Growing Houseplants in Mason Jars

Getting Started

• Use cuttings to get your Mason jar garden going. You can cut and root cuttings anytime of year indoors. However, you're likely to get the best results in spring, when most plants are in an active growth cycle. Take 3- to 4-inch branch tips and pinch off the bottom leaves. Add a layer of pebbles to the bottom of the Mason jar and then set the cutting into the jar. Fill the jar with water until it covers the bottom 1/3 of the cutting.

General Care

• Add water about every two weeks as it evaporates, but don't use tap water that contains fluoride. The fluoride causes some plants to develop brown leaf tips and spots along the leaves. Bottled water, rainwater and well water work best. If you do use tap water, put it in a jar and leave it out for 12 hours before adding it to the container. Unless your plant has a specific temperature requirement, most houseplants like daytime temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit with night temperatures around 68 to 70 F.

Fertilizer

• Add fertilizer right to the water once the plant has established roots and started to produce new leaves. Use water-soluble 20-20-20 or 24-8-16 fertilizer at a rate of 1/2 teaspoon for each quart of water. Your plants will also need some salts to grow well. When you fertilize, add 1/4 tablespoon of Epsom salts to the water.

Plants to Grow in Water

• The wax plant (Hoya carnosa), hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 through 12, has waxy, fleshy dark green leaves. Grow it in a Mason jar in a bright area such as a windowsill or porch. Split-leaf philodendron (Monstera deliciosa) has large, tropical-looking leaves. This Mexican native plant is hardy in USDA zones 10 through 12 and needs bright indirect light. Common English ivy (Hedera helix) grows readily in water. This climbing vine will grow and drape over the side of a jar, or climb up the wall if you let it. English ivy is hardy in USDA zones 4 through 9.

Drainage Problems

• While Mason jars are great for growing plants in water, their lack of drainage makes them ill-suited for growing plants in soil. Most houseplants that grow well in pure water will rot in wet, waterlogged soil. Without drainage holes in the bottom, excess water will build up around the roots, causing rot problems and even killing the plants. Keep Mason jars for growing your houseplants in water, but use a planting pot with holes in the bottom if you want to grow plants in soil.