Plant Markers

jobranch · Post by **jobranch** » Aug 26, 2007 8:25 pm

I have looked at several different kinds of plant markers on the internet. I am planning on improving a hosta bed at church and am thinking about putting plant markers on the hostas. What is the best kind?

Jeff

MollyD · Post by **MollyD** » Aug 26, 2007 8:43 pm

Jeff I don't know if there is a 'best' kind but rather what works best for your situation. I use Eon markers with weather resistant sheet labels that I run off on my computer. I buy the labels by the sheet from an internet company and the markers from co ops on DG. I spray the labels with clear acrylic spray once I place them on the markers as an extra measure.

MollyD

Marlys · Post by **Marlys** » Aug 27, 2007 10:03 am

I use plant markers for EON Industires style E-10 and a Brother PT-1250 (cheap one) label maker with TZ tape that is weather resistant. They hold up very well - years out in the garden.

http://www.eonindustries.com/catalog/

http://www.eonindustries.com/

There has been much discussion on this topic over time. You might want to do a search here on the topic.

MM

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Aug 27, 2007 10:49 am

I print out on a Brother 2420 on Z tapes (weather resistant) which I then stick onto little blocks of hardwood which have been given a coat of exterior varnish

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Aug 27, 2007 11:12 am

I have a Brother PT-2600 that does avery labels and PTouch. I use the TZ labels also, and they work great with most surfaces. They last forever, and don't fade as most I'd tried before. Our winters usually fade anything here.

I've used them on metal markers, copper, and also on blind markers. The plastic blinds, cut to fit for seedlings so I can keep track of them.

It was more expensive, but I got around that, by having my mom and sister who also wanted labels for plants and files to be made. We split the cost of the machine, and then take turns buying the tapes. Works for us

Oh, this also can download your lables from the computer for easy use when not wanting to type in each as you usually have to. Makes it really easy to do multiple labels! GREAT thing to have!

jobranch · Post by **jobranch** » Aug 27, 2007 5:45 pm

You guys are so creative! I will need quite a few of them, so it could actually get sort of expensive and I would naturally rather spend that money on hostas. I like the home made idea - never thought of that and I am a woodworker also.

Jeff

MollyD · Post by **MollyD** » Aug 27, 2007 6:00 pm

Sam how do you attach the boards to the nails?

MollyD

Spider · Post by **Spider** » Aug 27, 2007 6:22 pm

If you're into woodworking then you could carve a hosta leaf and etch the name right into the wood, stain it, paint a contrasting color inside the etching, weatherproof it and be on yor merry way.

OK, I solved that problem, lol.

largosmom · Post by **largosmom** » Aug 27, 2007 10:17 pm

I would imagine the holes for the nails are predrilled, then pounded through the hole...very nice!

I use EON markers with the same plastic coated Brother P-Touch tape the others do. Dymo now has a small hand-held labeler out that you can find the same sort of plastic tapes for, but I don't know the price comparison. The Brother labeler has a "Qwerty" keyboard, while the Dymo labeler has an "ABCDE" type of keyboard, so it's tough to switch between them. They both will put two lines on a half-inch wide tape, though.

Laura

whis4ey · Post by **whis4ey** » Aug 28, 2007 4:15 am

A small block of scrap hard wood
Drill a hole from top to bottom to hold a galvanised 4 inch nail
Drill a wider hole at the top to countersink the head of the nail about a third of the way down
Insert the nail and tap well in, and then glue a piece of dowel to conseal the head.
Varnish the lot with exterior varnish
Add the label
(the label is a laminated label from a Brother labeller)

caliloo · Post by **caliloo** » Aug 28, 2007 6:17 am

Not sure these are the "best", but they sure are cheap and easy!

Alexa

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Aug 28, 2007 12:56 pm

Alexa, I love those! Very

MollyD · Post by **MollyD** » Aug 28, 2007 9:07 pm

Thanks Sam!

MollyD

hostaaddict · Post by **hostaaddict** » Aug 29, 2007 12:51 am

After buying lightweight markers from several companies and having them get caught in the rake and winding up in the burn pile, I've come up with another solution. Sounds crazy, but I have been buying all the stainless steel butter knives I can find. I get them for a dime or up to 25 cents each at thrift stores. Then I wipe them with alcohol cotton ball and let dry. Then apply the label going up and down, that I made on my Brothers label machine made with the uv resistant tape. They are heavy and go in the ground easily. They are more inconspicuous and aren't big looking like other markers (look real nice by the minis) and most importantly, there's nothing to get caught in the rake. I will post a pic if anyone is interested. I get the knives that have a nice plain place on the handles to put the label. Have done a few hundred of them now and they were out last winter with no problems and never lost a one. I could have saved a bundle on markers had I thought of this a few years ago.

wishiwere · Post by **wishiwere** » Aug 29, 2007 8:56 am

That is what I like about the blind material. I use the thinner ones (like 1"). I cut them long and bury about 8-10" of it, so that it doesn't pull out when raking or animals clumsying through. The dark green ones are inconspicuous also, so that's what I like.

Can you post a pic of them? Both a garden and a close up one? They sound like fun for some of mine