Aluminum plant tags that don’t fade really are permanent. Most of us who garden and tag our plants for future reference learn pretty quickly that permanent markers are not as permanent as you think when out in the sun and other elements. I’ve tried permanent markers, industrial markers, paint markers and even “plant” markers. They all fade eventually. The paint markers hold up the longest, but because they are paint and not ink, they are more difficult to write with.
So what’s the answer?
Aluminum plant tags. When you write on an aluminum plant tag the the letters are actually embossed into the aluminum so fading is not an issue. I first mentioned these in my newsletter, http://freeplants.com, several weeks ago and people keep writing to ask me about them, where to get them etc. so here’s a website that actually has a pretty good demonstration of how they work. http://www.amekron.com/
Hey Mike! What did you do today?
Today I stuck about 350 Java Red Weigela Cuttings today. Actually I spent most of the day getting ready and stuck those 350 cuttings in about an hour. More cuttings tomorrow! Tis the season for making baby plants.
Wow! I really like your work.
Thanks for the new source Mike. I bought some of these about six years ago and they still look as good as the day I wrote on them. I don’t think they will ever “go bad”. My source dried up and I think I paid more for them so this is a nice site to bookmark.
I also did not require 500 tags. I have a roll of aluminum tape that is used for wrapping seams on duct work (can get at any big box store). Just tear off a piece and use any pointed object to write names onto and then peel off backing and adhere to any surface, including Popsicle sticks. You could also leave the paper backing on and poke holes through to attach string or wire to identify plants. I have also used this material for the peek of the bird houses to seal against water. This is just great stuff, actually has more uses than Duct tape.
I use the aluminum tape as well for my grafted trees. I fold one end over several times and use a paper punch to put a hole in it and then loosely twist tie it to the sapling. The embedded marking last for a long time and the reinforced hole holds well.
I found a new use for old broken pieces of colorful pottery, pots, plates, cups, etc. I usually keep the pieces to do mosaic crafts or to put in bottom of flower pots to help with drainage, but this year I got a “bright” idea to use the larger pieces as plant markers. If love the colors on a piece of pottery I just cannot bear to throw it away, so I broke them into sizes I needed and painted the plant names on them, leaving a longer pointy or jagged edge to push into the ground. It is durable, has been rained on and so far held up. Don’t know yet how long the paint will last, but we will see by the end of the year. Meanwhile they make a colorful addition and don’t end up in the landfill.
Mike,
I love the idea of the embossed tags but my garden is small and I don’t need 500 tags (minimum order). I have used the 1″ mini blinds idea, so i took a 2 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch piece of heave duty aluminum foil, folded it around the top of a piece of mini blind, and folded down the top to secure it. This can be embossed with a ball point pen just like the aluminum plant tags. I have stuck some in my garden; These won’t last forever, but for an inexpensive alternative I think they should hold up pretty well. I will let you know how it turns out.