This Simple Space-Saving Method Lets You Grow Fresh Herbs In The Tiniest Of Yards

A proper herb garden is invaluable. It provides beauty for the eyes and delicious scents for the nose to feast upon, flavors for the palette to appreciate, and — for those who know a thing or two about herbalism — relief from some of those things that inevitably ail a human body. As far as we're concerned, every person should have one in their arsenal, and no lack of space should act as a deterrent — especially with this space-saving herb garden trick.

Vertical, over-the-door shoe organizers are incredibly useful for folks who are low on space. They take an overlooked area and transform it into an effective storage spot. But, those hanging pockets can also work to create a vertical herb garden that can be hung inside or outside. Many herbs grow quite well in containers and — given the proper light, water, and fertilizer — they're more than happy to exist in a small space. In this case, a large paper coffee cup would be sufficient.

What you grow in your herb garden is entirely dependent on what you plan to do with the herbs. Folks interested in culinary pursuits might opt for plants like sage, rosemary, basil, oregano, and thyme. If you're using them for natural dying, indigo, marigold, and sorrel root work well. Herbalists might like to keep things like peppermint, yarrow, and mullein on hand. Decide what you'd like to use your herbs for and take it from there. Once you've got it sorted, read up on what herbs like which conditions, and try to water and sun them appropriately.

To pull this off, you'll need an over-the-door shoe organizer — the kind that holds one pair per pouch. That's where your coffee cups will slide in. Simply fill each coffee cup with soil and a singular plant, and tuck it into one of the pockets. While the cloth pouches allow for air to pass through, paper cups have a plastic lining which keeps moisture from getting out. You'll need to poke holes in the bottom of it, which is essential in preventing root rot. 

Pro tip: If you plan on keeping your hanging herb garden inside, take the cups out of the shoe organizer and water them in the sink. Let them hang out there for a half hour or so, allowing the water to drip out before returning them to their designated slots in the shoe holder. You can also use this hack for hydroponics – just skip poking holes in your cups! Since all of this water and soil can get heavy, be sure the organizer can hold the weight of your plants, reinforcing the fabric around the hooks with duct tape if necessary.

You could easily go to your local plant nursery and pick up some baby herbs to transplant, but growing herbs from seed is always a particularly satisfying, albeit tender, endeavor. There's so much intention put into plants grown from seed, so much care, and a hefty dose of hope. Plus, it's harder to forget to water plants when you've been their sole caretaker since day one!