Pencil? I've tried permanent markers --- they are not permanent. I've tried paint pens ---- not permanent. Will give pencil a try. So many of my plants are now NOID's because the marker faded out and I can't ID the plant. With my mini-roses here, I'll try the pencil idea and see how it works for me.

Great tip!

Venetian blind user here. And I use hundreds of them! And hand write them, too.

For in ground tags you can bury them, as Lynn says, or sometimes I face the tags inward and away from the sun. Many of those Sharpie pens and sun just fade out, event he so-called "nursery" pens will. Pencil holds up, no doubt about it.

Shoe

Pencil and mini-blind here too.

Valleylynn: What great tips! A few years ago I learned about using the cut up venetian blind slats (sturdier and cheaper than purchased labels) and a pencil for marking, but I've never heard about burying a label and I will definitely try it, a great idea since the ones above ground always seem to get lost. Thanks for sharing these tips!

Lin

pencil works best. Will start to bury mine....the VARMITS think they are food A few years ago I got some of the metal tags and used them as grave markers for my fur babies in the memory garden...need to re-write them at times, but they are neat and uniform.

I like a mechanical pencil, and sometimes get softer lead for it (B instead of HB). I like the "0.7mm" width best, becuase the "0.5 mm" is thinner and less bold. The "0.7 mm" is plenty sharp and fine, but if I use a wooden pencil, the point is always too blunt and wide.

I've never tried the old-fashioned metal venetian blind slats - the paint on those seemed too glossy to take a good pencil mark. I use the plastic "mini blind slats" and soemtimes cut them in half lengthwise, if I'm marking 6-packs or plug trays cells.

I used to clean them with Comet cleanser to get a rougher surface for marking, but it isn't necessary.

Someone told me that you don't need to use a rubber eraser for re-usuing them: a green nylon scrubbing pad is supposed to take off the pencil lead.

An alternative to sticking them in the ground or burying them is to punch a hole, thread a stirng, and tie them to a branch of the plant.

(If you're highly organized, AND have bad handwriting, you can put a short code on the marker, and keep a list indoors. "DL" for dayliles, and then numbers from 1-100 for variety.)

Rick that would be a great backup plan, just incase the name tag got lost. I'm going to try it.

My final, ultimate fallback is to draw a small map, and then try not to lose the map!

Also a good idea!!

Unless like me you can't read a map never mind draw one Standing joke...I can't find my way out of a paper sack

Yah, sometimes I'm like that too. Maps can be a good thing though.

gingin said:Unless like me you can't read a map never mind draw one Standing joke...I can't find my way out of a paper sack

Rich I never thought about using a mechanical pencil, great idea. I will have to give that a try.
And yes, the venetian blinds will last just about forever where the nursery plastic markers usually start falling apart in a year or two.
It was twit that taught me the value of pencil, venetian blinds and burying a tag in case the above ground one disappeared. I am forever grateful to him.

Hope this tip helps you as much as it has helped me. The above photo is a tag that twit sent with a plant he sent me.

Yes, "burying" markers is a good, new idea to me.

For plant markers or doodling, mechanical pencils are great!
They're always sharp.

Once I happened to mention to a boss that I had a "favorite" mechanical pencil, and she rolled her eyes and said I must be "one of THEM". Forever after, she knew me as a Nerd.

That's only fair: I am!

Is something wrong with that 'label' Rick.
I think not.

Nerdy and proud of it?

I guess I did compete to win the title of "Nerd of the Week" on our dorm floor. We got out name and picture posted on the bulletin board at the head of the stairs.

valleylynn said:Is something wrong with that 'label' Rick.
I think not.

Nerds rule.

Nerds rock and rule. Groaner ... but true.