If you’re looking to start a herb garden in a more controlled environment but don’t have enough shelf or counter space, we have the perfect solution for you: a magnetic herb garden. By using magnets to create your garden, you can save space and take advantage of certain sunny and shady spots by creating a customized, temporary herb garden on any magnetic surface that can be rearranged to suit your style! In this DIY blog, we use tea tins as planters, but you can use any container you’d like! Just be sure to get magnets that will support the weight of your containers. What You’ll Need -
  • Metal tea tins (you can either buy tea tins and do the craft once you finish the tea or go thrifting for empty tins!)
  • Glue
  • Plastic sandwich bags
  • Scissors
  • Foam balls or packing peanuts
  • Potting soil
  • Herbs
  • Several 10 x 2mm or 12 x 2mm disc magnets (They come in packs of  30 and 20, respectively, so you can make 20 different planters! These make great Mother’s Day gifts.)
Steps -
  1. After cleaning up your tea tins, apply a layer of glue to the inside. Be sure to cover the bottom, all four sides, and the inner rim of the container.
  2. Then, use the sandwich bag as a liner inside the tin. Press down on the sides and bottom to ensure it sticks. Once the glue dries, cut any plastic that extends beyond the rim. By lining the tin, your makeshift planter won’t rust when you water the herbs.
  3. Once your tin is lined, add foam balls or packing peanuts at the bottom for drainage. This is similar to lining your flower pots with rocks, but a lighter alternative that won’t weigh down your tins or break the plastic bag.
  4. Add potting soil to your planter, and then add whatever herbs you decided to grow. Loosen the roots before placing them in the container and add more potting soil on top.
  5. After your planters are done, simply attach them to a magnetic surface with your disc magnets. The pull force of this particular disc magnet is 3.6 pounds, which means that your herb garden should stick to your fridge or magnetic board even when water is added! The pull force of the 10 x 2mm option is 3 pounds, so it comes down to personal preference as well as which types of plants you’ll be planting.
Garden with Apex Magnets Drop a post on our Facebook page if you try your hand at this simple tea tin tutorial! You can find 10 x 2mm or 12 x 2mm disc magnets on our site--if you order by 3 p.m. EST, your magnets will be shipped the same day. For other magnetic gardening hacks, check out our magnets for crafts blog.