Plant labels.

Hi all,

I have been planting up some pots and potting on perennials today. When I initially sowed the seeds I wrote on the labels with permanent marker pen, but there is nothing on the labels now I presume the sun has bleached it off. What does everyone else write on there labels with? It's going to be interesting seeing what comes up where though.

Rusty

 

Same problem here rusty,I draw plots of my garden borders now and write down what ive planted and seeds ive directly sown...il prob get more suprises this yr thou as i dint start writing it down it til feb this yr

 

Ye olde pencil

 

Biro on white insulation tape

 

Cut up yoghurt pots are good. Also an old Venetian blind. Usually just ordinary pencil.

 

can't go wrong with good old pencil, some cactus fanatics have moved on to printed labels from those fancy brother label printers which are very nifty

 

I use a Bic or Pentel permanent marker and the writing will last over a season, then drop several hundred used labels in thin bleach to remove the markings and sterilise them for re-use and that way they'll last for years. Pencil, although it is more fade resistant, does not clean off with bleach, but gets overwritten with marker pen.

 

Like Scrungee, I make my own labels from old margerine boxes that our local Deli.pass on to me. I did treat myself to a pen that another gardener recommended to me. It 'ain't cheap but it's the business. The brand name is PILOT SCAN -UF-8.It writes well on even shiny surfaces and stays on.

 

Keep it for next year Jenny......we can take it to Shineyland..pin him down..and draw some tatoo's on him

 

You are a very smart cookie this morning Loli. This jet fast speed obviously suits you!!
Look out Shiney. HERE COME THE GIRLS....

 

I use pencil on plastic labels. I clean it off with washing up liquid Scrungee.

 

I too cut up plastic bottles - washing-up bottles, shampoo, shower gel, butter tubs, anything which I can cut to the length I want/need.

As for the actual labelling, I use a very cheap 'Dymo' machine to print the labels, I don't bother to peel off the sticky backing (it doesn't stick that well to ultra smooth plastic in any event) but line up the 'tape' of the Dymo with a plant label, make a small hole through both with a hot darning needle and fasten the two together with a bit of fine wire.

Sounds a bit fiddly and perhaps a lot of 'faffing' about, but there's no danger of the wording fading or being wiped off, if the colour of the tape does fade the embossed lettering is still legible and when their usefulness is over for the season, I can rinse the labels off and use them year after year.

 

Thank you Fidgetsmum, you have explained that so well. Faffy, but time well spent
on something that you will want to know the name of some time in the future. There are so many bits and pieces that one acquires and its difficult to remember them all.

 

I concur