Plant markers

15 years ago

Wonder what others use to identify plants in the garden. Friend suggested I cut up plastic milk jugs into strips to write on. Don't get the nice store ones when we grow our own seedlings. I all ways map, but some thing seems to happen to that.

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Comments (6)

retiredprof
15 years ago
On Granny's blog, she gives a great idea about using an empty bleach container. Cut off the top half and use for something else, then cut strips into the bottom half all around. Then cut strips off at the base of the bottle. You can cut points in the end of strips if you want to make it easy to poke into the soil or pot.
nckvilledudes
15 years ago
Get For Sale signs at the hardware stores or from friends who were selling their houses and cut them into strips. Depending on the size of the signs and your source, you can get anywhere from 10 to 30 or so good sized labels for around a dollar or nothing. You can cut points on the end of them as well.
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In hopes of all these new plants - Plant markers?
Q
Comments (9)
I've tried almost everything, from pricey copper stake-type markers to Target "dollar stop" tin markers...in the end, I prefer white mini blinds with Sharpie/paint pen for writing. They're cheap (a single $4 blind from WalMart can yield hundreds of markers!), widely available, easy to spot in the dirt...when you're marking hundreds of jugs/bottles/transplants, this is the thriftiest way. I cut the top ends of mine with "Victorian" scrapbooking scissors, just to make them a bit fancy :-) Karen makes a good point, the mini-blind strips are a bit harder to force into clay soil...so in the one area of my yard where this is an issue, I force a small weeder into the ground where I intend to place the marker, to help things along. Susan
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Do you have plant markers?
Q
Comments (10)
Here is the ultimate marker for you, will last forever. I take old aluminum soda cans, shove a scissors into the side of the can, near the top, cut around the top so that it now looks like a tube. Take your scissors and begin to cut straight down the sides, about an inch apart. Go all around the can. Once finished you will have about 10-15 "strips" still hooked together by the bottom of the can. Now, just go all around the base of the can with your scissors, they all fall away. Now, get a hole punch- the old fashioned ones for paper you can get at WalMart for a dollar or so. Punch a hole at one end. Next, get a ball point pen an old magazine to use as the "pad" to write on. Push firmly as you write. You now have a permanent, embossed tag that will last forever. Guess what? You paid nothing for this! Wire this to your plant or stick it next to it. My wife, when bored, will make me several hundred of these at a sitting. We have an Aquatic Plant business and each Water Lily pots get one of these attached to it before I plunge it into the water. I even use the same hole puncher for the plastic nursery pots to hook the tag to it. I have done this for so many years that I can no longer remember who taught me this idea but I thank them!
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Plant markers - anyone have a favorite?
Q
Comments (7)
I guess it depends if she wants them visible or not. My preference is for something that isn't particularly visible but I can still find. Rocks written on with paint pen with the label facing down work. Copper strips (cut with tin snips from sheets from a craft store or flashing from a home improvement store and the sharp edge eased with sandpaper) and written on with something firm that incises the name into the metal (ball point pen if the metal is light enough and the metal is supported on cardbard or something similarly soft.) Copper can be tarnished chemically so that it doesn't stand out. Or I may bury a metal label in my mulch, always in the same spot relative to the plant. Or a well-labeled photo.
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Oops! The permanent marker wore off this plant marker. What am I?
Q
Comments (2)
Perhaps a Veronica of some type. Does that ring a bell?
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lynnencfan
15 years ago
Mini blinds will give you an endless supply of plant markers for little or no cost. They cut with scissors or just fold - they snap a clean break. I use a regular #2 pencil to write on them and it will be readable for years .......

Lynne
digdirt2
15 years ago
Popsicle sticks and write on them with a pencil - lasts long time. Also used foam coffee cups cut into strips. Pencil indents the name making it permanent.

But best I have found is aluminum pop cans, cut the sides into strips and write with a ball point pen. The indentations are permanent.

Here's some previous discussions on the issue with lots of additional ideas in them. Just scroll down to the links with the blue borders.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Plant marker discussions
sarahbarah27
15 years ago
What good ideas! I am always trying to find inexpensive alternatives rather than purchasing them from the garden center.

Sarah
missti
15 years ago
I bought a box of "drink" straws (the short one used for bar drinks) - and I cut them in half for tagging seedling trays. I use the green painters tape and a permanent marker to write a little "flag" and then just put the tape (folded in half) over the straw.

It doesn't get moldy (like popsicle sticks have for me...) and the tape doesn't wear out (like paper would).

Once they are transplanted into larger pots - I just use a whole straw instead of cutting.

You get about 200 straws for a buck - cheap and effective.

:-)

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Plant markers

Comments (6)

retiredprof

nckvilledudes

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lynnencfan

digdirt2

sarahbarah27

missti

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