Plant expert shares cost-effective labeling hack to keep gardens organized: 'Pure genius'

Sticks and stones may break our bones, but they'll also save money and the environment. 

TikToker Simon Akeroyd (@simonakeroydgardener) has taken to sharing a simple and eco-friendly way to use sticks, stones, and corks as plant labels. No more trips to the dollar store necessary!

@simonakeroydgardener Need free plant labels? I use sticks, stones and corks. Be careful when cutting the sticks. You can of course reuse plastic labels. If you use a pencil to write the plant names the rain won't wash away the ink and you can rub out the writing to reuse another time. #plasticfree #recycle #reuse #repurpose #growyourown #growyourgroceries ♬ This Is Me - Keala Settle & The Greatest Showman Ensemble

The scoop 

Simon starts by collecting some sticks and stones out in nature — yes, it's that easy. Then, he cuts up the sticks and carefully whittles away the outer bark on one side, so that the lighter, smoother wood shows through. You can also sharpen the other end, he adds — he does so with a pencil sharpener — so that it drives into the soil more easily. Then, he writes the plant name on the shaven side of the stick before placing the stick in a planter. 

For stones, it's easy — all you have to do is write the plant name. And for corks, Simon simply uses a supermarket skewer to place them in the plant's soil. And just like that, your plants are beautifully and naturally labeled. 

How it's helping

Though it might seem obvious, a huge benefit to this hack is the fact that it's completely free — as in zero dollars. 

Additionally, this is a great way to reduce our use of plastic. According to Statista, humans currently generate more than 350 million metric tons of plastic waste per year. Simon's innovation eliminates any contribution to such a staggering statistic, keeping plastic out of landfills and out of our oceans. 

In addition to hacks we can do ourselves, there are also organizations out there that help us cut down on waste and maybe even earn us some money. For example, GotSneakers will distribute your used sneakers to those in need, and ThredUP will sell your old clothes secondhand. 

What everyone's saying 

TikTokers took to the comment section of Simon's video to sing the idea's praises. 

"Pure genius," one user wrote.

"Looks awesome," another said. "I'm definitely going to try this."

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