How to make plant labels from window covering

[dpurdy]

The other day my wife brought home some plant labels from Lowe's. As I was looking at them, I got an idea on how to make them cheap. Last year my wife redecorated one of the bedrooms and we changed what we had on the windows. She replaced the blinds with curtains. Being one of those people who have a hard time throwing out something that is still in good condition, I remembered that I had put the blinds that she didn't want in the cellar. I went and got the old blinds and noticed that they were very similar in material as the Burpee plant labels that my wife bought me. So I traced the outline of the Burpee label onto the old blind and cut one out. They look and work just like the one's she bought at the store. Here's a picture of what I did to make my labels out of the blinds. Simply trace the outline and cut them out with a pair of scissors. I could get 7 plant labels from one level of the blinds. My wife was able to make me 60 labels in about 20 minutes. If you have an old pair of blinds that are destined for the garbage, this is an opportunity to make something useful for your gardening needs. These blinds are aprox. 1 1/4" wide.
DP

[kath]

They work well for smaller labels such as the ones your wife is so neatly and patiently making, but I tried using them to make 8" and 10" labels using the whole width of the slat and they're annoyingly flimsy and hard to try to push into the garden soil, even when the bottom edge is cut to a point.

[RebelRidin]

What do other folks use to write their labels?

Marker - fades
Ink - fades
Pencil - My eyes need more contrast

I am thinking maybe grease pencil?

[dpurdy]

RebelRidin,
I use a BIC "Mark It". It's a fine point permanent marker that works well. Just let them sit for a couple of minutes after marking your labels, so that the ink will dry.

[kath]

I used grease pencil for the first time last year and it stayed on all season- now if I could just figure out how to get it off of the plastic markers that have a bit of a rougher surface! I also heard that the industrial permanent markers work, too.

[easttx_hippie]

Originally Posted by kath

I used grease pencil for the first time last year and it stayed on all season- now if I could just figure out how to get it off of the plastic markers that have a bit of a rougher surface! I also heard that the industrial permanent markers work, too.

I've always used a damp rag on the tip of my finger then dipped into ashes. It cleans the grease pencil without hazardous fumes.

[Tracydr]

I thought I was so smart this year, marking my seedlings in their jiffy pots with tape on toothpicks and a pen.
Noticed after a month, I can't read any of the markers. Now I can't tell any of my peppers apart! These are really special peppers, too!

[kath]

I sympathize, Tracy- I saw the idea for using a flag marker for jiffy pots and I used glossy self-stick labels and a permanent marker and used numbers instead of writing the names on masking tape which was what was described. Figured I'd be able to reuse them and save some work. Well, by the next morning many of the labels had opened up and dropped off because of the humidity inside the 72 cell "greenhouses"! The pellets were in numerical order, so at least I know what everything is, but it was scary and double the work- duh.

I also had a pepper mishap last year and many varieties weren't identified until they produced ripe fruit. Hope you can figure out which is which sooner or later.

kath

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by kath

I sympathize, Tracy- I saw the idea for using a flag marker for jiffy pots and I used glossy self-stick labels and a permanent marker and used numbers instead of writing the names on masking tape which was what was described. Figured I'd be able to reuse them and save some work. Well, by the next morning many of the labels had opened up and dropped off because of the humidity inside the 72 cell "greenhouses"! The pellets were in numerical order, so at least I know what everything is, but it was scary and double the work- duh.

I also had a pepper mishap last year and many varieties weren't identified until they produced ripe fruit. Hope you can figure out which is which sooner or later.

kath

Thanks, Kath. I'll be able to identify some but not all based on shape and color. But, since I was growing a bunch of sweet habanero types, I'm not really sure how distinct they'll all be.

[Sun City Linda]

The ONLY thing that ever (mostly) saves me is a written diagram and marking the top left corner of the planting box so I know where to start. Then I always make at least one copy of my diagram. Sorry Tracy, I hate "mystery" varieties!

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by Sun City Linda

The ONLY thing that ever (mostly) saves me is a written diagram and marking the top left corner of the planting box so I know where to start. Then I always make at least one copy of my diagram. Sorry Tracy, I hate "mystery" varieties!

This is what I'm going to start doing. Much easier, too!

[Boutique Tomatoes]

I bought a "Garden Marker" from Greenhouse Mega Store last year and wrote on my plastic plant labels. No fading at all even though the labels were out in the sun all season. Working up the soil I'm turning up more that were missed during garden cleanup last fall and they're still fine.

I'm wishing I wasn't out of the blind material. A couple of years ago I had some and they made great labels I could tie into the trellis string or hang on the cages. Lots better for me than crawling around the base of the plant looking for it's label.

[RebelRidin]

Originally Posted by kath

I used grease pencil for the first time last year and it stayed on all season- now if I could just figure out how to get it off of the plastic markers that have a bit of a rougher surface! I also heard that the industrial permanent markers work, too.

Kath - You might try a bit of lighter fluid on a cotton ball...

Originally Posted by dpurdy

RebelRidin,
I use a BIC "Mark It". It's a fine point permanent marker that works well. Just let them sit for a couple of minutes after marking your labels, so that the ink will dry.

dpurdy - Does it hold up to the sun? Mine fades quickly in the greenhouse or the rack when hardening off.

Originally Posted by marktutt

I bought a "Garden Marker" from Greenhouse Mega Store last year and wrote on my plastic plant labels. No fading at all even though the labels were out in the sun all season. Working up the soil I'm turning up more that were missed during garden cleanup last fall and they're still fine.

Thanks Mark - I will have to check that out.



Mostly looking for a solution for plants that I pot up. When starting seeds I make a diagram and mark the corners/sides of any cells or flats with labelled masking tape. That lasts me until pot up or transplant. In the garden - I keep a diagram on my computer.


I have resorted to ball point ink pen on masking tape. The ink fades but the pen leaves an indention.

[kath]

Originally Posted by RebelRidin

Kath - You might try a bit of lighter fluid on a cotton ball...

Thanks for the tip! kath

[John3]

I used to use these to mark concrete outside so the rain wouldn't wash away the marks. Wal Mart has been dropping a lot of art and craft supplies around here so they don't have them here but you might like these: