One of my favorite DIY mentors is Joanna Gaines. You may know her and her husband, Chip, from their home renovation HGTV show and from their Magnolia website. On that website, Joanna has a blog called “AT HOME” where she posts some great DIY projects. Here is one of them from her archives on creating simple plant stakes to easily identify your garden herbs. This can be a fun and educational summer project for your children that will help them identify the herbs that you cook with. I also like this as a great summer gift idea.
I love herbs. They’re probably my favorite thing growing in my garden because they’re a little easier to maintain than other plants, and I love using fresh herbs in my recipes. Since my children help me in the garden, I found that it was helpful to have my herbs labeled. Sometimes when the girls are helping make pasta, I have them run out to the greenhouse to grab basil or Italian parsley. These clay herb stakes make it easy to find and are a pretty detail at the same time.
Today we’re going to teach you how to make these yourself so you can label your own herbs for your garden or indoor plants.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- oven baked clay -you can get this at your local craft store. NOTE that each block of clay makes approximately 6 stakes
- rubber alphabet stamps -get this at your local craft store
- ink / ink pad -use any ink color(s) that you like -the ink pad is optional
- clay working tools -again, get his at your local craft store
- cookie sheet
- rolling pin
- parchment paper
Here are the Steps:
- Lay out your clay and cut strips using existing grooves, if your clay has them. If your clay does not have grooves, just cut your strips approximately 6” long and 1” wide.
- Using the rolling pin, roll out your clay strips as long and skinny as you want them, keeping in mind that you don’t want them any thinner than about two quarters stacked to ensure they don’t break.
- Using your clay tools, cut the shape you want in your clay strips. We cut a few different shapes, but be sure to always leave one end pointed so it can easily stick into the soil.
- Use alphabet stamps and ink pad (ink pad optional) to stamp your herb’s names into the clay stakes.
- Lay your parchment paper down on the cookie sheet so your stakes don’t stick to the pan. Follow baking instructions from your packaging.
- Right after your stakes come out of the oven they’ll still feel a little soft.
- Allow to dry and harden for one hour.
That’s it! These also make a sweet housewarming or hostess gift. Wrap a set of plant stakes in baker’s twine and give them to your friend with a potted herb.
If you try this out in your own home, be sure to tag @magnoliamarket on Instagram!
From Magnolia -AT HOME Blog: DIY Plant Stakes
To transform your house into your HOME, check out the Magnolia collection for beautiful, simple, and durable products.
