Thanks Glenn. To follow up on the above, I decided to try the cable tie method linked above and I just got done tagging about 200 trees. I used 8" UV-stabilized cable ties and tried two kinds of tagging material. One is I got some 5mil copper foil in a 3" wide roll and cut off 1" pieces. Other is I used those Coles aluminum tags in boxes of 50. The copper is better but it averages out to about 35 cents a tag and the Coles tags you can get for about a dime apiece. Aluminum scrap would work even better. The cable ties are about a penny apiece so all the cost is in the tag. I punched a hole with a hole punch in the foil on a side on the long way, so the tags hang side to side so you don't need to grab them to read them. I put them on trees using a staple gun loaded with 1/2" staples. I found it was better to use two staples about 1/4"-1/2" apart to keep the cable ties from rotating. The only problem I had was the staple would occasionally crack the cable tie. Maybe I should have gotten slightly longer ties, like 1', just to get thicker ones. I first was using 1/4" staples but those guys were cracking the ties all the time since they were hitting so hard; the 1/2" staples are not striking with such force since most of the stapler energy is used to get the staple in. Overall I would say the biggest doubt I have is on the strength of the cable ties giving how they are cracking, but we will see. If they start failing I will replace with wire. One nice thing about using the aluminum tags is first you can use the tag with the little wire to mark the graft, and when it gets too big for that take it off, punch a hole, and re-attach the same label with a cable tie; no need to create a new tag. Some of my new grafts I could use a cable tie on already since they topworked a fat trunk. Scott

Thank you Ingrid and it is always a pleasure to have a rambler that maybe a bit iffy in my climate bloom - I chose carefully where I planted it to give it the best chance. Hello Mariannese, Thank you for the article, an interesting read. I started out with quite a few Geschwind's from the 2008 import. Winter took it's toll on many - deceased - but I still have the following that appear to be doing alright - Alpenfee, Geschwind's Nordlandrose ll (Radoslavs tag name), Wenzel Geschwind (I think), Futtaker Schlingrose, Leopold Ritter, and Annachen Von Tharau (is very vigorous). And perhaps Ernst Dorrel - name tag lost issue at the moment. Unfortunately as far as I can tell in addition to Ariana, only Geschwind's Nordlandrose ll will bloom this year. I have been waiting a long time for a Nordlandrose to bloom as my Canadian version never has. And actually this version - no protection - had nearly 3/4 of it's cane length intact and healthy to start spring. However all the others enjoy the same "characteristics of surviving" a winter unprotected where -30C occurred very early - night of December 13. Leopold usually blooms - not from Europe but Canadian vendor - but it also went right to ground last winter.Gypsy Boy will not bloom but this is the 3rd try for this rose and 3rd vendor and was in a premium spot si I give up on it.

16 oz 110 copper sheet scraps stamped with a pin punch and wired on with 12 gauge electric wire scraps. Turns brown, then green. 110 copper is very malleable, 16 oz is right thickness.

a better link for the wand below ... i used to do calligraphy ... and had very good handwriting ... or used to anyway ... i found that working with little labels to be very hard .... to hold on ... and yet use good writing... ergo i gave up and went to a brothers p-touch ... all the labels look the same ... perhaps.. a bigger label .. or smaller hands ... would have helped quality control ....who knows.. what ever you like.. and makes you happy ...that is the only thing that is important .. ken Here is a link that might be useful: wand