Since I work outside the home and divide my time between the job, family and my home I decided to also weigh cost versus my time. For example, other gardeners have suggested newspaper pots versus the peat pots that I purchase. For a few bucks versus an hour or two of my time, I purchase the peat pots. I purchase them on clearance and save them for the next growing season. I have made the newspaper pots, see my post here, but I prefer the peat pots because of the time it takes to make them. They work great and I may use them again when time is on my side or when I need to save money for something else that I want. Maybe a new variety of seed!
Now lets talk about plant markers. I just couldn't spend the money that retail stores were asking. Here's where I make my trade, I made my own. I had tons of milk jugs from my winter sowing. More than I needed. I will save the extra for next year's sowing, but decided to use a few to make plant markers. I cut out as much as the milk jug as I could from each side, and whipped these babies out in 10 - 15 minutes. Nothing fancy, but worth the effort and the money that I'll save. Maybe enough to cover the cost of my clearance peat pots or new seeds for next season, hehe. You can use a marker or pen to trace an old marker or just make them free hand. I made mine free hand. You can make them as long or as wide as you like. Use a permanent marker for writing the name of your plant. That's my DIY gardening tip for the week. If you've already purchased markers this year, there's always next year. Happy Growing! Please share a DIY project that you use. Maybe I'll implement it next season or this one if I can.
I like your idea now that my little guy can read. We use his old Popsicle sticks. I write the name of the plant on one side, then he will glue a picture of the plant on the other side.
ReplyDeleteI like this idea, it's a fun way to get your kids involved in your garden. I used popsicle sticks last year, but ended up with a fungus or something growing around them. They were new. Do you know why this happened?
DeleteWe don't like to use plastic forks and spoons unless we need to, but many of them find their way into our home if we pick up something and the person at the restaurant just adds them in out of habit. I use them as plant markers a lot. The spoons let you write a lot. The forks stick in the ground without blowing away easily.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I have tons of left over knives from picnics or parties. I guess I never serve anything that needs a knife before you can eat it, lol. I'll put them to use.
DeleteI've made these markers too, with milk jugs and old plastic containers. Save them for the next season.
ReplyDeleteThat's an idea. I only grow what I eat, so my markers won't change much from year to year. Maybe a different variety if anything. Thanks for the suggestion.
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