20 Clever Ways to Use Mason Jars in Your Garden
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Backyards can be a very versatile place, from the place you go to admire nature to the place you invite your friends and entertain them for a fun night in. And, if you're crafty like we are, you're probably wondering how you can use all those mason jars you have lying around to enhance your backyard setting (BTW—here's 11 historic facts to learn about everyone's favorite country staple). Though you can always use your jars to make delicious desserts and refreshing summer drinks, like our mason jar lemonade and watermelon frosé, these jars can also be used for a variety of other things. Here, you'll will find a comprehensive list of all your options, from lanterns and wind chimes to drink coasters and bird feeders!
1. Centerpiece
The pink and white flowers with the vintage blue Mason jars create a charming contrast in this simple arrangement. Using everyday 8-ounce mason jars in a metal milk carrier make for an easy (and portable!) centerpiece. Place clear tape across the mouth of each jar in a grid pattern to keep blooms upright and evenly spaced.
2. Lantern
Cut a hole in the center of lid. Insert an “M8x13” ring in hole and screw in place with a nut. Epoxy a tarnished strip of galvanized steel around a vintage blue 24-ounce jar. Insert battery candle in jar; add lid.
3. Place Setting
Insert a folded napkin or bandana together with your silverware set into a wide-mouth 16-ounce mason jar. If for a bigger event with reserved seatings, add a place card on top.
4. Coasters
If you have a few spare mason jar lids around you're house but nothing to do with them, why not making them into cool coasters? You'll first need to gather your lids and place them upside down on top of adhesive cork shelf liner. Trace around the lids with a pen, then cut out the circles. Then, peel the backing off the cork circles, affix within the lids, and crack open a cold one.
5. Flower Vase
Cut flower-patterned fabric into 1/2 inch strips and adhere to the inside of a 16-ounce, regular-mouth jar with Mod Podge. Fill with flowers and it'll be the most delicate decoration for your backyard!
6. Ombré Hydrangeas
Perfect for an outdoor party or wedding, these fence-lined Mason jars can be filled with hydrangeas in the classic ROYGBIV order.
RELATED: 18 Mason Jar Flower Arrangements You'll Want to Display All Summer
7. Bird Feeder
To make this craft, paint three wooden craft balls with white acrylic paint. Hot-glue to the lip of a 24-ounce vintage jar. Fill jar with birdseed, then carefully turn upside down on a bread-and-butter plate.
8. Herb Garden
Not only are freshly-grown herbs a healthy addition to home cooked meals, but they also double as décor when tucked into jars and placed on windowsills or sunny shelves.
Get the tutorial at HelloNest.
9. Wind Chimes
This craft takes a little more time and effort since you'll have to cut and drill glass, but the end result is worth it! These charming chimes will look pretty and sound inviting when hung from your porch ceiling.
Get the tutorial at Saved by Love Creations.
10. Hanging Macrame Candle Holders
Use neon cord to weave a macrame candle holder, the perfect fit for a Mason jar, that can light up your yard into the night.
Get the tutorial at Skip to My Lou.
11. Mason Jar Lid Plant Label
Yes, Mason jar lids can be useful, too! Upcycle them into crafty plant labels for your garden that will help you easily locate veggies.
Get the tutorial at The Prudent Garden.
12. Butterfly Feeder
Want to attract more butterflies to your yard? Create a Mason jar feeder with sugar water inside—they'll be sticking around to pollinate your plants in no time.
Get the tutorial at Bright Nest via Hometalk.
13. Flower Table Centerpiece
This one is easy: Keep several Mason jars around your home to use as rustic vases, perfect for holding beautiful blooms from your garden.
Get the tutorial at Funky Junk Interiors.
14. Outdoor Chandelier
Light up your backyard with Mason jars stuffed with white string lights. Hung on the side of your home, this chandelier-style lantern creates the perfect mood for relaxing under the stars.
Get the tutorial at All Things Heart and Home.
15. Homemade Bubbles in a Jar
Make your own bubbles with this quick and easy recipe, then hand the solution over to your kids in a large Mason jar to play with outside while you garden.
Get the tutorial at Crystal & Co.
16. Hanging Chandelier
Just use string to attach empty jars to a repurposed wire basket to make this surprisingly simple chandelier that can hang from tree branches. Add colorful flowers for a finishing touch.
Get the tutorial at All Things Heart and Home.
17. Solar Light Lanterns
Looking for a more eco-friendly way to light up your backyard? House solar lights in Mason jars that can be hung from fence posts. Add glass pebbles to the bottom of the jars to keep them from swinging.
Get the tutorial at ThriftDee.
18. Hanging Jar Decor
Whether for a backyard wedding or just to make your space more interesting for an outdoor party, hanging Mason jars filled with tea lights from colorful ribbons will add some whimsy.
See more at Style Me Pretty.
19. Citronella Candles
Keep the bugs away in country style by repurposing Mason jars into citronella candles.
Get the tutorial at Marty's Musings.
20. Garden Soil Test
Before you start planting, test the soil in your garden using a Mason jar filled halfway with soil and the rest of the way with water. Seeing how much clay, silt, and sand your soil is made up of will show you how much water and fertilizer your plants will need.
Get the tutorial at Preparedness Mama.
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