ID tags, How do you tag your plants???

I have tried several methods of tagging these beasts & so far I don't think any of my ways are fool proof!
Yesterday, I was hanging out in my GH & looking at the various ways I have labled stuff & thought "There must be a better way!"
At least I do know who is who but no one else could figure out my methods!
Some the pots are written on (fine until you upgrade to a larger pot & want to use the written on one for another plant, I have pots with 3 -4 names scrached out!) & some have metal stakes & plastic markers (that pull out too easy, or the marker fades)
Some I even wrote on the trunks with perm marker, (at least you won't lose it, but when the plant gets bigger the writing gets broken & hard to decipher).
I hung colored ribbon on branches (then promptly lost the list which told me what color was who, found it a few months later.) Or (cut that branch off that had the ribbon on it fall off & have to remeber to retag it)
I know there must be a better way, what is it?
What do you do?
Bj

I know that some members cut up plastic blinds, make a hole in one end and tie it on to the brug with string. I want to try those paint markers to write with. Someone said that the color lasts longer than a sharpie.

You can buy one of those things that punch out labels that people use in offices and stick it on a cut up blind or plant marker. I did this with some of my hosta labels and they have survived the winters here.

:) Donna

I did buy a "labeler" & it does withsatnd the elements, I used it on seed pots & they are all still there. I also just happen to have some extra blinds sitting around. but I think with Brugs, they have to be fastened to the plant some how or it is too easy to lose them in all the moving about they have to do in Spring & Fall. The blind idea is a good one. Maybe cut them long enough to be fastened/stapled around a large branch or their trunks? Thank-x for the input! Bj

I've seen alot of brug members use these to.

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINYL-SLIP-ON-7-PLANT-TAGS-LABELS-100-WHITE_W0QQitemZ260088577495QQihZ016QQcategoryZ3184QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

This type of pen was used by a friend. She showed me a tag she marked with it a year later and it looked fresh.
http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=2&mscssid=85PV3KKEKRB68GSARCK11C6U4XQK282D&pf_id=17215

Another friend gave me a plant using a window blind put the name on using a labeler and then put tape on top of that. Turned the name side to the inside where the sun wouldnt hit it and 2 years later I can read it clearly. The only problem here is the plastic blinds do degenerate.

This I have started doing: Plant labels the hard plastic type with a hole already in them, labeler made names, clear tape on top of that then tied to the brug loosly so the plant has room to grow.

Older brug trees that I have in huge pots I use large stainless steel stakes (I cant find these any more thankfully I have lots) label maker the names and hybridizer and clear tape over that.

Small seedlings that my dogs cant get to I use labels that just stick in the dirt.

don't waste ur money! i have!!! all the above mentioned i was suckered to buy and use.

the only thing that works

1. vinyl [mini blinds] - personally i use a paper cutter for uniformity and ease in cutting 6" - the ideal size. believe me, i have cut all sorts of sizes. 6" works just fine, but everyone has their own preference. i like the paper cutter cuz i learned the hard way using scissors, hurts my fingers. do what work for u. plus the 6" size can be very well hidden on the edge of the pot, or buried into the soil. if u have a pkg of vinyl plastic to cut, u will resort to finding a better way to cut those plastic... LOL

2. mechanical pencil with 0.9 led - before it was so difficult to find the #.9 mechanical pencil, lately i found a package of 6 pencil made by "Bic Velocity Pencil" sold at Office Depot for more or less $6.00, plus this is a complete set [mechanical pencil and led together, not separately sold]. sounds like a lot of pencil???

if u are like me who misplace my pencil all the time, the pack of 6 is a good buy! i use clean old pickle bottles to hold the pencil and vinyl blind on the following area [so they are not move away or lost] by the kitchen sink, by the potting table, by my desk, and the rest for storage.

3. Staedtler mars plastic eraser - to erase what was previously written therefore the vinyl label can be re-use.

i can never repeat enough to recommend the above 3 items!!! i have spoken about it for many years. i just do not understand why i got suckered into buying the label maker, plastic labels similar to sold on ebay. they are ALL waste of money i guess i just need to prove it to myself.

Why the above mentioned do not work
1. permanent marker - fades in the sun, or length of service. after a year or so, u will be disgusted to learn the named or tag plant is now nameless!!!

2. label maker - the label peels off from where u attached it. the print on the label fades away. sure they make nice label, but that negates the malfunction of the product. not to mention they cost a wee bit of money.

3. paint marker - regardless of tip being used, tend to be messy in use. if u are not careful enough, the ink will smear ur fingers and label... specially when u 1st open or when in storage for a long time. u can not be careful enough to get the marker to start. these tend to fade in time too. they do tend to be pricey too! the smear is hard to take off, not even a strong acetone can do the job of cleaning off the black paint. that annoys me, specially if the paint get in between the nail and the skin. oh! i hate that!!

4. VINYL SLIP-ON 7" PLANT TAGS/LABELS - i have them in all sizes and colors. i find them to be a pain in the rear to use. it is difficult to adjust ones the plastic has outgrown the size of plant stem. easy if u cut with scissors? i think not! again waste of money. they seem to be cheap, but after handling fee and shipping come to play... they tend to be costly too.

5. colored cotton material to tie marker on to - tend to disintegrate in time or when the birds are fascinated to play with them ---> there goes the label... au revoir, goodbye, GONE! LOL.

the # 0.9 led is thick enough and very visible cuz they are darker than other pencil. this lead fits perfectly on the mechanical pencil or better yet, the Bic brand i see these days is a complete set. prior to finding Bic velocity pencil, i had difficulty finding # 0.9 mechanical pencil. this led do stay on in time. i have labels made on Stargazer Lilium for nearly 6 yrs and they are as good as when i make one today.

the vinyl mini blinds are cheaper to buy. much cheaper if u see u or ur neighbor change mini blinds. they last indefinitely!

this is not a recommendation, but sharing experiences learned thru the years of planting, using and making labels.

If I'm tagging a plant for outside or long term.. I use some clear fingernail polish on the plastic tags to cover the ink.. gotta be crafty and quick or you'll smear the writing.. OR I have a spray can of clear varnish outside and I haven't got any long term results to report.. (yellowing, cracking etc.) But one spray can will last forever and it doesn't smear as easy if you just hit it lightly.

The most important thing I learned about tagging plants is NEVER WALK AWAY FROM A PLANT THAT IS NOT TAGGED, EVER, NOT EVEN FOR A "MINUTE" .. it's a sure thing you will forget about it till it's too late! Since I started only transplanting ONE at a time.. I've kept everything in order this year.

Knocking on wood.. :)

Oh my Gosh Joyce, you are so right. I can take 4 steps away and forget what plant is what or what pod I have in my hand. I amaze myself. Same when I am pollinating. I have to tag immediately or I forget.

My favorite way to tag them is by using those self locking plastic ties. When the seedling goes to a gallon can I tag the trunk with one. I put a blind cut to a few inches long and then I use a hole punch to put a hole in the end. I write on the blind with a washable Sharpie Rub a Dub pen. I write on both sides. I also often write on another piece of blind and stick it on the side of the pot all the way down so the sun can't reach it. It will last forever this way I find.

I use the 14 inch ties and even these can get tight after a year or 2 in the ground.

Thank-x for your input. I did round up a box of old mini blinds & I did use my paper cutter to cut them, I was amazed how east they were to cut & to punch w/ the ppr punch. I tried some lables from my labeler that is suppose to be fade & water proof. I did make some lables to put on pots for seeds last fall & they were in bags with moisture & held up quite well, but just in case, I might do the pencil on the other side just to make sure. I have a lot of carpender pencils that have a huge lead, I'll try one of those.
That's what I'm looking for a tried & true method. So I can stop bouncing around on different kinds.
Bj

I use plastic labels for plants. I don' t remember the costs, but they were realtively cheap for 1000 pieces packages. As I grow a lot of seedlings I really use a lot. I also use a water and light prof marker. I think it is a good marker as the labels of 2006 has not faded yet.

I have attached the labels to the plants in different ways through the years, but some of the ways just gave me a lot of problems. Using metal thread was the worst thing I have done. Sometimes I forgot to replace a thread with a longer one, while the plants were expanding their stem diameters and the thread cut through the bark and into the core of the stem. Lene suggested to me, that the plants were better of, if we attached the labels with pieces of nylon stockings. We clip them into 2 cm broad bands. The advantage is, that nylon when attached with a light hand streches a lot and the plants can grow as much as they like without getting hurt. Also nylon is not broken easily down by the weather.

Never thought of using nylon stockings. Great idea, Tonny! Except you shouldn't tease with your podded brug!
:) Donna

Tonny, that's a great idea, tying them on with a piece of stocking, I used some stockings to tie up a heavy brug last year. I have lots of old prs. now that I don't dress up to go to work anymore. I can see it clearer....The plastic mini blinds cut in 6" lengths with a labler tag on one side, pencil on the other punched with a hole punch & strung on with pieces of nylons. That may be it! Thank-x for everyones input.

Crayons and popsicle sticks - pink flower - pink crayon etc
Crayons and old milk jugs , plastic pots [ cracked ones ]
right now you can cut the tops off water bottles and instant mini greenhouse - like last night we had hail - fill mt bottle with water , put top on , write name with Crayons , nail polish , magic marker - etc [ they stop snails also ]

I used milk jugs a couple of years ago, cut them into strips but they fell apart that first season. I do use them for protection tho. Also for carrying water back & forth to the GH when the water freezes up. I set the jugs near the heater & by the next day they are usually warm.

I write on my labels with a china marker, a/k/a grease pencil. those are the pencils with the little string to pull to expose more of the "lead." Whatever you use, if you write the name on both sides, one is likely to get less sun and the name won't fade so quickly.

Aluminium tags: write on them with anything pointed to leave an impression: the writing NEVER goes away. Tie them on with cable ties (like Kell's) around the base of the plant.

Failing that I agree with MaVieRose - Pencil is better than any ink!

What a great bunch of suggestions! I used to use those large popsicle sticks, but they get mouldy. Mini blinds sound fabulous. I actually went out the other day and purchased some plastic corner bead and cut it in half and then cut the strips (with scissors). I think it'd be much simpler using a paper cutter.

Yes, great ideas. Thank-x so much. Being fairly new at Brugs I have tries various methods of tagging, some of the first ones are still on my oldest plants as well as the other ones I have tried over the last few years. Same with my "log" keeping, it has changed too. It was much easier just starting perrienals & annuals, ya just stick a plastic marker in it, & plant them when they are ready, no problems, the stick doesn't ene have to stay with the plant. No so with these babies! That tag should be there for life!
Oh, what have we gotten ourselves into?

Thanks for all the great suggestions. I will have to attach labels to my plants this year, especially with my seedlings. I have too many now.

I use mini blinds, plastic or metal, for my labels, above ground and then also below ground, right up against the trunk of the brug, for easy recovery. They are all buried on a certain side of all the trucks. I have squirrels and they used to move my labels on my hostas. When someone suggested burying a tag when a hosta is planted, I did this with my brugs last year, too and will continue to do this, in case something happens to the label attached to the trunk!

And pencil is best for me- I have tags 3-4 years old written in pencil and you can still read them and it's easily replenished with pencil when it starts to fade. I do use a special garden marker for the buried labels.

Brenda