Absolutely essential to the most organized garden, the plant markers implanted in the spring will save you so much grief throughout the season.
Garden markers are especially useful for planting seeds, digging up bulbs and marking newly sprouted perennials so you know the exact location of each plant.
Use them to differentiate weeds from cultivated plants, to indicate which plants you want to flower to save seeds, and to practice good crop rotation from year to year. They’re also great for displaying your hard work so visitors to your garden can clearly see the crops you’re growing.
Never forget what you’ve already planted with these cheap and free upcycled plant marking projects!
1. wine corks
For the wine-loving gardener, a collection of wine corks can quickly and easily become adorable plant landmarks. In addition to corks, you will need wooden dowels or skewers and a permanent marker. As a final step, add a coat of polyurethane for longer lasting waterproof markings.
Get the fabulously inexpensive DIY.
2. rocks
Unleash your inner artist by hand painting smooth flat stones from your garden. Depending on your skill level, you can use a paint pen to write the name of the plant or illustrate the crop yourself with acrylic paint. Finish with a clear coat of gloss varnish to protect your fine work from the elements.
Get the Garden Therapy DIY.
3. Clay
A simple yet elegant project that can be done in an afternoon, polymer clay is rolled and shaped into flat bars, then stamped with rubber stamps. Bake the clay in the oven until hard before hammering it into the ground.
Get DIY from Blanco and flute.
4. twigs
Found branches and twigs can also be quickly used as plant markers, just cut them to length and cut off one end to remove the bark. If you don’t have a wood burning kit, you can use permanent marker or rubber stamps to label your plants.
Get the salt in my DIY cafe.
5. tin lids
Suspended from a length of 12 gauge jewelry wire, the pewter caps are punched and painted or stamped for some easily recyclable plant markers.
Get the DIY from Creative Green Life.
6. broken terracotta pots
Broken clay, terracotta and ceramic pots can be turned into beautiful plant markers with just a hammer and permanent marker.
Get the hundred bucks a month DIY.
7. Toys
Adorable and kid-friendly, these safari animals are painted in bright, vibrant colors, labeled with chalk markers, and protected with a coat of clear spray paint.
Get DIY from Mom Trends.
8. clothespins
Patched with exterior paint, wooden clothespins tied to twigs and labeled with marker make quick attachment of plant markers.
Get the Chatfield Court DIY.
9. wooden spoons
These two-tone wooden spoons are made with two contrasting colors of acrylic paint, alphabet decals, and finished with Mod Podge Exterior Sealer.
Get the DIY from A Grown Nest.
ten shells
If you’re sitting on a pile of seashells from a previous trip to the beach, put them to good use by turning them into unique and interesting plant markers.
Get DIY talking at home.
eleven Brick
For a super quick and easy project, leftover stones can be turned into garden markers with just a permanent marker and some fancy writing skills.
Get DIY simple details.
12 paint sticks
Almost everyone has a stash of paint sticks somewhere in their house – paint them and mark them with a paint pen. Comfortable!
Get the DIY from Happy Homely.
13 old can lids
An ingenious way to reuse old canning lids (which can only be used once per can), the threaded lids and bands act as a frame for flower or vegetable clippings displayed on the seed packet. These bookmarks are pierced with bamboo skewers and sealed with spray hairspray to preserve them season after season.
Make housewife DIY without training.
14 stainless steel spoons
Turn old spoons into cute plant markers by sticking on labels with a small modded Podge finished with a coat of clear lacquer.
Get the DIY from Artistic VaVa.
fifteen. subway tiles
For a classic, long-lasting look, the smooth white subway tiles are labeled with oil-based markers that can be slotted into the floor at ground level or elevated by sticking them on metal skewers.
Get the DIY birds and flowers.
sixteen. scrabble tiles
Another clever idea for recycling, the letters from an old Scrabble game are stuck vertically on a flat stick. When the glue has dried, waterproof it by spraying it with a coat of clear paint.
Get the $5 DIY dinners.
17 ice cream sticks
Save these popsicle sticks to create miniature display boards for your lovely garden decorations!