Instead, why not use your crafty abilities and your hard-won literacy to make it easy on yourself? Save your memory for something important, like which episode of Season 12 of Call the Midwife you left off on. I, personally, have all the memory space I need to remember that I’m on Episode 4 (there’s an E. coli outbreak!), because I used plant markers to remind me where I put my Three Sisters plants this year. Want to use the power of the written word–pictographs work, too!–to supplement your memory in your garden, too? Check out my list of my favorite DIY plant markers, below.
Painted Rocks and Shells
These are especially handy if you’ve got someone in your household who collects rocks and shells, because now you finally have a use for them other than looking awesome! I like artist’s acrylics and paint pens when I make my own painted rock plant markers.
Woodburned Sticks
This simple plant marker is a great way to introduce some beginning woodworking skills to a bored tween or teen this summer. Anybody who’s ever whittled a stick into a point knows how fun it is!
Aluminum Cans
The writing on these is subtle, but you can always amp it up by running a permanent marker over the raised edges, or go the other way and fill in the grooves with permanent ink.
Bricks
You’re not going to find a simpler DIY garden marker, nor one that’s more elegant with such little work. If you can’t scavenge plenty of your own brick pavers from a disused corner of your own garage, ask around or hit up Freecycle before you buy new. Someone DEFINITELY has some brick pavers they’d love to give you!
Clothespins and Twigs
This is a terrific short-term solution for a plant that you’re not sure you’re going to grow for multiple years, or for a temporary placement. My plants probably get so sick of me moving them around all the time, but that’s half the fun of gardening!
Corks and Skewers
I need another plant marker, so it must be time to open a bottle of wine!
Mason Jar Lids
On the one hand, I think that those printed labels are going to fade pretty quickly. But on the other hand, it IS a great way to be able to incorporate a lot of information on one label! You could note when you planted and therefore when you expect to harvest, or an illustration plus the written name to build a kid’s literacy skills, or anything else that your imagination can think up.
Painted Spoons
This is my second favorite thing to do with thrifted old spoons (my first favorite is wind chimes!). The surface is perfect for painting and embellishing, and I especially like that you can make the plant marker double-sided.
Plant Friendship Bracelets
If you’ve got some alphabet beads leftover in your stash from the latest friendship bracelet craze (or if you simply think that turning this into a friendship bracelet project would get your kids on board!), this is a cute way to label your plants. Use even more stash beads for embellishment!
Popsicle Sticks
And remember–buying your popsicle sticks new is cheating. The only eco-friendly way to make this garden marker is to eat a lot of popsicles!
Stamped Silver Spoons
This one is a bit tricky, because you do need to source antique spoons with a proper silver content–today’s stainless steel spoons won’t flatten, and they certainly won’t stamp! But for a tea cup herb garden like in the image above, or for a well-curated cottage garden, these stamped antique spoons would be a charming touch.
Wooden Spoons
Please admit that you have some wooden spoons that need to be removed from your kitchen. I KNOW you know the ones I’m talking about! They’re old and gross and you can’t use them to cook for company. Instead, paint them and give them a new life on the other side of the food lifecycle! P.S. Do YOU have a favorite eco-friendly plant marker? Tell us about it in the Comments!
