March 4, 2017 – Plant stakes – from recycled material  

          In previous blogs you have read that I cut cattle feedlot fencing into panels for some of my vegetables.  Over the years I have saved the ¼ inch metal rods [about 8 inches long] that I cut from between the squares.  I never thought of saving them, but my husband seemed to think they were simply too good to be tossed out and they have been in a sturdy box in the shed waiting for that “something” to do with them.

          It wasn’t until last fall that I came up with an idea for those metal pieces which are ¼ inch by about 8 inch long and sharp on both ends.  

I mentioned I needed plant stakes to my husband and asked him if we could somehow take some of those wine corks we have and take these metal pieces and make plant stakes?

          That idea interested my husband very much and he went to work on the idea.  He took a 13/64 drill bit and drilled a pilot hole about ¾ inch into the center of the cork, inserted the metal piece and pressed the cork down onto the metal piece with the other end on a waste piece of wood so that it didn’t mark up anything and made certain the metal rod was secure.

          Makes a very durable plant marker – the metal won’t rot and the cork is neutral in color so that it blends in nicely in the land scape.

          He made me a couple dozen last fall and I used them on my new daffodil and tulip plantings and asked him if he wouldn’t show me how to do it.  So, this afternoon he set me up with the cordless drill and under his supervision I drilled pilot holes in the used wine corks and pushed the corks down over the metal securing them.  

I used a pair of vise grips to hold the cork while I drilled the hole down the center of the cork about 3/4^th of an inch for fear that I would hurt my fingers.  [I consider my fingers extremely precious to me – as a writer and typist.]    I did about 30 of them.  It was a simple project with a great outcome and “FREE” except a little bit of time involved.  Very DIY satisfying I must declare. 

          I imagine if you wanted to “color” code them – you might want to paint the corks – yellow for daffodils – or red for tulips, etc.  But, I am going to leave them just as they are.

          Recycled metal and used wine corks.  It works for me.  And, a group of them look adorable shoved into a vase waiting for their final garden locations.

          If you have the materials – would make a great gift for a fellow gardener as well.   Good re-cycling to you!