Re: Garden Markers, show us yours

Debora Cadene Thu 14 Jun - 17:08

Paint stir stix painted bright yellow and black marker to say what is in the square and also using the sticks with the top side cut so I can write on it and its pointed at the end for easy pushing into the ground. If they hold up, I can just cut off the writing with a utility knife and write something else next season.

rgoodman1979 Sun 12 May - 8:37

I'm a total newbie to all aspects of gardening. Hoping for a great crop this first year Smile

My question is, what do you use to label your plants/seeds with? Popsicle sticks? If I use a marker to write the name of the plant/seed, when I water or it rains won't it cause the ink to run/fade? Just trying to find a CHEAP way to label these babies!
Thanks Smile

CapeCoddess Sun 12 May - 8:54

$glad you\'re here$ to the forum!

Last year I used recycled plastic utensils. I had white spoons, forks and knives sticking up all over my garden with permanent black marker on the handles or spoon bowls if I needed more space. If they started to fade later in the year, I re-wrote them. But now I kinda know what everything looks like so this year I haven't marked at all but I keep a chart after planting in case I need to reference.

CC

Goosegirl Sun 12 May - 8:58

If I plant something from a nursery I use their little plastic stake. For homegrown seedlings, I use plastic knives and write on them with a black Sharpie. Collected several plastic knives from the beds yesterday when I was adding my spring compost to the beds in anticipation of planting. sunny

GG

tramman Sun 12 May - 9:01

I read on the forum somewhere that some gardeners cut plant tags out of yogurt/cottage cheese containers. Regular Sharpies fade in the sun, but there are permanent ink Sharpies that don't.

CapeCoddess Sun 12 May - 9:02

HA! Great minds, GG...
rock on

CC

rgoodman1979 Sun 12 May - 9:04

Brilliant!!!
I knew there was an easier/cheaper way to do it that I couldn't think of. Having a tough time thinking "outside the box" Smile

LOVE the plastic knife/spoon idea, and the yogurt container!!

Goosegirl Sun 12 May - 9:09

rgoodman1979 wrote:... Popsicle sticks? ...

Hmmm.....I have been eating a lot of frozen fruit bars lately! I may save a few sticks for the garden. Good excuse to buy a few more boxes! drooling

The Sharpie made for marking laundry works great - it is made to stand up to repeated washings and not fade, so it works great for the garden as well.

GG

**sanderson** Sun 12 May - 11:22

Goosegirl - didn't know there was a Sharpie for laundry. Thanks for the tip.

General: I bought my labels on ebay from AAA_mercantile for 100 5" white plastic labels. $5. Ended up buying 300 from them. I can write on one side with Mel's Pencil and it doesn't fade. The regular Sharpie keeps fading but I may try to locate the laundry sharpie.

**camprn** Sun 12 May - 11:26

I use tongue depressors and a pencil or a sharpie. Those last long enough for me to keep track of what I have growing before the plants make themselves clearly known.

artisticfoodie Sun 12 May - 12:04

i bought a package of plastic ones from home depot
Garden Markers, show us yours - Page 3 9423aa2f-7d50-47aa-b506-1e95315c9899_300

I think they were $2.00, but i love the plastic spoons and knives idea. I love this forum!!!
I also use the ones that come with the plants I get from the nursery. I haven't started with seeds many seeds yet.

artisticfoodie Sun 12 May - 12:06

camprn wrote:I use tongue depressors and a pencil or a sharpie. Those last long enough for me to keep track of what I have growing before the plants make themselves clearly known.

then they can become part of compost pile.

**camprn** Sun 12 May - 12:13

artisticfoodie wrote:
camprn wrote:I use tongue depressors and a pencil or a sharpie. Those last long enough for me to keep track of what I have growing before the plants make themselves clearly known.

then they can become part of compost pile.

Sure enough!! What a Face

quiltbea Sun 12 May - 14:18

I bought a venetian blind at Salvation Army for a buck and cut so many labels from it, I gave many to the community garden and still have some left over for myself the following year. With scissors I cut a little wedge at the bottom end.
Garden Markers, show us yours - Page 3 05-23-10

Garden Markers, show us yours - Page 3 05-23-10

You can cut them long or short. I cut tiny ones for my little 2" soil blocks and large tags for outdoors.
Garden Markers, show us yours - Page 3 04-09-10

Just be sure you use a permanent marker and check after several rains. Some of those permanent markers wear away. If you can find a laundry marker, those are best for non-fading.

Goosegirl Sun 12 May - 15:02

sanderson wrote:Goosegirl - didn't know there was a Sharpie for laundry. Thanks for the tip.

General: I bought my labels on ebay from AAA_mercantile for 100 5" white plastic labels. $5. Ended up buying 300 from them. I can write on one side with Mel's Pencil and it doesn't fade. The regular Sharpie keeps fading but I may try to locate the laundry sharpie.

I think there is a laundry pen called Penguin, not sure it that is the Sharpie one or not, but any brand laundry pen should work, since the ink is designed to withstand even frequent bleaching.

GG

**sanderson** Sun 12 May - 15:31

Quiltbea - I think you win this round. $1 for venetian blinds!!

yolos Sun 12 May - 16:25

I use clear heavy duty plastic forks (left over from my daughters wedding 10 years ago) then label them with a label maker. Last year the labels faded so this year I sprayed them with some clear acrylic spray paint. Hope that will keep them from fading then I can reuse them every year. Hear is one -

Garden Markers, show us yours - Page 3 Cuc_la10

Garden Markers, show us yours - Page 3 Cuc_la10

sarah465 Sun 12 May - 16:56

We're trying Sharpie on rocks this year. It's been two months and there has been no fading so far which a much better track record than the plastic labels we've used in the past.

And they look pretty cute too Smile

Garden Markers, show us yours - Page 3 Rock_l10

CapeCoddess Sun 12 May - 17:02

sarah465 wrote:We're trying Sharpie on rocks this year. It's been two months and there has been no fading so far which a much better track record than the plastic labels we've used in the past.

And they look pretty cute too

Well that's just adorable! Thanks for the idea AND the photo!

CC

sarah465 Sun 12 May - 17:08

CapeCoddess wrote:
Well that's just adorable! Thanks for the idea AND the photo!

CC

Pretty sure I have Pinterest to thank for the idea Smile

I really like the look too - and they've worked out so well! Except every once in awhile one goes missing and I almost always find the dogs playing with it Laughing

rgoodman1979 Sun 12 May - 17:32

Wow! Such great ideas thank you. Smile

I love them all! Keep 'em coming!

Goosegirl Sun 12 May - 17:46

Love the rock idea! May have to make myself some of those this year.

GG

bnoles Sun 12 May - 17:55

I don't use markers in my garden, they make it look to much like a cemetery. I have a notebook that I just draw a diagram of my planting area and write down what I have in each section or square. I am also using a trial garden planner on a web site to do the same function and it seems to be working out pretty well too.

**llama momma** Sun 12 May - 18:12

This year I blew 5 dollars on a box of 1,000 wooden craft sticks from Hobby Lobby. That should supply my needs for a few years.

plantoid Sun 12 May - 19:09

bnoles wrote:I don't use markers in my garden, they make it look to much like a cemetery. I have a notebook that I just draw a diagram of my planting area and write down what I have in each section or square. I am also using a trial garden planner on a web site to do the same function and it seems to be working out pretty well too.

" Look like a cemetery " .. well you do bury seeds don't you ?? Laughing

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