The Last Thing You Should Do with an Empty Spice Jar

Shifrah Combiths
Shifrah Combiths
With five children, Shifrah is learning a thing or two about how to keep a fairly organized and pretty clean house with a grateful heart in a way that leaves plenty of time for the people who matter most. Shifrah grew up in San Francisco, but has come to appreciate smaller town life in Tallahassee, Florida, which she now calls home. She's been writing professionally for twenty years and she loves lifestyle photography, memory keeping, gardening, reading, and going to the beach with her husband and children.
updated Nov 20, 2020
pinterest
comments
We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.
Someone measuring out spice from a nearly empty jar.
Credit: Sarah Crowley

I’ve always loved plants, but I didn’t start having a “plant habit” until more recently. Lately I’ve found even more solace than usual in tending to my plants. I know I’m not the only one who’s become particularly aware of the joy that plants bring into our homes. I like the color and life they bring to my home, for sure. I’m also really appreciating the psychical act of caring for them — watering them, dusting their leaves, making sure they’re good and happy. Right now, when everything seems so chaotic and uncertain, my plants are blissfully unaware and something I can control. And unlike a lot of us, my plants are thriving! I love them. (I believe they love me too!) And I want more of them.

What on earth does this have to do with spice jars, you might be wondering? Well, spice jars are perfect for when you’re making plant babies. (More plants!)

Credit: Sarah Crowley

Use Spice Jars to Propagate Plants

If you don’t know, having plant babies is the cute and rightful term for plant propagation, and it’s far easier than you might think. Many plants — like pothos, umbrella plants, monsteras, and ZZ plants — can be grown from clippings snipped off larger plants and “rooted,” which means they start growing their own little roots. (Just like that, one plant becomes two plants!) Rooting can be done straight in soil in some instances, but it can also be done in water. And spice jars are going to be your new favorite rooting container. 

They’re perfect because they’re a fun little shape and they’re just the right size. Clip a leaf or two from, say, a pothos (they’re super easy to root and are easy-care plants in general) and put them straight in your tiny, repurposed spice jar — er, spice vase. Place in a sunny location and watch and wait. A grouping of little plant babies is decorative and thrilling in its own right. But if you want to do something more, you can plant these in soil and grow your collection or start unsuspecting friends on theirs.

Do you reuse your spice jars? What do you do with them?

Filed in:
Tips & Techniques