After my labeling disaster last year, I had to come up with a much better way! I was at HD a few weeks ago and saw plastic ties. I had no clue how I would use them but today I came up with using them with my tags! And it seemed to work well.
I think I finally have labeling down!!
I bought heavy lead colored pencils at Office Depot. They are easy to read and I hope won't fade. I used the blinds cut up and used a hole punch to make a hole (thanks Brugie!). These are so great. So much better and cheaper than the hard plastic ones I bought from HD all last year. They break so easily!
These are the ties. They also had bigger ones in white and black. I think Sue found some of these also at an internet store awhile back. At the time I did not know what she was going to use them for.
I bought colored wires to use for labeling crosses. I'd be a lil worried about the plant out growing the tie and it cutting into the stem. You better watch them close ... it looks like a lot of growing room now but by the end of the summer those ties will prolly be pretty tight around the trunks. You don't want to strangle your babies.
Cool, Kell! You're going to have to have a foolproof method now with all the brugs you have to keep up with. I started using that method when I got started with brugs, and I'm real happy with it. They aren't the greatest looking, but they are dependable...... Gretchen
Pretty picture Gretchen! Yours looks like a small loop. Be careful of what Sue mentioned Brugs are so tender, even old bark gets easily damaged.
Sue, mine are 8 inches. I debated getting bigger ones, they have them in white. and black but I wanted to color code so at a glance I know what color the Moms are. Why I would need this info as I water, I do not know. Maybe I will favor the hot pinks with extra food! LOL
Here's something that you might try for your labels'.
I use it on my art work and it seems to work pretty well.
It only cost a buck or two and seals it from water washing it off. It's pretty fast and and not messy...
Use the clear seal finsih spray after you make your labels just spray a light coat or two to protect what you have written and let it dry....
Kell and Sue -- thanks for the advice on loosening the ties. I've been watching them and wondering. They are only hanging on branches of most brugs, unless there wasn't a sturdy enough branch, then they ended up like the one above. Think I'm gonna go do that right now...
I have a couple plants that had the slip labels around the trunk. The plant grew right around the tie... and now I can't get them off.
MsCritterkeeper, I wonder if it would help fading at all.
Sue -- I'm glad you sent me out there... I had one that was snug against the trunk and I damaged the bark getting it off. I hope it'll heal! All the rest were removed and re-done very loosely... Gretchen
can't you link 2 or 3 of those ties together, to make them large enough to not cut into the trunk?
or, even better, just get those really long cable ties?
kind of like these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=26216&item=3818213745&rd=1
only, preferably abit cheaper, since i know it's easy to go through hundreds of them very quickly
Kell, I would think the clear spray would work for sure. It keeps my pastels & charcoal drawings and other paints from fading.
I have used it on several garden statues & fountains I have painted and it has helped to keep the sun from fading them out,too. I think it might work better with the laundry marker just because it is dark black to start with.
I think I will give it a try and chech the results at the end of the summer,too.
I may try it also. I live in fear of not knowing my crosses!
HD and Lowes have them in all sizes. I would think 11 inches is big enough. I am hoping 8 inches is good also. I should go measure my fattest brug.
Brugs are amazingly adaptable. Here is my huge Rosamond. This is where velcro was tying the tree to the post. A big owie!
I started that last year Kell. I guess the squireels love tags because mine kept dissappearing too. Luckly I had a map of what plant was where lol