Plant Labels & Master Lists

[crmauch]

Originally Posted by Stvrob

I use a similar system except I don't use aluminum tape. I will cut a soda can, open it up, and use a ballpoint pen. As with your tape, the ballpoint indents on the surface. Then I take a sharpie and trace over the lettering, then immediately wipe it off with bit of alcohol and paper towel. The permanent ink is left behind only in the indentation left by the ball point.
Trim the corners so they are round, and poke a hole and you have a durable little dog tag that is legible for years, even if the ink has faded.

For fruit trees, or perennials in pots, I also use aluminum cans, but I actually fold mine over and fold the edges over to reduce the chance of being cut by the aluminum. For those being attached to fruit trees, I'll punch a hole and then flatten the puncture to thread a wire attachment (I used to love when my kids were younger the plastic wrapped wire that tied the toys into the box). I find the pen's indent is enough to read and don't do the sharpie part. Some of the commercial aluminum tree labels can be attached and destroyed by birds, but the doubled aluminum are almost permanent.

[crmauch]

Originally Posted by crmauch

For fruit trees, or perennials in pots, I also use aluminum cans, but I actually fold mine over and fold the edges over to reduce the chance of being cut by the aluminum. For those being attached to fruit trees, I'll punch a hole and then flatten the puncture to thread a wire attachment (I used to love when my kids were younger the plastic wrapped wire that tied the toys into the box). I find the pen's indent is enough to read and don't do the sharpie part. Some of the commercial aluminum tree labels can be attached and destroyed by birds, but the doubled aluminum are almost permanent.

Originally Posted by ddsack

Lots of good ideas have been discussed, I am amazed at how creative people are with so many choices of materials!

We still get our milk in gallon plastic jugs, so I recycle and cut off the top funnel part first and cut that up, then cut the middle portion in bands, and then zig-zag cut those into triangles, with the pointy end to go in the soil. I like being able to see my writing horizontally, especially in seed flats. I also like to have short small labels that are less likely to be knocked out of trays, and I match the label width to the length of the name of the variety. The bottom of the jug is too tough to cut easily, and makes a nice holding tray for the labels or other little gardening gadgets.

Whatever plastic most of my cartons come in, Sharpie won't take on the plastic. Grease pencil might work however.