If you have an empty glass or plastic jar, you might want to think twice before recycling it — because it just might help you grow a home garden.
The scoop
Proud of their crafty handiwork, one home gardener shared their upcycled jar setup with the subreddit "r/propagation."
"I figured there must be a subreddit for this exact thing," they wrote, amused. "My little windowsill propagation station."
Their photos show sprigs of freshly cut shoots placed in what appears to be a cleaned peanut butter jar with holes made in the cap for the herbs to poke through.
"Was gifted some fresh cilantro and decided to clone it," the original poster explained, sharing pictures of not only their fresh cilantro but also a jalapeño plant cutting and some aloe. Some of the cilantro plants had already begun to grow fresh roots.
How it's helping
As the OP shared, this hack is an excellent way to unlock an ongoing harvest of plants that's basically endless.
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"One plant could make a bunch of clones," they wrote. "The water is just one growing medium same as soil."
People have shared successes with everything from strawberries to potatoes. And cloning plants can literally be as easy as sticking the leftover root ball in water — try it with green onions for new shoots within days.
Growing your own herbs — and veggies, especially if you have a garden bed — is an excellent way to eat healthier and save money at the same time. Fruits and vegetables grown closer to home are actually higher in nutritional content, since they lose nutritional value during transit. And gardening, as an activity, has been shown to reduce stress and make you healthier — a win-win.
What everyone's saying
The OP's "propagation station" is also an excellent example of how to extend the life of everyday items, like jars.
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It should be a main subject 💯 "Fantastic idea to cut the holes in the lid!" one person enthused.
Another shared a similarly sustainable suggestion: "I just use spice containers that have a lid with holes," they wrote.
Considering how much waste the average person generates — Americans, on average, create five pounds of trash per day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency — it's critical to find a way to reduce your own footprint.
Similar upcycling hacks include everything from reusing old candle jars as bathroom storage containers to turning old jeans into a new skirt.
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