Garden Markers

A friend of mine had picked up some garden markers for me at a local arts & crafts festival. They were a simple design – clay, painted lettering, and wire. They were perfect! This was just the thing I needed to remind me of what I planted in the garden and where. Once plants grow, I can identify them, but sometimes I forget what’s been planted. It happens.

I tried to go online and order more from this vendor; however, their site was more of a gallery, and they did not have a place to order. I did send an email and did not receive a reply. So, I decided to make my own. Just a quick trip to Hobby Lobby and Lowe’s, and I was all set.

The best thing about making your own garden markers is that you can tailor it to exactly what you have in your garden. Instead of just having a garden marker that reads, “Squash,” you can make specific markers that read, “Butternut Squash,” “Spaghetti Squash,” or “Summer Squash.”

Sure, it would be easy just to use popsicle sticks and a Sharpie, but what fun is that?! All I had to do is…

• Roll out the clay (a little thicker than a piece of cardboard)
• Use a cookie cutter to make the desired shape (I used an oval, but use whatever shape you wish, as long as the letters fit on the marker)
• Make a hole at the top of the garden marker big enough for the wire to be attached later. (I used a 9-gauge utility picture hanging wire for indoor/outdoor use)
• For the lettering, you can freehand this if you wish, but I used rubber stamp letters. Just press the stamp into the clay to spell out the name of the fruit, herb, or veggie.
• Paint the pressed lettering with a color that will be readable against the clay, and let dry (or bake) following the instructions on the clay package. You can use oven bake clay or air drying clay.
• You do not have to clear coat the markers, but I did to give a little shine to the garden markers.
• Once the garden markers are completely dry, cut the wire into 16″ lengths. You can cut them to whatever length you wish. I used 16″ lengths to allow for bending at the end and be able to have the marker stick high enough out of the raised beds to easily read them.
• Bend the end of the wire to create a loop to hold the garden marker and crimp closed, so it doesn’t fall off.

That’s it! Simple and easy. There are so many options to creating garden markers, like painting rocks, creating wood signs, just using the seed packet and a plastic holder, but I found that this project was fun and easy to do, and I was able to make about 30 garden markers per package of clay (I believe I used the 2 pound package of clay to make 30 of them…but don’t quote me on that. My memory is a bit fuzzy).

The first and second time doing this project, I did it on my own, but the third time, a friend came over to join me, so she could make some of her very own. This is a fun project for family, or friends, to do together, so give it a try.

**IMPORTANT NOTE: If you are going to use the garden markers just until your outdoors plants grow, you can use air dry clay; otherwise, if this will be a marker to leave outdoors throughout the season, then use oven bake clay.

Online Shopping for Supplies

You can always purchase supplies through Amazon, if you would rather have the supplies come right to your door. As you may already know, Amazon Prime has shipping is free. Affiliate links are below.