Accidental Hint

I guess all of you already do this, but one of my projects during the last rain was to pour out all the 'stuff'' in all of my spray bottles. I failed to mark many of them, but I kept them, without knowing what they were, even tho I knew I wouldn't use them. Of course they get dirty, wet and I'll use one for fertilizer, then in a pinch I have to use the bottle for SuperThrive, or what ever. Last year I lost a brug, but still had the name tag, made with mini blinds and those plastic ties and kept it to put on a rooting of the same 'brand'. When I picked up the washed bottles, to carry to the deck, I put the brug tag over the top of the spray bottle and a light went off, big time! So now I've made tags for all my products that will go in spray bottles, so I'll always know what's there, and they are transferrable, without marking the bottle, only to have to unmark it later. So simple, so easy, so useful. Sorry if someone else has already thought of the same idea, I have never seen it anyplace... and it is a BiG help for me and i know my brugs appreciate it too! Photo of the spray bottle and tag is attached, and one of my seedlings. Does the seedling have a Y??? I'm sure it doesn't, I'm not good at determining Ys, until they set a bud...

This might be a better photo of the seedling that might have Ys...

This message was edited May 3, 2005 8:59 AM

Sherry, I love your idea. I have a bunch of spray bottles too - I'd like to keep the Neem in just one, and use one for Messenger etc. but I'm always confusing them. This will really help.

Eileen

SherryLike - LOVE your idea. Just threw out 3 big old blinds about a month ago! Oh well! We've used different color spray bottles but you came up with a gem. Thanks!

Thank you so very much, Eileen!!! My middle name is Eileen too. Marking my spray bottles this way is going to save me a world of trouble and probably save the life of some plants...I'm making a tag for every spray bottle and putting them on a hook so I will have them when I need them. I might put the tags on the container that holds whatever I'm wanting to spray, I think that might work better or just as good...

Sherry, are there leaves above what you suspect is your "Y?"
If so , check out the base of the leaves at the stem. If they appear uneven, i.e. asymmetrical, then that is the mature part of the brug which will set buds and flower. Leaves on original or juvenile growth should match up evenly at the base. That is the method I used to check mine, and it usually holds true for me.
Hope that can help.
Love your label idea , too! LOL

Thanks, Jackie!!! I'm just terrible at checking Ys until they set a bud. I hope Ada, Brugie, Scoot, will see this thread and I'm sure they can tell at a glance if they are Ys. In my heart, I know they aren't but it will make a difference when I move one that might have a Y. I'm glad you like the tag idea, it's working great for me!!!

Sherry, great minds think alike. I did that same thing a couple of months ago on my big sprayer in the gh. I like to alternate products and can't usually remember what's in the sprayer when it needs re-filling. Only problem I found was that the chemicals (I think this one was Neem) cause the vinyl to get soft and break. I would post a photo, but I'm at work and I probably threw the tag away. I think I'll do the same thing with a metal tag.

Thanks, LindaSC!!!! What kind of metal did you use?? All I can think of is galvanized tin, and I hate cutting that stuff...I'm going to put the labels on each product for two reasons, it will be easier to make a tag for each product and 2) I'll know when the product doesn't have a tag that the product is in use, in the spray bottle that is tagged the same. Did the Neem cause the bottle to break??? If so, I'll need a glass or metal, if I use my Neem.

I used it in my big (2 gal) sprayer, the 'pump up' kind. I had just a few metal plant tags on hand that I use now. For a tie I use panty-hose. Another thing I do (to keep from having to find the glasses every time) is write the amounts on the tag. (1 Tbsp/gal, 1 tsp/qt etc)

SMART girl, LindaSC, I will do that too, what a timesaver, considering that I cannot read the print either!!!!

Linda - another great idea to write the amounts on the tag. Anything that makes work easier is wonderful!

I've seen using blinds for tags but thought they got brittle with UV.
However, I like the bottle tag but may add a twist.

Fat black waterproof market and I think the blinds will fit INSIDE the bottle.
I believe I should still be able to read big letters, maybe shorthand.
Now I need to watch on trash days for the next set of blinds that get tossed.

Sherry, I think you are right....no Y yet. I like the idea of the hanging tags for the sprayers. I've used markers on mine, but they seem to fade enough that eventually they need to be marked again, and guess who can't remember to do that. I think I'll use the P-Touch and make labels for the blinds. That worked so well for the hanging tags in the brugs last year.

Great idea Sherry! Your plants are looking Great!!!

Thanks for sharing your idea Sherry.
I have marked the bottles before and made numerous lines through the label. I then just tell myself Oh you will remember what it is. YA Right!! LOL Great idea. Your brugs are looking really Good and healthy. Hope you have plenty of blooms to enjoy this summer.

Yeah, Kin, me too, some of my bottles had the label changed, marked through so many times it looked like some sort of weird pattern. LindaSC's idea of writing the amounts on the other side is great too. Now, if I can only get my plants in the ground and my potting area (which includes about 1000 square feet, ha, I'll be in business, until the next time, in some sort of a panic, I have to rip through it again, then I'll be looking for more hints and tips to fix it back up. Oh, well. Thanks Kin for your post, you are a nice, entertaining, fun gardening guy!!!!