Yep, pencils work great on the mini blinds.. I use a paint pen on one side and pencil on the other.

upstategardnr: Welcome to wintersowing. Besides reading Trudi's site and the FAQs, you will learn a lot by following the threads on the forum. And people will answer any questions that arise for you.

I've tried labeling with a lead pencil and find that it does not, indded fade. It's just kind of hard to read, I think, because it's light to start with. I prefer paint pens- no fading at all yet, and dark enough (I use black) to read easily.

Trudi's best tip about labeling is to use duct tape on the bottom of the container and write the name of the plant on the duct tape.

Thanks for sharing your experience with us, now please do stick around and enjoy the fun.

Karen

Pencil on mini blinds are a standard for me- and sharpie silver on dark mini blinds has really worked well for me too. Over 3 years in a sunny spot!
I found the paint pens I used clogged up too fast and I had to throw them with paint still in them- and then they chipped off of the metal and mini blind surfaces. If you use paint pens that work well- which brand do you use?
I have purchased the metal plant stakes- and am thinking I will need to indent the names into the metal with a metal alphabet punch to keep the names on those- labels have all faded- and graphite seems to disappear into the surface- Paint pens chip off- grease pencils wash away.... I guess I am still looking for a better way to use those. Any ideas?

Julie

I used fine point Sharpie markers on cheap white plastic spoons! I don't know if it was a combination of materials or because I wrote on the concave surface of the spoon and that gave it some protection...but those things are still as clear as when I first made them.

welcome to WinterSowing upstategardnr - you are in for a lot of fun:)

I have always used miniblinds and pencil - works great for me. Many years later you can still read them....

Lynne

Welcome upstate! Where are you? I lived for thirteen years in Z4, Deleware County.

T

I am also very interested in knowing the paint pen (brand, color, all specs!) that works best. I have been using a sharpie permanet marker on vinyl blind cut up tags and the results are about 80% just fine and 20% GONE - makes no sense to me.

I also remeber reading about some kind of foil tape (metal) that folks press into and then the markings CAN"T fade - - -any into on that? (specs so I can purchase)

I found that the Deco paint pens are the best. Cheap no name paint pens did clog up and the paint did chip off. The labels with the deco paint are as clear as the day I made them and that was 4 years ago.

On those metal plant tags, the deco paint pen should do the job. I only use black, so can't tell you how the other colors would work.

I've also covered tags with foil tape and wrote on the tape with the deco paint pen. The tape is like cement. Once it's on something it is never coming off.

If you put your containers directly on the ground, like I do, I find that the duck tape doesn't stay on the bottom of the container, but the foil tape sure does. The following year you can just put a new piece over the writing from the year before. Works great

Fran

The foil tape I use came from the hardware store - it's aluminum duct tape.

On another note, I remember reading a post about making a hang tag type from a soda can - can't remember if it was here or if it was on the daylily forumn - ring a bell for anyone?

Here's the link to the post you mentioned about the plant tags. scroll down to

TheInfamousj post and there is a link to click for her pictorial instructions on how to make the tags. Found the post on the herb garden forum.

Fran

Here is a link that might be useful: : Pictoral Instructions

Another fan of lead pencil on mini blinds here. Never fade. Cheap. Reusable. No waste. Everything is recyclable. I write up several labels for one container. When I plant out the seedlings, I just move the labels from the container to the flower beds. Fast and easy. A softer lead than #2 will be darker and easier to read than #2.

Re: Foil tape...

This is the best, most dependable labeling tape there is. It is in the hardware store or big box store with the duct tapes, but it is real shiney and looks like tin foil. It has a paper backing you peel off as you use it.

You can stick it on anything, and write with any pen you want -- even one that has no ink! It makes an engraving that lasts forever, and the tape adhesive is water resistant. Mine are always out there year round through New England winters, and I've never had one lose it sticky-ness. (Can't say that for regular duct tape, that's for sure.)

For a winter project, I wrap coffee stirrers (the flat wooden kind) with this tape, then I always have them handy for planting out. For winter sowing I stick a piece right on the milk jug and write on it there. I put 2 labels on each jug though, one near the bottom and one near the top. That's so I can read them from above, but there will still be a label on it when I cut the tops off in the spring.

Get the foil tape. One roll will last you forever.

Next trip to Home Depot or Lowes there will be NO loitering around the seed packet displays - straight to the aisle where they sell tape for me to start hunting up this foil tape! Thanks!