Creative Garden Markers
Do you plant a garden every year? If so, what do you like to grow? Veggies, herbs, flowers? Do you like to use garden markers to mark each plant?
At our previous house we had a big garden in the backyard where we planted peppers, lettuces, potatoes, squash, cukes, tomatoes and many herbs.
At our new house, we don’t have as much space to plant a big garden, but the previous owner did have a well-tended patch and lots of planters filled with herbs and other plants in the side yard that I am enjoying having.
Here in the south, we could plant much earlier than we were used to and already have a few tomatoes on the vines.
When I have a lot of plants and herbs to tend to, I like to label each with a plant marker. Over the years I have made my own and have picked up a few store bought styles as well.
This year is no different. I have found that garden markers only last a year or two. With the sun and outdoor elements beating down on them, they don’t last long. So I buy or make a new batch each year.
Early this spring, I bought colorful metal herb markers that I thought would last a long time.
I was wrong, the paint the herb names are written with have already started to get blurry and can be easily wiped right off. :-( I like these markers, I bought them at Ace Hardware, but will have to use a white paint pen to redo each marker as the original herb names wear away.
Since even the store bought plant markers didn’t last 2 months, I thought I would show you another type I have found as well as a few ways I have made my own plant markers.
I found these painted wood markers in the dollar aisle at Michaels last week. I bought a few packs…
…and used a paint marker to write the plant name on.
They look pretty and are effective. I am sure by summer’s end they will be sun-bleached and the wood, water rotted, but for a $1.50 a pack I am OK with the one planting season use.
The easiest way to make your own garden markers is to use a cork and a wooden skewer. Easy to get both of these right in your kitchen.
The sun does fade the herb names even when written with a permanent marker, but are easy to re-write.
About 6 years ago I wanted to find a way to recycle metal OJ lid cans. I came up with an idea to make pretty garden markers with them.
The names do fade on these, too, but they do look pretty in a garden. You can find the tutorial here: Jewelry for Your Garden
Last week I came up with another idea using wood craft sticks and metal label holders used for scrapbooking.
How to Make Plant and Garden Markers
supplies needed:
- wood craft sticks
- Metal scrapbook label holders (scrapbook aisle at Michaels)
- Awl and small hammer
- Label maker
The label holders fit perfectly on the wood craft sticks.
I decided to use the label maker tape that is made to hold up for a long time. I used the tape to label the swimming pool valves at our previous house and they held up for years.
Once I printed out the herb names on the label tape, I attached them to the craft sticks.
I used the little tacks that came with the metal label holders. I used an awl to make the two holes needed to attach them into the craft stick. I used a small hammer to gently tap the point of the awl into the wood.
You may not need to do this if the point of the awl is very sharp. I did end up cracking a few craft sticks at first, but once I got the hang of gently tapping, I was able to make the holes without splitting the craft stick.
Once the points of the tacks are though the craft stick, I bent them to the back of the craft stick to secure.
All done.
Like all the plant markers I have bought, made and used, I am sure these won’t last forever, but they do add some style to my garden and herb planters.
What do you use to mark your plants? Have you found any that are pretty and last for more than a year?