4 Cute Plant-Marker Ideas

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gardeners know the feeling well. You fill up a cart at the nursery early in the
season, find seeds for a new vegetable or herb varietal you are excited to
experiment with, plant the seeds in the ground, and weeks later, when the
little sprouts shoot up, you cannot for the life of you remember what you
planted. Was it peppermint or spearmint; Swiss chard or Russian red chard;
purple kale or green dragon?

All
gardens need some signposts to help identify the beautiful and delicious plants
you nurture into production. But this season, throw out those flimsy paper
markers that come with your transplants. You grow your garden with love, and
you can make labels for your plants with equal love! Here are four cute DIY plant-marker
ideas to brighten up your garden.

Garden
Gnomes

It
doesn’t get any more classic than a garden gnome. With this simple project, you
can create a fun variation on the kitschy garden gnome by making miniatures out
of sticks to label your plants.

All
you need is a handful of sticks, a knife, and some paint. Your sticks can vary
in size but should be around a half-inch in diameter and a good few inches
long. You’ll shave off some bark from the middle of the stick to write the name
of your plant in permanent marker, then turn it into a gnome by shaving an oval
off the top of the stick (and painting it white for the gnome’s beard) and
shaping the tip of your twig into a triangular point (and painting it red or
any other color for the hat).

Then simply stick your little plant guardians in the garden and enjoy! Get the full tutorial here.

River
Rocks

The
next time you are on a hike or a stroll near a river, gather some smooth, round
river rocks. Write the name of a plant with a little white paint to turn them
into tasteful plant markers that blend right in with the garden.

Paint
Stirrers

There
always seems to be extra wooden paint stirrers lying around the garage from the
last time you were inspired to change the color of the kitchen. Decorate those
extra stirrers with some colorful paint, slap on the name of a plant, and you
have a uniform array of sturdy plant markers.

Wooden
Spoons

For
the artistically inclined, there’s no need to label your plants with only
words. An upturned wooden spoon offers not only a place to write the name of
your plantings but also an oval canvas to decorate with an image of the flower
or plant, brightening up your garden.

Check out these eight homemade gardening hacks to ensure everything comes up roses.