I've started writing *on the pots*. For terracotta, I use a regular pencil, and on plastic, I use a Sharpie. The sides of the pot get *way* less sun so the ink doesn't fade nearly so fast. I just wipe off the old name with alcohol when I repot.

I take pictures, put them in a book on some paper and write everything down next to the picture. Then I take periodic pictures as it grows, changes and if/when it flowers, and keep little notes next to these.

I use home made markers made out of blinds and write the name of the cacti/succulent with a sharpie. For more important hard to tell apart plants I write the name on the pot AS joscience

I use paper tape and write the name on it then tape it to the pot. I use a black marker or a pen to write the name and it doesnt fade nearly as fast on the side of the pot.

Mary

Pencil markings will not fade in the sun over time.

I have some plastic labels with names written with soft lead pencil that are over 8 years old. These are full sun plants.

randy

Hey y'all,

Brad and Randy are spot on - the #2 pencil will never let you down, when Sharpie, ball-point, Crayola (OK, so I've never tried Crayola) will fade over time.

Use the pencil, leave the Sharpie.

I, too, use plastic plant markers - the ones with a rough and a smooth side.
I write with a soft pencil on the rough side. Doesn't fade...and, yet, it's
also easy to erase.

I also photo-document many plants. And....I even keep a hand-written journal!
Quantity, variety, age, and relevant seasonal notes - such as bud-break, bloom,
dormancies, leaf-drop, et cetera.

Josh

I generally use a pencil to write on markers, and I make a lot of them from old vertical blinds. Sometimes if pencil doesn't take well on some glossy surface, I use a Sharpie, but it's true, the writing will fade. Whatever I use to write, I try to write the plant's name at two ends of the marker, so that if it breaks off after a long time in the sun, the underground part will still carry the ID.

If only I had done that consistently, all the time! I got lazy and now I have a number of plants--especially rebutias--whose names I have lost.

I've gotten fancy and use a label maker and put them on the plastic markers that you stick into the side of the pot. Works for the short run. I haven't used the label maker long enough to know how it is some years down the road but it has to be better than the sharpie!

Regular plant tags (white plastic) w/ #2 pencil works for me. I rarely use a Sharpie, I also like that pencil can be erased.

I have also used the cut up blinds for labels, that works well too.

Recently I learned an interesting trick; suggested to make TWO tags, toss one in bottom of pot before you add the mix.

This way, when you repot or change mix in the future, you'll see the old tag in the bottom. Very helpful when the top tags is long lost!

I use a grease pencil, won't wash off or fade on the rough side. Most the time I bury markers so it is not visible anyway.

White grease pencil on the green or red plastic pots. We use only a
#2 soft lead on the rough side of the plastic label. We put the ISI number on and the Huntington's Accession # as well on the top and bottom on the label, I put a label on the bottom of the pot, facing the written side down, or away from the sun. The problem with plastic is that they get brittle and break. So plan ahead I didn't and I'm sorry. Norma

Thanks every one for the help, it looks like a #2 pencil is the top of the list, so its off to get a few #2 pencil.
Thanks a lot
Bear

Bear,

I wasn't giving you all the knowledge I had on this issue - sometimes I broke the technology barrier and used a mechanical pencil. Of course, one needs to also have an eraser, which I supplied separately from the pencil.