I also think I have 350-400 hostas in my yard......many are smaller still though

Hello.

I know you asked where to buy plant markers, but I thought I'd throw this out there in case you're crafty and have the time. I purchased sculpting clay and letter stamps and created plant markers similar to these (sorry the image does not copy into this post):

http://media.hgtv.ca/blogimages/404d8fa95d6a_cc6c-diy%20clay%20name%20cards_2.jpg

The sizes can vary depending on how much of the name you want to include. To place them in the yard I take old wire hangers, straighten them out, cut them and shape the tops into "W's" to slip the tags on. They've held up pretty well so far. I have made somewhere in the range of 100 and have 150-200 more to go. I thought I could engage my kids in this crafty endeavor, but alas they just wanted to make balls and stamp them!

Anyway....it's a cheap alternative when you are in need of many plant markers. I have spent about $15 so far.

http://pinterest.com/pin/103160647684570924/ Here's a possible, inexpensive, long lasting solution.

Or write name with Sharpie on small flat stone.

gees lots of great ideas..... ok kate when you make yours out of clay are you baking them after? Show us a picture of one of your hostas with it

Deb the wine cork one is good too......thought gees I don't drink wine anymore and most wine now comes with a twist off cap. Not all but lots. BUT I used to make wine from kits years ago. I think I may still have a massive bag downstairs I could do this with. They would not be good anymore to use because they sat down there for too many years.

Eleven I also like that idea...I'll have to ask my husband about this, he used to own a welding shop and would know about such materials.

And deb I also like the sharpie idea on a stone. Gees I guess you can do just about anything now can't you

The dollarstore tags are cheap enough but they too break when you step on them

A whole industry of wine cork crafts is going down the drain with these new-fangled ideas!

lol........yup

I have purchased old venetian blinds, and cut the slats into the lengths I need. I then write on them with one of the water resistant and fade resistant permanent garden markers. They don't last forever. The heavy duty plastic ones work best. I also have a map of everything in the garden, which helps make sure that I don't lose the identity.... but I still do... like some of the others who have commented, I move things and then forget to record the move.

Eleven I like your idea using the flashing. I have been using Popsicle stick . They mark the spot but does not hold up to the weather

Keswick I have used mini blinds before the plastic kinds. I made myself a bunch of markers but I had ordered a whackful of hosta pieces. It was very cheap and none had names just whatever pieces came. Meant for those who want lots of hostas at one time. Well these Hosta eyes were sooooooo tiny, all of them did survive that first year but over time some died off just too small and I was just learning. That's when I made the mini blind markers just to know where they were. Since they were smaller I had planted them closer and the area of hostas looked like a graveyard. Row upon row of small headstones. People would come over and make comments of my graveyard!! lol. I still have some of those hostas and only a few of those markers remain others just got broken or vanished somehow. And those hostas that survived are doing better and are bigger but I have no idea what they are. they came from a mail order catalogue at the time.

I have used the pawpaw labels and PT brother label maker for years.

I get very nice anodized aluminum pet I.D. tags from Pettags4less.com. The words are laser-engraved on them. I find the black ones show up best, but they have a rainbow of colors and a wide variety of shapes. I like the extra-large circles with a separate loop for my hosta and heuchie I.D. purposes. Then I mount them with stainless steel tiny key rings on attractive copper-colored anodized aluminum tent stakes I get from Amazon. No crushing, no weathering, no fading. I posted this picture last year of a shield-shaped tag:

That one was hung from a stainless steel skewer. But the anodized aluminum tent stakes are WAY better. I pull out the strings to use the hole there.

Here is a pic of the tag tucked into the hosta:

To answer your question yes I do bake the clay off. I used a 60% off coupon and purchased this clay which requires you bake it:

http://www.michaels.com/original-sculpey-oven-bake-clay-3.75lb/10138068.html#q=sculpey&start=22

I know I should put the entire name of the plant on the tag, but alas I don't have that much patience! Also, for me the purpose of the tags is to mark that a plant is there...otherwise in the spring I will unknowingly pull it out.

Sweet idea but it would end up being costly to convert everything over I'm thinking. I'd have to start slowly at whatever it is I do.

I also like the clay tag ideas too!! Lots of cool ideas!!! I'm impressed

I've had excellent results with copper plant stakes. In the past I've also used aluminum but aluminum oxidizes and the label maker tag falls off. I take them in the winter and put them back in early spring, readjusting as growth happens.

I like to tag my hostas, primarily for my own benefit but it impresses (even amazes) visitors. As a hosta buff, when I visit other gardens I really really appreciate hostas being tagged. Many people haven't a clue what hostas they have and even hosta buffs often can't remember what they have. That is when I tell them they need to label them.

Is there a hosta ID app yet?

Yes I like to have mine tagged also but over time some do get lost. And you think you'll remember but you don't. I also put tags on hostas that I don't remember, my tag simply says Hosta???? Basically to know that there is one there. It makes me mad that I have too many with no names!!

bk...if your talking the white plastic squared-off ones that come with the little pencil you can also get also those at Home Depot in the garden section. Just a FYI if that would be easier for you. I use those also. I type and print out the name, then cover and stick them to the tag with packing tape. I push them way down into the pot at the edge where they don't stick out like a sore thumb.

LOL,,,,,I have mine sticking out like a sore thumb....I want to see. But as the plant grows thje leaves cover my tag, I just have to lift a few leaves.

My daughter bought the aluminum ones from Lee Valley for me. I write on them with a permanent black marker. Since hosta numbers grew, I resorted to blind strips also. One of the last things I do at the end of the season is insert all the tags in front of the hostas so in the spring I know what is where. I only have 156 varieties of them, (about 1/3 of yours) so it's easy to remember them all when its time to match tag to plant in October or November. I don't want to dig or step on them in the spring.

I'm a hosta nerd, so I have each set/specific growing area (just like a map) elasticized e.g. I have 10 areas where hostas grow. The first tag identifies the area and the rest following are the names. Left fence, right fence, back fence, under deck, right of landing, left house, right house, by front door, in front of window, front island. Whew! Lol. It was more professionally referenced before, but it's only for me, so ....

As they emerge in the spring, I check them off, count pips (several times) and remove tag for the season.

Awesome. I'm a hosta freak. Just anything hosta and I'm never satisfied. I'm always moving and buying even though I know I have no room for them. I ALWAYTS FIND ROOM by adjusting other plants. AND planting a shrub or small tree here and there for more shade!! I've got so many regular hostas, the more common ones but they are the old reliables. I am now over the last couple of years trying to find hostas that I don't have and the only way to do that is by buying online through Ontario. This is so much fun. I'm just in the process of doing a big bed in the front yard that had Virginia creeper quack grass :( :( daisies and anemones all over. Eliminating that was hard work and the ground is terrible, but with determination I have worked it up. NOW to plant hostas, but I don't want to put fancy hostas in the front, We have a walkway beside our property and I just wanted old faithfuls. Gold Standard, Sum and Substance, Royal standard Aureo marginata, and Albo marginata. I bought huge 2 gallon pots with lots of shoots and I began separating. Low and behold I got 57 of these hostas out of this. Now to see how many will survive. AND yes I'm watering like crazy.

Michelle, what part of Ontario are you?

Vanessa

I'm not in Ontario I'm from Saskatchewan. There is nothing to buy around here except the regular hostas from box stores like Canadian tire, Wal-mart, peavey mart, or green houses. There was a green house here that used to sell small hostas of various kinds and at a good price, but he closed down. Green houses here charge too much so I order online through Ontario. Blooms Canada and trying Riverbend gardens too.

Michelle, I can recommend Hosta Choice Gardens in Ontario. I just received an order from them. The hostas arrived in perfect condition. I'm in north/central Manitoba. They were 7 days in transit.

I agree with Michelle. Hosta Choice is mind-blowing. They ship beautifully. I have ordered from there a number of times and the hostas always arrived perfectly packaged. Going there is even better. I also like Hosta Fever in Barrie Ontario and Handlebar Hostas in Uxbridge. I am not sure whether either of those do mail order, but I suspect they do, and you can certainly find out for sure on their websites.

Love, love Hosta Choice and Glenn and Yvon!!! Going back again!

Wow guys thank you. I have ordered from Blooms Canada this year and last year no problems and he's letting me have some more expensive ones for their 20 pack so I liked that. I have ordered from Handlebar last year too. Hosta fever was too far behind in orders for me to get anything...she told me to wait until end of the month to order so she can catch up.......but instead I ordered from two other places. Hosta choice I didn't know about but will put it on my list!! Many thanks. I don't know of where else to order from. Online seems to all be in Ontario or USA.....didn't find anything for BC either. Mind you I don't look at every name that comes up either. But will look at this one.

I love Esther's dog tag idea! Wish I'd seen it five months ago.

I've used plastic, copper, sharpie industrial marker, paint, and they all fade or get lost. This year I broke down and spent the big bucks on 18" Kincaid markers and a P-touch Brother printer. I shoved them to within a few inches of the ground, and am hoping they won't be frost heaved, dug up by turkeys, or pulled up by a rake next spring. I can vouch for their toughness, as I've stepped on more than one.

The plastic ones really were a waste of money. If they didn't vanish, the writing disappeared. I have everything on a garden map, but was very tired of re-labeling every spring.

I just bought some from IDeal Garden Markers which is affliated with HostasDirect. I bought angled and straight to test them out and see which ones I liked best. I never felt the need to label much of anything until this year when I acquired several new hostas and wanted to do them justice.

My research indicates the key to long-lasting letters is to use a paint pen (not a regular Sharpie). Most people recommend ones made by Decocolor. Although, Sharpie does make paint pens in addition to their permanent markers.

I also saw someone used plastic flat white spatulas from the dollar store and thought that was a pretty cute, inexpensive idea. However, when I went to look at them, they seemed too large for my garden. If I found smaller ones, I might try some of those as well.

madplanter where are you from that you have turkeys roaming around?? A farm with your own turkeys or wild turkeys??

Hosta choice seems more expensive. Do we get bigger plants from these guys compared to smaller type plants??? Need to know.

Here's what mine looked like out of the box.
I apologize for the sideways picture, but you get the idea. All had very good roots also.

OMG those are nice big plants!! I guess I'd better order some from them too!! AND I'm glad I'm not the only cold zoned person on here. Looks like you are colder than me though!! I'm Saskatchewan and a zone 2.......but I think we have maybe changed to a zone 3a not sure.

Hi, Michelle

I live in the woods in Nebraska. I know everyone thinks of NE as bare and flat, but the eastern edge is actually hilly and wooded. The turkeys are wild, and most of the time I love having them around. When they dig up plants and labels or make my flowerbeds into dusting bowls I'm not too happy with them. Those feet are like a mini T-Rex!

We have a lot of wild turkeys here in the Town of Georgina (Keswick is a part of this town), Ontario as well. I have never heard anyone complaining about them disturbing their hostas, however.

Michelle, I had my first experience with Hosta Choice last month.

I find their prices generally in line with Hosta Fever, Giboshihill, and a couple other home growing businesses. HChoice stock is generous - full, healthy plants, great roots.

I think all these suppliers have hostas priced too high (average of $5 too high per) but I pay their prices anyway because I want particular hostas that only they carry. You know how the "supply and demand" theme goes...

Here's a sampling of my latest purchases from HC...pics from day hostas came home, May 14th.

You get the idea...

They have all filled out so much you'd think I've had them for a couple of years already. Take a look at Jujen...

Canadian Hosta retailers have to get the majority of their stock from the USA if they want clean plants and newer varieties. The exchange rate is adding 23% more to their cost than a USA retailer. If they use a credit card to pay, the credit card companies add another 2.5% processing fee. They also have to pay for a phytosanitary certificate (usually around $60-100), international shipping in addition to the typical expenses such as potting soil, pots and labels (yes, some labels that come with hostas are not included in the price of the plant and are paid for separately), or packaging for a mail order such as paper towels, elastics and bags.

If Hosta retailers reduced prices by $5 per plant they would probably be breaking even and no longer making a profit at all or making only a small profit...then they would get out of business and we would be stuck with big box stores and non-specialty garden centres.

Vanessa

PS I am not a business owner.

hahaha madplanter you made me laugh. That's awesome!! I'd love to have them around too but I think they would make too much of a mess. I just know from the robins out at the lake they go nuts on my mulch, very fertile soil so must be lots of bugs under there. They don't do it nearly as much here in town though.

Josephine I am soooo impressed by the photos you posted on here, and North 53. Usually I just get one shoot or first year plants. These are fabulous and well worth the money we have to pay.

Hostacottage, I totally understand, they need to cover their costs and also make money too. But then you have those with limited income like me, who has to be careful, but, when it comes to hostas, I need them!! There are soooooo many that I want or need, I'll just never have them all it looks like. AND I did do the cheap thing by filling a large area with boxstore hostas that are cheaper. :( :( :(

Michelle, you can save $ by shopping with another Hosta-lover. Zehr's/Loblaws carry clean hostas, most for under $8. Find multi-eyed ones, split them and split the cost. A suggestion... split some of yours up and sell them in a garage sale a couple of times during the growing season - make $ to buy the ones you pine for! :)

Vanessa, all your points are valid and are facts - sounds like you also know personally, and have gathered information from, home-based Hosta retailers. I was interested years ago in starting my own business so I picked the brain of a very successful home retailer who is now retired. I am well aware of their profit margin....they are very happy retailers, or should be. ;-). If I could bear to part with any of mine, I'd be selling too!

Thanks Josephine. Maybe somebody here in this city needs to start a hosta business. But I don't have the money or the space for that. And being in Saskatchewan a short growing season, it wouldn't profit much for me......BUT wait...I like your idea of splitting mine and making a few dollars, but again these are hostas!!!! I can't even give them away to my sisters!! LOL. I was actually thinking of doing this with the daylilies to tell you the truth, or try too, but I've got so much work to do around here I never get to that part. I was going to advertise daylilies on texting to everybody I know and then on facebook......who knows

Good luck with your advertising, Michelle - there are as many daylily lovers out there so hopefully you'll score some sales! :)

Cool....and thanks. I am starting with my first one. Thought all tags were goners but guess what I found it buried in the daylily clump. This one is Orange Crush so I can now advertise!!! Yay

If the profits were so incredible, everyone would be doing it! I don't know anyone doing it as a replacement for their household income. The people I know that have businesses are either retired or have to work other jobs (either them, their spouse or both).

It will be interesting to see if anyone replaces Q&Z in the tissue culture market. I know it was announced that Bob Solberg would be working with Mark Zilis but not sure if it's on the same scale of Q&Z.

Vanessa

I think a team of Solberg and Zilis would be one to contend with! More power to them! Love both their introductions and have a nice collection.

(Hosta Choice snapped up a goodly amount of Q&Z stock before they closed...among them the Giantland Sunny Mouse Ears I picked up.)

A lot more people might be doing it if they had properties that were conducive to running a business. My jaw dropped when I arrived at Hosta Choice! If I was 20 years younger I'd seriously give it a go, seriously!

If you ever decided to do it in my lifetime, Vanessa I'd buy! :-)

OK what is Q & Z??

Here you go...Q&Z Nursery the nursery closed their business last fall.going-out-of-business thread

Ohhhhhhhhh Ok I see....well I've heard lots about mark zillis

Right now there are a lot of nurseries benefiting from the Q&Z going out of business sale. Bet prices take a leap in a couple years. Buy now! ( It's as good an excuse as any ;-> )

BTW, the turkeys have no interest in the hostas, they just like digging for insects and wallowing in the mulch. Unfortunately a digging turkey also rips up plants, tags, mulch, and the soaker hose. And they love to make shallow pits to lay in. I finally had to fence the biggest hosta bed because the hens hung out there all day making huge wallows.

Sounds funny but I know it isn't. Turkeys are big I know the damage they can do. Teeny tiny robins go nuts on mulch too so I can imagine this huge bird going nuts in there....yikes!!