DIY Garden Staples

Garden staples are amazingly handy.  These little pieces of bent wire are just the things to hold down the edge of a pop-up greenhouse or floating row cover or to tack down the edge of some fencing.  I use many of these in my gardening, and I always need more.

Except -- they are pieces of bent wire!  I found some on Amazon.com for just shy of $4 for 20, but I know I have paid more through gardening stores.  It is a small price, but I find it is the little expenses that really start to drain your budget.

Recently, I found Mr. FC&G outside making his own garden staples.  Just take an old coat hanger -- heavy weight works best overall, but the lighter ones are good for tacking garden fabric -- and cut about a 7 inch length using wire snips.  Bend (with the help of pliers if needed) until you have two 3-inch legs and a flat top about an inch across.  (You can choose to round your top if that suits your application better, but the commercial ones I have sport a flat top.)

Voila!  Garden staples!

The Analysis


Fast:  Mr. FC&G knocked out about 10 of these in a few minutes.  It does take a little time, but it is pleasant time spent sitting in the sun.

Cheap:  Free other than effort.  He chose coat hangers that were on my laundry rack and in my way, and likely these were ones that came home from the store or the cleaners at some unspecified point in our lives. I think we have every hanger we have ever been given.

Good:  OK, so we saved $2 making 10 staples.  I'd rather not spend the money on trivia like garden staples and eventually have more vacations in Key West!