Garden Labels and Markers: Find Yours Here!
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- Carol Wallace
- brettj
- Carol Wallace
- LadyB
- Carol Wallace
- littletwo
- littletwo
- Cottage_Garden
- Cottage_Garden
- Cottage_Garden
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» Carol Wallace - I bought copper plant tags last year. (I wish I had bought in-th
I bought copper plant tags last year. (I wish I had bought in-the-ground type labels instead of the tie-ons, but I needed so many tags that I went with what I could afford. They seem to work equally as well as aluminum -- but you have to press really hard, and I didn't, (Ooops!) so I have to look hard to read the plant name. As a bonus, you can sort of erase a used tag if you need to reuse it, simply by reversing it and running something firmly over the back to flatten out the embossing.I'll tell you what the people who grow hundreds of varieties of daylilies and are hugely dependent on tags do -- they use two. One is buried in the ground in front of the plant. The other is a display label. They use the hairpin markers that you have, Barbara, and use labels made on a laser printer. Apparently the laser ink doesn't fade. Pencil doesn't either. The only other thing that is reputed to be non-fading is a paint pen. Carol virtually gardening
-- posted by Carol Wallace
» brettj - Well, if the laser ink doesn't fade, the computer generated tags
Well, if the laser ink doesn't fade, the computer generated tags I have from growers must not be laser printed. I would guess it is simply as permanent as anything else.I like the rock idea. Now, if I could just come up with a simple system to etch the rock, I would be in busines!
brett johnson
-- posted by brettj
» Carol Wallace - Brett, All I know is that the growers I've heard from claim tha
Brett, All I know is that the growers I've heard from claim that laser printed labels have lasted them several seasons and are stills harp and readable. I know what you mean about many growers labels, though -- they look so sharp and clear when you put them in, and when spring comes they look nearly blank.A lot of people swear by the Brothers P-Touch labeler, but it isn't cheap and you still need something to attach the labels to.
Carol virtually gardening
-- posted by Carol Wallace
» LadyB - Only recently I discovered quite a 'secret' to having marking in
Only recently I discovered quite a 'secret' to having marking ink last on plant tags. We've always used the 'Sharpie' markers on the plant tags both privately and at the large nurseries I worked for. It SEEMS that if you can let the ink set overnite indoors it lasts far, far longer once exposed to the sun. The labels we put right out in the pots faded in no time - same pen. Go figure!As for the labels themselves, we often find sets of mini-blinds up for grabs at our recycling center and they are snatched up very quickly by everyone who has learned to cut them up for labels. It's nice that you can cut them to the length you want. I only wonder at the lead problem that caused people to stop using them indoors because they were a hazard to children. Wonder if they're a grand thing to be sticking into the ground! Anyone know?
Lady Barbara Weeds and Wild Things
-- posted by LadyB
» Carol Wallace - Now that, Lady B, is a trick worth knowing! I usually take my ma
Now that, Lady B, is a trick worth knowing! I usually take my markers out to the garden and make them up as I plant. Looks like I'd better change my habits.I don't know about the lead content in the mini-blinds, but I have heard people complain about cutting themselves on them. Having often caught myself in some sort of ungraceful ballet trying to avoid stepping on one plant while working on another, I think I can understand why. Carol virtually gardening
-- posted by Carol Wallace
» littletwo - label markers
I am trying to locate a marker for plastic labels that will not fade when exposed to the weather. I have tried several different types of permanent markers but they fade to the point of not being able to read them after less than a year. I grow plants from cuttings and need a marker that will last without fading.Can you help?
Thank you.
Marlene Little
littletwo@carolina.rr.com
-- posted by littletwo
» Cottage_Garden - Re: label markers
In response to message posted by littletwo:I just don't think there is any perfect solution.
I get relatively good results using of all things ordinary pencil, then angle the marker so the writing is facing down somewhat and thus shaded as well as protected from rain and watering. But it won't last forever.
If you are doing woody plants that take a longer lead time you might want to do the little copper strips and emboss the name or a code number onto the strips. It might be worth the investment since you can keep it with the plant virtually forever.
If cost is an issue, I believe you could cut strips out of aluminum cans using scissors and emboss them using a ball point pen. (Potential to cut yourself by accident there, be careful!)
I have also seen the names written right onto the pots using paint -- that pretty much precludes the lost label problem. But it can make it tough to reuse the pots unless you always grow the same things!
Most things in plastic seem to get brittle after being outside in sun and heat and cold eventually anyway, so to some extent it depends how long you really need them for?
Maybe this will give you some ideas.
-- posted by Cottage_Garden
» Cottage_Garden - Re: Re: Brett, All I know is that the growers I've heard from
In response to message posted by littletwo:There are many styles of printed labels you can make -- office equipment suppliers sell labelers of all different kinds. Here is a page that shows some of the Brothers labelers. I do not have any experience at all with that supplier or with the labeler so I can't comment there. I am making the link so you can see what they look like and get an idea of what they are.
-- posted by Cottage_Garden
» Cottage_Garden - Re: Re: Brett, All I know is that the growers I've heard from
In response to message posted by littletwo:Here is a company that will custom print long lasting weatherproof (so they claim anyway) fitted peel and stick labels for your metal labels -- like the ones I use from PawPaw. Again, no experience with the product so I can't tell you anything beyond what is in the product description. I would love to know if they really work though, it's a great concept.
-- posted by Cottage_Garden
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