Looking for plant markers that are renewable and biodegradable? How about inexpensive? If the answer is “yes” to either of these questions, then I’ve got the perfect solution for you… wooden popsicle or craft sticks. You can get them by the box of hundreds or thousands, and they last a year or two before getting all funky. After that, chuck them in your compost bin and let them become part of your garden soil. (You can find them at your local craft store, Walmart, or even on Amazon.)
I’ve used wooden craft sticks as plant markers for several years now. Before that I used to buy the little plastic markers and I paid way more for them. Also, with the plastic markers, I am still finding bits of those in my garden each year, and my darn chickens think they’re fun to eat… I’m sure that can’t be very good for them. They leave the wooden markers alone entirely.
Be sure to use a non-toxic permanent felt tip pen (black ink is best… the other colors fade really quickly) to write on your garden markers because the rain will wash away anything more temporary. I also turn all of my marked sides away from the sun, because even with the best permanent marker, the UV from the sun can fade the writing part of the way through the season. (That is for plastic markers as well as wood… the sun is brutal!)
I do find that the smaller popsicle size sticks are best for starting seeds or marking plants in elevated beds or pots… they are pretty small, so when I put them down at foot level in the garden beds, they can be hard to read for my weary eyes, and when the plants get large enough, they’ll cover the markers right up. I’d recommend something a bit larger for the garden beds themselves… maybe even check Etsy for some garden marker signs that are more decorative and perhaps sealed with a clear coat that you can use year after year.
Happy planting and happy Valentine’s Day to you!