So, the weather has been seriously vile. Snowing in late March? Really?! This time last year I was sunbathing next to an outdoor pool in Devon (I know that isn’t particularly glamorous, but I’m just trying to make the point that it was hot enough to do so).
Our roof terrace as it looked at the weekend. Lovely!
Anyhoo…the reason I’m discussing the weather is that the seeds I planted a few weeks ago during my sowing seeds tutorial will be ready to plant outside soon, when the weather improves. I need to make some plant markers so I can keep track of what I plant and where, so I have decided to make my own, as I promised, to help save money. You can buy really pretty plant markers but is that really what you want to spend your money on? Much better to recycle and re-use, especially as they will be outside and barely noticeable.
Have a look at my different ideas:
1. This would work particularly well if you have pots of herbs indoors. Spray the pots with chalkboard spray paint, write the names of the herbs on the pots, which can be changed whenever you like. This way you will never have that embarrassing moment, when asked to fetch a handful of herbs, of not knowing which one is which!
2. Slice the side off a cork so you have a flat writing surface. Stick the cork on a BBQ stick, done! Recycle, recycle, recycle!
3. Use a vegetable peeler to peel the bark off the end of a twig and add the name of the plant.
4. Blackboard paint again, this time on an old wooden spoon for bigger plants or a crop of vegetables etc. Easily re-useable as you just rub off the chalk and add the name of a new plant.
I’ve used this spoon to mark the wild flowers we have planted on our roof terrace. We have planted them in planting bags, rather then the beds, because they can get out of control, especially poppies. They will attract butterflies and bees to our roof to help pollenate the other plants.
5. If you need to keep the information on your seed packets or plant label then pop it into a jar. Make a slit in the packet at the bottom and then hang it on a stake.
This protects your seed packet so you can refer back to instructions or care tips.
I will show you how my seedlings are getting on in the next couple of weeks, hopefully they will be ready to plant out soon. In the meantime, I will do a post next week about different containers you can recycle and use instead of buying plant pots.
Happy gardening! x
Follower updates:
One of my lovely followers, Evelyn, sent in pics of her beautiful children trying the chalkboard plant pot idea. Kept them busy for hours apparently!
Here’s William making his pot.
Tamara doing a great job using multi-coloured chalk. Love it!
Very nice – I especially like the cork idea. Corks are something we often have in good supply in our household…!
Come on sunshine!!
Are you impressed by my recycling efforts? x
What lovely ideas – especially like the twigs. I will grow things this year. Possibly.
aww love your touch on everything, turning everything pretty and practical, and the use of white writing on the pots painted black is so clever.
I will do the markers if you plant – need some green fingers.
Oh yeah…loving these ideas. I do indeed need to do some/all of these on my balcony herbs.
Totally recommend it as an activity for children. Just remember to let them put aprons on when spraying the pots!