How do you keep track?

As time goes by I am getting more and more plants. Which means more and more names. How in the world do you keep track of all of them? I know I can put lables on everything but my hubby hates that says it looks tacky. He is either going to have to get over that or I have got to come up with a better way to keep track of what I have. How do yall do it?
Patricia

Well, if you don't want to use labels in the garden it will be tricky but the best thing you can do is draw a map. Assign everything a number. Then keep a numbered list with the name of each plant by that number. That is what I did at my other house but it was for the ease of finding things. I have to keep labels there too because I collect a number of things.

I agree labels look bad but if you HAVE to know which plant is which, it's hard to get around. Some people paint the names on small flat rocks and place the rock at the base of each plant. I don't know if bright colored rocks would exactly be invisible in winter but I can say for sure name tags in a naked garden kind of looks like a mini cemetary. LOL You can also get a way with much smaller plant tags by cutting sheet metal or pop cans into small narrow strips and using coat hanger or something similar to put them in the ground. They are not quite as obvious.

I would do the map though or a good plant list or both before you have too much planted. :)

Hmmm. The map thing doesn't sound too bad. I'm thinking maybe take a picture of an area and blow it up a little and use that as a map. Some things are going to have lables regardless. Hubby will adjust.

1. If you use a plastic marker and write on it with permanent ink, you can half bury it beside the plant. Pull the mulch up to cover it completely. Only you will know it is there. Some people use cut up mini-blinds - cheap and effective.

2. I also have zip-locks, marked by the year, with all the tags. Most plants are distinct enough that you can look at the pix on the tag and figure out which plant.

3. When I buy new plants, I look them up on-line and create a text page of their names (both common and botanical), their needs and note where they were planted.

4. Use a digital camera to create a plant journal. You don't have to print it out. Mine are divided into folders by year and month - I love to see how something has changed!

I also read where someone took golf tees to mark where bulbs had been planted so you could divide, move, etc after the foliage was gone. I have not tried this but it sounds a good idea!

My 2 cents,
Sterling

Good idea sterling. I like the idea of seeing how things are changing. I didn't even think about doing something on the computer. duhhhh

I use plant markers and draw maps with names on them to be sure.

I keep a notebook with all the info, but I have to use markers. If you use the metal ones and push them down they look kind of neat. I also use the white ones for marking more than one of the same plant. I used to draw everything in which was fun. I'm not an artist, but I could tell a blazing star from a foxglove, laugh!

Good ideas all. Billyporter, my drawing is pitiful. I wouldn't be able find what i had drawn, I just know it! i would imagin a 4 yr old could do better for me. I think pics would be a good idea. I guess I will need to start a journal. Just seems a little imtidating but then I think it will be needed.

I need to mark more of my plants - not just to know what they are, but WHERE they are. Especially in the early spring. I don't know how often I have dug up something that I planted at the last minute in the fall. I think your DH will just have to get over it.
You can remind him that the classiest botanical gardens all have markers for their plants. Maybe he can make you some that he thinks look good!

I agree, he will just have to deal with it. I know what you mean about not knowing what is what in spring. I see green stuff coming up and not sure whether its a weed or not. It so aggravating. I am forever forgetting what I planted and where in the fall, I found a peonie I had to move. I had forgot I even had and found it when I was weed eating. Almost got it. I have put pine cones around it of all things. I am deffinatley going to start marking things. He WILL get over it!!!!!

A friend of mine and I recently had a plant sale and we used plastic spoons and knives as markers (everyone who bought plants got a huge kick out of them). The marking pen I used is actually a laundry marker so really lasts a long time. These spoons and/or knives could pretty much be buried or at least hidden under the plant. I bought them at Costco - boxes of 500 for around $7.00. It was particularly good for the sale, of course, but I plan on using them for plants I'm afraid I'll forget the names of.

Carole

i got my markers here. i love them and i also keep the plant tags in a box and i keep a notebook too. http://davesgarden.com/gwd/c/2557/

I keep a thick spiral notebook of all plants and where I planted them. That helps me keep up. I also save the tags. Lin

I too, keep a binder, like a scrapbook but not as fancy. I take a picture of the plant especially if and when it blooms and then put it in the binder. I have sections; trees, shrubs, perennials, etc. If the tag is nice I'll use it instead of a picture I've taken.

I think I'll get a 3 ring binder so I can make sections and add to if necessary.

I forgot all about it. Someone here at DG posted their maps. They use the drawing tool on Excel to do theirs. Each plant can be numbered then printed out on a spreadsheet. They were very clean and neat looking!

Patricia, I take tons and tons of pictures thanks to digital cameras. My biggest problem was nameing all the pictures .. i found this wonderful freeware that will rename batches! Highly recommend it for digital addicts.

http://www.renamestar.com/rs.htm

Saves me lots of time!

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