2B pencils seem to last much longer than any of the permanent markers.

How long do you want them to last? I have had success with Laundry Markers but only have about 12mths experience with them so far. Seem to be doing well in full sun but wont last another 12 months. 2B pencils probably last longer. I suppose it also depends on the surface you use.

At the moment I am using a " Sharpie" so called permanent marker $2 at the Newsagents (they used too be ). But I did turn the labels around so they are facing downwards and the ink seem to last a little longer than that $6 Freezer Bag marker I was using before. I have painted the names on my roses stakes with paint and a small brush but they are wood, paint seems to peel off plastic labels. You could always try icy pole sticks and paint on them just a idea Daniel not that you would have time for that...Cheers..MM.

My Dad used to always use icypole sticks and a soft pencil. They seemed to last for ages. Them he changed to a fine permanent marker on cut up icecream containers. That seemed to work well too. I have known of people who cut strips from aluminium cans and write (or sort of engrave) with a ball point pen. It just depends how permanent it needs to be....Cheers,Dee.

Yesterday I took to my large black pots and slapped white paint on them as an emergency procedure in this hot wind. Today I am having fun writing the repotting date etc on the new surface. Not a pretty result but a backyard situation. The pen is a xylene free permanent marker that probably cost lass than $3. See how it goes.

Icecream containers perish in the sun and crumble after about 12 months. Icypole sticks snap easily. I use commercial plastic labels a lot because they last well, but they still snap. when I can, I get hold of sets of venetian blinds from the recycle centre or wherever. I cut them into 6" lengths (15cm for the purists) and make a V point at the lower end, using tin snips. A set of blinds gives me around 140 markers, depending on the size of the blinds. I mark these TOP and BOTTOM with the plant name. The top name will fade after 2 years, but can still usually be read and remarking over the top isn't a problem. The bottom name will be buried in the ground and WILL NOT fade. I use Artline 70 Xylene free permanent markers. Black is best. As others have said graphite lasts the longest, and that's fine so long as you don't mind getting down on your hands and knees everytime you need to read a marker. On the other hand, my garden looks like a pet cemetery for mice and budgies. On top of using markers, I map my garden beds (well just mainly the iris beds) This involves high tech equipment - namely pencil and paper. I draw a rough sketch of each bed, and label the plant position with numbers, and write a list of names with the numbers besides them. I frequently refer to these maps as parrots and puppies, and gardeners who should know better occasionally lose my markers for me. BTW - black pots can be easily labelled using the black markers - it seems to last forever, as I still have labelled (quite easily readable) pots from 6 years ago. Maybe that's the answer - cut up the black pots to make lasting labels. Don't ask me why it stays on the pots longer than the white labels, but there is probably a simple explanation.

I use china graph pencils from the newsagents, 1 black and 1 white or yellow. They can be used on any colour, directly on the pot or label, can be rubbed off if necessary and lasts quite a while. Even when it fades, it can still be read enough to re-do. The most long lasting would be Dee's suggestion about engraving on aluminium. I have done this myself and known others who do it but I find it is time consuming and you have to be careful of sharp edges.

I use a Swan Stabilo all 8008 pencil on the other side it is marked paper. glass. plastic.metal aquarellable. I use it on the white tags in the Orchid house and they are always readable. I have used a sharpie RT permanent marker too and they are quite water proof. Marion

China graph pencils are definately the go.

Excellent ideas. Thank you so much I will begin my trials now with heaps of options. I have not seen China graph pencils in yonks! I will have to explore.

Just ask at the newsagents. Most of the nurseries I know use them.

I have tried everything from China Graph, paint, white blind, etc. The best is Pental N50 Black permanent on silver duct tape. A roll of silver duct tape costs $2. White tags and blinds are oaky but they can be pulled out by human pests (read kids).

Where do you put the duct tape?

10 out of 10 for that answer Sparaxis......... I also have been thinking about that the rain would ruin it and the sun after all its only thin plastic with sticky in it, not a good idea....I will stick with my venetian blind slats with the name written on with a Sharpie Permanent marker faced away from the sun. Going on four months now and I can still read them......Cheers..MM.

You can get aluminium tags which are almost permanent. Write on them with an old ball point pen to emboss the text. If buying them is a problem cut an aluminium drink can into strips, punch a hole in one end and away you go. If you can get your hands on phone cable or similar this makes a good tire wire. Doug.

Aluminium tags with tie wire are good for attaching to rose bushes, trees and shrubs, but difficult to use if they have to be placed in the ground. They can be attached to wooden stakes but that is a lot of work if you need say 500 of them. They do give a permanent marker. Strips of drink can are lethal if you come across them while weeding with bare hands. The venetian blind labels are bad enough for tearing skin. ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................Most of the labels I use need to be inserted into the ground so they need to be fairly solid, and I prefer them to be readable without having to bend down. So far the venetian blind markers have proven to be the least expensive option, costing me maybe 50c for a full set of blinds from the recycle centre, and a few hours cutting them up with tin snips and washing them. I intend to experiment with paint markers for more permanency. ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... Just experimenting with paragraph seperation here :-) Cheers, Jan

Thanks again everybody...I am impressed! Tom888, I am interested to follow up on the duct tape. I imagine you wrap it around the pot. But what about when you plant in the ground? I have a good (well enough to keep me in tags a while) supply of venetian blinds that I ripped out of this house when we returned last year. I have been using a marker pen but last year it faded so I am looking for the alternatives. Thanks everybody! Daniel

All, Let me describe in details... For labelling on pots and planter bags, I use a small strip of the silver duct tape. I normally stick 3 lables on each pot or planter bag. Make sure the surface is clean and dry. For a pot with a lip, I normally stick the strip under the lip to protect the strip and ink. I also noticed that for the same make of the pen, the black ink lasted a lot longer than the red ink. I have tried out a lot of pens on the silver duct tape. The one that works is the Pental N50 Black Permanent. Unfortunately, both runs out of ink (after labelling thousands!) last week and I have been experimenting with another make. For Pental N50 Black, the ink has outlasted some strips on the planter bags. This is probably due to the planter bags undergoing stretching and twisting during relocation and getting wet during watering which make the strip frayed on the corners and edges. I haven't had a need to label for trees in the ground as I can remember all their names. I have over 400 in the ground, pots and planter bags. Some pots/planter bags are placed in alphatbetical order which helps the memory process. None of the labels are visible to the human or the sun. They are always on the dark side. For trees in the ground, I guess you could wrap the silver duct tape on a branch or stem. Happy growing.....Tom

Plastic milk bottles washed and cut up dont become brittle in the sun and can be punched with a paper hole punch if you need to tie on. I have used these for over four years now. The marker you use is another matter - most I have tried eventually fade/disappear - so far stabilo boss permanent lasts longer than sharpie, pencil can be accidentally rubbed off, chinagraph smears - my solution - check and remark occasionally if it is vital that the plant remain named.