DIY Faux Chalkboard Garden Signs

What a treat to be a guest blogger today at Alderberry Hill. 

I want to extend a HUGE thank you to Sarah for inviting me to be a guest blogger at Alderberry Hill.  It is truly a sweet honor and I'm thrilled to share with you and your readers.

Spring has finally arrived (did I hear everyone shout FINALLY!!) and here in Southern Ontario I have been busy putting in my vegetable garden. Once all the seeds and seedlings were planted I wanted to be sure to mark the varieties of veggies so there was no mistaking what was to be growing and where. Hence, I needed to whip up some garden marker signs. With chalkboard art being ever so popular I created some markers that have the chalkboard look but the lettering won't wash away in the rain.

 

These garden signs were such fun to make. Let me show you how I made them.

If you happen to have an old picket fence that would work great for the boards.  Wood pallet boards would work great too.  I dug out from under the deck some very weathered 1" X 4" boards (knot holes and all) and cut them approximate lengths, rounded one end and cut a point in the other to go in the ground easily.

Next, grab a can of chalkboard paint (Black...not green).  A can of matte spray paint will work great too.  Paint the boards and let them dry.

 

I have horrendous handwriting so I used stencils and a white paint pen to outline the vegetable lettering.  Definitely do it freehand if you are gifted in the art of penmanship. 

 

I filled in the letters with a fine paintbrush and a little white acrylic paint.  Then I got brave and with the white paint pen I freehanded a scroll flourish and drew an outline around my signs.

Now the last step:  paint a picture of the vegetables.  I freehanded the veggie pictures using the seed packets as picture inspiration.  These were all painted using acrylic craft paint.   This was such fun. 

Time to go "plant" my signs.  The garden looks pretty stark and bare at the moment but slowly I'm seeing the seeds beginning to sprout.  Do you think maybe the garden markers will encourage the veggies to grow?  Ha!

It was only recently I realized how MUCH I love beets.  Seriously!  They are a very neglected vegetable.  I have great plans for my beets so I surely do hope they will grow well.

My cucs haven't sprouted yet but I'm watering and talking to them daily.  Let's hear for cucumbers!  Grow baby grow!

This year I planted green and red bell peppers. 

 

We had a heavy frost shortly after I planted my beefsteak and Roma tomato plants.  I lost a few plants and have had to replant quite a few tomato plants.

 

Besides the main garden I have several of what I call "tub gardens".  Peas are just starting to sprout in this container.  I'll be putting up the net for them to climb on very soon.

I have two varieties of squash: orange winter squash and Patty Pan summer squash.  Look!  My patty pan squash has begun sprouting!  YAY!

 

If you are a gardener I'd love to see and read about how you mark your rows.  I had a blast making these garden signs.  In another month or so when the garden is in full swing I'll post photos of the garden with the signs doing their job with their vegetables surrounding them. 

 

Now that the signs are in their places I had better get outside and do some weeding.

 

Until next time,

Cheers!

 

Jennifer

 

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