How dumb is it to be excited about scoring free miniblinds?

Don't know but I am. LOL No more plastic cutlery with marker.

Getting them from fellow FreeCycle woman I gave extra seedlings to last June. She already had Hummingbird feeders but wanted some plants for hummers and butterflies. I'm spreading milkweed across NJ.

Also had great tour of her gardens. She has Hosta the size of a kitchen table!

Happy Days!

I am a caretaker for three elderly handicapped men, one of whom is prone to random violent outbursts. Every so often, he tears down the closest mini blinds at hand...he waits until I am off in the kitchen, or in the basement folding laundry. I used to get sooo upset about it (such a waste, I felt), until the day I read a tip here about turning minis into plant markers...woot! Now I have a bazillion markers, and three more blinds waiting to be cut up. I am still incredibly frustrated by this person's tantrums, but after years of working with him I can see it isn't going to change.

At least now the damaged gooda are being turned into something useful, ha!

Susan in Kansas

I've been using window blinds for years. I've found them on curbs and even had people donate them when they found out why I was keeping them out of landfills. I propagate so many plants that I use a lot of these. This will be my first year wintersowing, so I know I'll use up a lot of them.

The best marker to use on the labels are these :

http://www.gardeners.com/Marking-Pen/FlowerGardening_PlantMarkers,33-196,default,cp.html

from Gardener's Supply. They last for - ev - er ! I've had mine for years ! Regular Permanent Markers are not permanent. At least not here -- maybe in Texas the summers are just too hot and the sun too much for them. However, pencils are the next best thing, since the lead never wears off. And if your plant doesn't make it, you can always erase the name and use it for something else. I prefer the marker, though, since it's easier to read from eye-level and I don't have to get down on my hands and knees to read the pencil. But to make my marker last longer, I might use pencil for those labels in plants that I give away.

Just a few hints for you with your new-found discovery !

patty