DIY Copper Plant Stakes

I went to the store to find plant stakes and really was shocked that they only had one type which were plastic. I won't mention the store name but it was a major home improvement store that started with a L and ended with a owes. Really? Plastic? I know what your going to say and I already tried wooden Popsicle sticks last year and I didn't like them at all. The words faded so bad they I couldn't read them by the end of the season. This year I wanted something more permanent so I could use them for several years (or forever). So I wandered around this huge store looking for alternatives. Eventually I thought of this idea.

Copper plant stakes are expensive and there was no way I could the dozens that I needed. So what does a girl do? Make her own! In the electrical department they sell copper wire by the foot and in the roofing area they sell copper sheeting. I had some left over copper sheeting from our fire wood shed project so all I needed was to buy some copper wire. The copper wire I picked was a bit too thick so make sure to find the copper wire that is easy to bend but strong enough to hold up in the garden. The copper sheeting can be substituted for maybe some aluminum sheeting. Its your preference. Aluminum will be cheaper and is found in the roofing section.

What you will need:
Copper wire-50 cents or less per foot. easy to bend but strong
Tool-Okay so I have no idea what that tool is called lol . You will need a tool that helps you bend the wire so it needs a small nose on it.
Wire Clippers-My tool has this on it but any wire cutter will do.
Copper/aluminum  Sheeting-Depending on the size you buy (smallest would be best) you will pay any price from $3-$20
Scissors
Oil pencil or permanent pen will work.

As you can see by the pictures, this project is super easy. Once your done making the copper stake simply cut the copper sheeting to the size you want and fold it over. Yes its that simple! Oil pen will work the best for this because you can wipe off the plant name each year and write a new one on it. I bought 5 ft of copper wire and was able to get 7 stakes made. I will need to go back and get about 10 ft more because I planted way more this year.

So these are not perfect and yes if I bought new ones they would be more straight but hey, mine were WAY cheaper. Yes it would be easy just to go order some online but I like to do things the hard way. And if your reading my blog then you are the same way. lol

So have fun with this and if you have any other cool idea's on plant stakes share with everyone!