Tagging plants - the CHEAP way!

I need lots of tags for my plants and wondered where I'm going to get them all from.

I went into the hardware store and found plant tags and picked some up. I got EIGHT tags for about 4 dollars. That bites! At that rate, the gazzillion I needed would put me in the poor house.

I went back to the hardware store and looked around. I knew that there HAD to be some kind of plastic that I could use that wasn't in the gardening section. I picked up a piece of corner wall molding protection (plastic) for about 4 dollars. I went home and cut it up. I got about 30 tags. Better deal, but not good enough.

Then following up on a great suggestion... today I went to the thrift shop and bought some window blinds - still in the box. They cost me 2.99. I took them home, took out the slats and cut them up. I haven't finished them all, but I'll get about 700 tags!!!!!!

I can write on them using pen, pencil or markers. I'M SOOOOO HAPPY!!!!!

Geez Dandy you should have enough tags to last for this year I hope or you are going to be house hunting with me.

ah, good idea and great recycleing for old shades as well!

I have been using Venitian blind slats cut up for a few years now. There's no cheaper way that that. I did find out you have to make sure what type of ink you use. The first year when I watered all the ink wash off and I had no idea which plants were which. I found out a number 2 pencil does the job for me.

wow, it sounds like you were on a serious mission!!
But, isn't 700 still pretty far from a gazillion???

good idea Dandy, but are you sure 700 is going to be enough

Natalie and Grindle, you're right, I may have to be on the look-out for another set of blinds.

Dony, why didn't you TELL me this before???

Go cheap with the blinds but do yourself a favor & invest in a good paint pen so your words don't fade in the rain/sun.

What exactly is a paint pen? I'm heading off to the hardware store soon. Do I ask for a paint pen? Will they know what I'm talking about?

yep! I buy mine from walmart

Here they are called Painters "Paint Marker"

Attachment 673

I use Fine point since it seems to write the best. Mine have lasted for years outside without fading.

These Binds Have Caused Me More

Done that before.... looked to Shakkespeared... better to....'these trees shall be my books' lol

They only had yellow and red pens, so the guy ordered 2 back ones for me and they will be in on Thursday. Oh goodie. In the meantime, I'm using coloured Sharpie markers.

The sharpies sun- bleached out for me. I am glad to know about the paint pens. I thought I would have to use an engraver or woodburner pen.

Glad you opted for the black. I used red on a few & it didn't look right, but I guess it worked.

Galu, the sharpies faded for me too.

Not to sound like a doornob, but can't you re-write stuff on a tag if one method doesn't work?

I like the idea of the Paint Pen but a pencil dors me fine in the greenhouse. Don't have any outside plants marked. (Big mistake) I know what the plants are but not all the variety's. I'll have to check out Wally's

You must be better at keeping track of plants than I am. I guess I'm not always reading the tags so I might miss when one fades off completely & the sharpies do. I have a few hundred markers in the garden, so permanent is important. The only thing I have to worry about is if something crawls off with the marker.

I do not mark anything either dony. I guess if you do alot of trading or selling on Ebay you need to keep track. I did tape the names of the Brugs I got and I used a paint pen. I just used duck tape.

When I retire and start my nursery I will remember all the tips I learned here. Right now I am gardening for fun. It is one thing I do not have to track.

I don't have a very big garden nor a green house to start seedlings in but I did need to label my roses and other perennials. I take soda pop cans and cut them into butterfly shapes. I emboss the plants name and other information with an old ball point pen, poke a hole in it then tie it loosely to the plant or a stake with a twist tie. Looks cute.
Bernie

I used the paint pens last year and marked all of my pots. The problem was that if I reused the pots, the result was confusion. LOL I think the blinds are a great idea.

I like the idea of the blind slats!! And you might even get lucky and see some by the side of the road when garbage day comes so that can be a good way to reuse trash.Now as far as something to mark them with, my mother keeps talking about something called a Laundry Marker. I thought she meant a Sharpie,but she says no that no matter what the Sharpies say,they fade when kept moist , or moistened often. Now if anyone has a Laundry Marker it might be worth a shot.

I use the Sharpies - but I make sure I buy the Sharpie Industrial Fine Point Permanent Markers. The regular permanent markers do fade by the end of the season. The Industrial versions last more than a season, and I just touch them up if they look like they may be starting to fade.
I make my own markers tags cut from detergent bottles and attached to Christmas lumiary stakes. I find milk jugs get brittle and fall apart after one season. The detergent bottles have a thicker plastic that holds up long term. I'll have to take a picture to show you.

But since I'm supposed to be working right now, I'll have to do that later.

DigginIt

Here are my plant tags made with the luminary holders.

I cut the tags from clothing detergent bottles, punch two holes with an awl, and then insert the luminary holder.

These are very durable (I've stepped on them several times. The detergent bottle plastic is flexible, so the tops don't snap off like the plastic tags you buy in the store). They are reusable - You can exchange the tag when you want to mark something new. The luminary holder is long enough that they usually do not pop out of the ground or become dislodged by critters. And they are really cheap! (I buy the holders from Walmart after Christmas, when they go on deep discount. They end up costing a penny or less per each holder).

The farmers market I go to, uses wite plastic forks for their labels.. write on them with a sharpie. lol
They may not look nice, but they are cheap, and get the job done

Got the Horticulture magazine in the mail today & Tony Avent (Plants Delight) is pushing his favorite thing, Paint Markers! The article includes a few places but I think Walmart would still offer the cheapest.

what a quinky dink They're the best for outdoor marking on whatever you decide to use as tags.

hmm, never heard of them, i guess ill have to pick one up, hope my wallmart has them, they took out their whole plant section!

not that they had good quility plants or anything, but.. still

Check the walmart craft department where they keep scrap book, fake flowers & material.

Well, since I have SOOOO many markers now after chopping up the slats, I borrowed my one-hole punch from work and have been punching holes in one end of a bunch of them, so I can tie the maker ONTO the plant as well.

I just found a place that sells 5" labels in a sale for 74p for 100. Not as cheap as blinds, but a lot less effort.