Coffee Spot

Resourceful Jess is at it again, rummaging around in her recycling bin turning unwanted garbage into FREE Garden Goodies. Gardening can be a real expense especially on my man’s wallet, so I am sure he’ll appreciate my ingenuity to save him money.

Gardening projects are a lot of fun and most rewarding when you can utilise recyclable items to make new products like, plant labels. Plant labels are FREE, they’re easy to make and can reduce your plastic waste significantly.

I am sure any keen gardener will tell you that plant labels are a must if you want to take cuttings, grow seeds or label your plants in the garden. Sure, hand made plant labels aren’t that pretty when   compared to Professional labels but I am sure your plants won’t mind.

When choosing the plastic for your labels make sure it’s a light colour or a clear plastic. This  will make it easier for you to write on and read your Plant information. I have found the best type of plastic needs to be thick enough to support itself in a pot or in the ground. Personally I like using heat sealed pasta trays, plastic packaging from gadgets and ice-cream containers from friends.

Ask friends and family to put aside certain plastics for you, I am sure they won’t mind. Just remember to give them a call or pop around at least once a week to collect it all. I don’t think your loved ones would appreciate their house looking like a tip.

If you have a ton of plastic that you have collected from your friends and family I suggest you make yourself a coffee before you start sorting it all out. Make sure the containers are food free and dry before starting the project. You will also need a sharp pair of scissors for the project.

I love these plant labels because you make them into whatever shape or size you like. I use all the flat parts of the plastic and discard the waste in the recycling bin.

The next step is to fill out the plant information on the label, you can use a permanent marker pen, or a china-graph pencil if you have one. A china-graph pencil is kind of like a crayon except it can be cleaned off with a dry cloth. You buy this pencil from any stationery or art  supply shop. This pencil will save you money, time and you can reuse your plant labels.