I stop at building projects and pick up similar types of strapping used to bundle lumber together. My favorite use is to make topiary frames. Your type already has holes in it which makes it easy to bolt pieces together when constructing frames. I have to drill holes in the type I find around here. Steel strapping should last for many years in your dry heat. I also use the strapping for tomato cages. And, one can create free form 'art pieces' for the garden with it. That is a fun project. Enjoy your find!

Just wire yourself together a basket and paint it black.
Give a look up for 'hayrack' in all the gardening sites; heck, you could probably sell the things when you get the knack of making them. They are very expensive, and I bet a lot of the ones I've seen were not made of anything better than what you have, painted with good paint.

I use metal strapping to make permanent name tags for my perennials.

I get the metal strapping free from a company here in town.

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I use metal cutters and cut the strapping to about a 8" length....spray with paint to keep from rusting.

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With my Brother PT labeller I use the extra adhesive labels and make up the labels I want to use. Here are some daylily labels for the new daylilies I got this summer.

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Then, I attach the labels to the newly sprayed metal strapping tags...

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And....place in front of the perennial in the flowerbed.

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These tags should last for years and years. They are sturdy, look neat and professional, and each cost about $.40 to make (the label being the cost).

Brenda