Hi Jill and WELCOME
I use mini blinds for the tags. I also use them to tag my crosses on the daylilies. Fred is the one who told me about doing that.
The ones to tag crosses is cut into 2.50 in pieces then punch a hole in it and use the paper clip to keep it on the scape. You can also just use colored paper clips and record in a notebook what the pollen is for that color.
This is what Fred Manning (Spunky1) wrote
spunky1 said:
For you who hybridize here's a cheap way to make a hanging tag that last year after year. You need a mini blind, cut to 2.50", a hold punch, and a box of small paper clips. I write the pollen parent on the tag with a #2 pencil. If I want to use that same tag later for another pollen I just draw a line thru the first one and write the new one below the old. Yoy can use both sides so you can use it many times. I use these if I am only going to use a certain pollen only a few times,or when I hybridize in the seedling beds, the tags are much easier to see than the colored paper clips I use in the hybridizing area.I would guess they cost less than a penny a piece and they are a lot better than the paper
For the seedling cross tags in the pvc pipe (1/2 in pipes) it's the same thing, mini blinds. You just stick them in the end of the pvc pipe and they won't go anywhere. I write the seedling number on the mini blind with a garden marker (can buy at walmart) or a pencil. Pencils are usually the best thing because it doesn't fade or wear off (unless you wipe it really hard with your finger). Then you can record the number in a notebook. You could also just write the whole cross on the tag, whichever is easier for you. You would only use one tag and pipe per seedling cross. So if you had 10 of one cross you would start the pvc pipe at the beginning (in front of seedling) and go left to right then put another pipe with tag for the next cross and so on. The pipes will not line up with each other unless you plant the exact same number of seedlings per cross.
Ex: the T is the tag and the x is the seedlings
TxxxxTxxxxxx
xxxTxxxxxTxxx
TxxxxxxxxxTxx
I hope this makes since
