Plants for everyone

I never thought myself as having a green thumb but I guess perseverance works. I can't tell you how many times I've excitedly bought a pot of healthy looking herb, only to have it die on me weeks later. Most of the time, I just can't figure out how much water the herbs should have. If I get rosemary, for example, will it wither in this tropical climate? What about mint? Or basil? Most of my herbs usually end up looking sad and covered by mealy bugs when I water them frequently. When I decide that maybe too much water is bad, they wither on me. I just never managed to find a way to get them to survive. 
Out of desperation and necessity, I suppose, I decided to re-pot four of my dying herbs in two containers from Ikea. These plastic containers were meant for drying cutlery and had handles which allow me to hang them off my kitchen rail. The holes at the base of the container made it perfect for excess water to drain from the soil. I've always had the idea that I wanted to have pots of herbs right above my kitchen sink so that I could access them easily when I cook. So I was so happy that this wish was going to materialize.
But the challenge was in making sure they would survive. I decided that having a clear plastic bag and a tea bag contain the soil and plant would make it easier for me to track how wet the soil was. Because the water could easily drain out and I had them in the kitchen above my sink, I didn't have to worry about the excess water making a mess.
I am so glad I tried. In the end, I've had to move them to the kitchen window where they can get more sunshine but my basil and mint are so happy now, they're thriving. My oregano and rosemary combi-pot is also doing very well. It just shows that even for the very amateur, with the right pot and right way, our plants can do really well.

My thriving pot of mint & basil from 4 short branches snipped off the mother plants.