Source for Garden tags?

I have definitely bitten off more than I can chew. 13 kinds of morning glories, 10 kinds of seeds from Tom Clothier, several other seed trades, more hostas, plus another ten or so types of seeds from ebay - and that's not counting many other things. I'm guessing almost a hundred different items, all total. I know the more experienced gardeners here are probably thinking - oh, I do that in a day. :-) But, from the perspective of a rank novice - This all seems like a lot.

What concerns me is that I have a lot of perennials, and will need to try to remember what is where especially as time passes, especially for the ones that don't flower this year.

Can someone recommend a source for reasonably priced identification tags?

I don't know where you can buy cheap ID tags, but let me give you an idea of what I do.

Buy a cheap plastic mini blind, cut lenghts about 5-6 inches with scissors and then cut one end to a small point and round off the other end to create a smooth finish. I then write on them with a Sharpe Pen that has indilible ink.

Depending on the size of the mini blinds, you can get "lots" of plant tags.

Donna

A web search for "garden markers" revealed these sources, most of which are in the Watchdog:

Gardenmarkers (Orion Industries): http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2360
Earthmarks Garden Markers: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2354
Plantid, Inc.: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2355
garden fonts: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2360
Outdoor Expressions: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2356
Alison's Garden: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2357
greenhousestuff: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2359
K&S Plant Markers: http://www.ks-plantmarkers.com/
Gardentime Online: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/1901/
What's Growing: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2362/
Vesey's: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/93/
Dan's Garden Shop: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/357/
Gardensgreen: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/1980/
Iris City Gardens: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/292/
A Bird's World: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2002/
Territorial Seed: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/92

There are probably dozens of other smaller companies out there - try a search for "garden markers" or "plant markers", and you'll see what I mean. If you find some good sites that aren't in the Watchdog yet, please let me know!

What a great idea Donna. We are getting new miniblinds in a couple of weeks, now I know what to do with the old ones.

The cheapest garden "tags" I know of are plastic disposable knives marked with a Sharpie. Very cheap and they will last a couple of seasons usually before they need to be replaced.

I use a pencil on the cut up mini-blinds, seems to last longer for me.

Great ideas everyone! Need to check in my basement for old blinds - there must be.

go_vols, there were a couple of vendors in there there that has fairly reasonable prices, Dan's Garden Shop, they averaged about 7 cents apiece. The metal ones from Territorial Seeds - not too bad at $27 for 50 of them - that might be good for the more permanent plants.

I'm starting to get the: "organize the garden mindset" - and of course looking at the piles and piles of seeds, bulbs, other things - wondering if I have a long day with my gardening journal in the near future! :)) This is going to be my second year in the new house - first year was weeding and a few annuals, now it's time to get more organized and plan for the future.

just my experience with sharpies, they all disappeared within one season. I use pencil now on blinds, and it doesn't wear off with the rain.

old milk jugs or any plastic bottles can be cut into garden markers also!

When we had threads about this last year it was advised to buy paint pens at Hobby Lobby or possibly other craft sources because they don't wash off or fade as rapidly as everything else. The paint pens can be used to write on the mini blinds. This is working quite well for me. The zinc ones are nice but fade badly. I am constantly having to re-write the info. on them. After one accumulates a lot of plants, that is a time consuming job that isn't desirable.

I stumbled upon some marked-down brass plant tags (oval and longish "strips") last year, and they look great but I have a hard time figuring out how to leave a good impression them. Writing on a solid surface doesn't work, neither does a padded surface. Which makes me think it might be the writing instrument itself - I've been using a ball-point pen and a micro-point (which has a nice sharp tip.) Any other ideas?

Elena, for your zinc labels, check out the garden fonts link - they have a product that goes over them.

Thanks Terry. I will do that. They are too costly to give up on them and I have a nice supply of them stashed back.

Used a Sharpie on wooden tongue depressors last spring to mark where the tulips were so they could be moved in the Fall.
DID NOT WORK! Couldn't find half of them and the ones I did find- could no long read!

So I am ready for a solution. In the meantime I have been typing up the info I need on the computer and laminating it - will follow my seedlings right into the garden.

a

When I used the mini-blind/Sharpie method for my daylily bed, I put the information on the "top & front" of the tag, and also on the "back & bottom" end going in the ground. It's the sunlight that fades the marker ink, so this way I can always pull out the tag to read the info. It's a temporary measure until I get them better established, and can use more permanent markers.

I have found that burying the tag in the soil directly in front of the plant makes the writing permanent. It does seem to be the sunlight that causes it to fade, rather than moisture or dirt.

I also found a new brand of markers that has been more permanent than Sharpie, as well as having a much finer tip. The mfr is Mon Ami, the Brand name is Accu Liner. The tags I wrote in June and left exposed (for tomato and green pepper varieties) are still legible. I think I got them at Staple's (or maybe Office Depot), a 5-pack for $7.99

Ohh..., thanks everyone for the really great ideas for cheap garden markers. I was just about to order some insanely expensive ones today. Another example why this has become my favorite site on line.

"And the hits just keep on coming."

Adam.

Home Depot's garden depts. out here in the West Coast have pkgs of very sturdy white plant tags in two styles: vertical straight one and a second type that flares out into a sort of rounded fan shape. In one of the other forums, somebody suggested going to KMart and getting Martha Stewart's garden marking pen, said it absolutely does not fade and should be easily available to most of us in the US.

I used to use a lacquer pen and some of my zinc labels are still legible after 15 years. Alas the pens are no longer available. As several of you have mentioned relabelin once or twice a year if you have lots of plants is very time consuming. I have about 300 named daylily plants and i really want the label to stay legible. Now I am using a Brother P-touch labeler. It is not terribly expensive, available at most office suppliers. I think mine Model PT-310 cost somewhere around 30.00. I use 1/2" tape in white. I have used mine two years now and so far the first ones applied on zinc (used labels) are still in good condition. Donna

Nice idea Ruth. I think I'll give this a try, as my penmanship is something even a doctor would be ashamed of. Is there a particular tape you are using in your labeler, such as weather resistant or waterproof?

Now, if only those labelers came with slelp ckehc.

Adam.

:)

Adam, don't you mean spel chelk?

or spill chalk

I have bought some sheet copper scraps (roofing) at a recycle center and have cut that into rectangles of a size that I want my labels and now am engraving them with my engraving pen. That way they will have permanent markings and will not wear out after years and years of use. If that plant dies the label will be thrown out or put into a container for later use if I get another.

BTW the copper scraps cost $.55 cents a pound. You can get LOTS of labels out of a pound of copper.

Adam, I am looking at the one tape I have left after last season making labels with the Brother labeler. It doesn't say anything about being weatherproof. Says laminated labels. It is 1/2" by 26 feet. One roll makes quite afew labels. My grandaughter lost the little instrument that came with the labeler to help seperate the two layers, and i can't find a replacement, so takes me a bit longer to use a knife to seperate, but love it anyway, rutholive, (Donna)

Popsicle sticks, buy them at craft stores. These last me long enough to do the trick. Then my meomory kicks in!!!

"eyes"

Eyes,
What do you write on the popsicle sticks with - my writing disappeared!
TLC

my popsicle sticks rotted. lots of rain in our springs.

The dogs eat my popsicle sticks :(

Saturday i met ladylavender and attended a garden seminar as well as had lunch with her. She makes lovely soaps and also brought me a sample of her garden markers. I ordered 40 for starters! They are beautiful. The part you write on is zinc and edge is trimmed in copper. You have to use a carbon pencil to write on them; this will not fade or wear off.

So glad we met and had an enjoyable day together. The plant markers were just a bonus!

TLC
(edited for spelling)

This message was edited Sunday, Mar 2nd 11:53 AM

I use the big heavy lead carpenter pencils. I try to replace them each year. I do have some minblind strips that have been cut, and I do have to remark them from time to time. Never had a critter eat one of those.

"eyes"

MY critter that has gotten all of mine is my newest big stray dog that we adopted. He had pulled up and mutilated every one of my zinc markers in the fenced in back yard. I have been amazed at his patience at finding ALL of them. I put a fence around my named day lilies just in time to save them from the fate of being unknown day lilies. LOL

I talked Dave into adding Plant Tags & Markers as their own category in the Watchdog, so now it's easier to find the companies that offer them:http://gardenwatchdog.com/vbc/79/

If you know of any we missed (companies that need to have this category added to their entry, OR companies that should be added to the Watchdog), please let us know.

I don't see Paw Paw http://www.everlastlabel.com/ They're a great source for zinc labels.

Thanks, Sue - I added them here: http://gardenwatchdog.com/c/2557/

i have been using mini blinds. i used sharpies and found out i don't know what half my plants are now. :( next was to use the paint markers that Elena spoke of. these work great. don't fade and keep on working. someone has been doing a test for over 2 years and they haven't faded yet in full sun.
i was at the christmas tree shops, for those in new england who know and love them, they are a huge discount store with great stuff and great prices. anyways i was there yesterday and they had white plastic plantmarkers, with an oval top and a longish thin body (5-6 inches). 16 of them for $1.00.
i bought some to check out with my paintmarker. i think one brand name is decomarker. they come in all sorts of colors and thicknesses.

I buy the plastic "knife" looking tags at my local nursery. They sell me 100 for $3.00. Those last two years or more depending on sunlight. If you use a "Sharpie" turn the written side away from the sun, they'll last fine.

Happened to see the thread on plant markers, and thot I'd put in 2c worth. I have been cutting up bleach bottles for years to use as markers. I cut the bottom off (makes a nice tray to hold the markers) and cut the rest of the bottle into strips about 2" wide. Then you can cut across the strips diagonally makin pointed triangles. eg: cut diagonally right, making the triangle about 3-4" long, then cut straight across for a pointed triangle that you can label with your marker of choice across the wide top. You can make the markers the size you want - I sometimes make larger "plot" markers out of the heavier top whare the handle is, and sometimes real small ones for my seed beds and flats. I store the markers in small seed envelopes in categorized index box.

pencil really does work. I was out weeding my daylilies and the tags look like I just wrote on them.

Thanks everyone for all the great info! I've been making mini blind markers and a sharpie, I didn't know they would fade in the sun!

I've had great luck with the mini blinds--and china markers from Home Depot. Has anyone else used the china markers?