Isn't that awesome?