I don't have my labels above ground that much - I too, when I first gardened, got the pretty little metal stakes and then decided in winter my garden looked like a little cemetery lol.

I'm kind of a slacker when it comes to labeling, but years ago I bought a box of small white hard plastic plant tags, maybe 4 inches long, just under an inch wide, with a point on one end. I did have a Brother label maker and I don't recall it being overly expensive, and I used it a LOT over the last ten years. It's not working now (can't remember the problem) so the last two seasons I've written on the tags with a sharpie and covered it with a piece of scotch tape. I stick these labels almost completely in the ground, or completely down in the pot. I can reuse them as well - they've lasted me years, and I reuse a bunch every year for my dahlias in pots. Honestly, they are inexpensive, durable, and I think the label maker is worth the money (although I haven't priced one lately!)

Here's something similar (and these have holes so you can tie it to a plant)

Also, if a plant comes with a plastic tag, I just plant that in when I'm planting the plant, leaving just a bit sticking out.

There's always the old "use old vinyl mini-blind slats" labeling too lol.

If you are looking for something a bit more decorative, I did think the little metal stakes came in a form where you could write on them - either with a sharpie, or a pen that came with them....??? Sorry, it was so long ago that I saw those....

:)

Dee

I buy the same white plastic labels by the 1000 and use a garden pencil (a bit like the old chinagraphs). I can write quite small and it generally stays fairly permanent across a couple of seasons. Much more reliable than Sharpies. Can be scrubbed off with a scourer and hot water for re-using, but they do go brittle after a few years. I only ever use them in pots - I can't see that anything would withstand the open garden or allotment. I also have a sheepdog who will carefully remove every single label and leave it on the ground, so I have to write on the pots if in reach of the dog. I have never been able to get her to desist from this habit (but collies are known for somewhat fixated and slightly neurotic behaviours - my last one would bark at birds).

I use aluminum tent stakes (I like the copper colores ones from Coghlans), 9" long. I remove the white string that comes threaded through the holes. I order large round aluminum pet I.D. tags engraved on one side, and give the names, such as Hosta Cameo or Heuchera Georgia Peach to be engraved. I use Chicago screws with a 1/8" diameter about 1/2" long to attach the pet (now PLANT) i.d. to the tent stake. These are very durable. I've had them for years. Just ordered a bunch of new ones for new hostas I ordered.

Thank you both! Almost all of my plants are in the ground, so this would be for garden rather than pots. I've tried sticking plastic labels in the ground, and either they break going into the clay soil, or they heave out of the ground during Winter freeze-thaws. Way back when, did bury the plants' original photo tags with them, but regretted that since the tags would somehow fade even buried deep, and would break when being dug out.

Just found some Brother label makers for fairly cheap online, but gotta look into it more to see which model I'd need for two lines, and how much it adds up to with labels, ink, and whatever else is needed.

Many years ago, an ebay hosta seller used to include his own engraved metal labels which were beautiful! Wish I still had his contact info or at least a pic of his labels... The metag stakes and plates he engraved looked very similar to the ones I've been getting from the above nursery, but a slightly different design. Just as effective in the ground, but much prettier being engraved into metal rather than printed on a white background that stands out a bit too much in the yard... No clue what kind of device would be suitable for engraving the metal plates, but doubt it would cost anything under a couple hundred $.

Years ago I saw a cute idea somewhere online where someone used engraved metal dog tags attached to some kind of spiral metal rods. Cute but probably costly getting all the doggie tags engraved.

Esther, we must have been typing at the same time! I just wrote about the doggie tags I remember seeing years ago, except that they were somehow tied to a spiral metal rod (spiral at the end or ends, from what I recall), which gave it a cute look too. The engraved metal pet tags cost $5 each years ago when I looked into them. How much do you pay for yours? I love this for plant ID, but I also like including on my labels which nursery the plant came from and in what year.

I use the Brother label printer on metal stakes and the outdoor rated tape is extraordinary!

Labels I printed 10 years ago are pristine- the stakes themselves get rusty or stepped on and twisted but I have never yet found the first label that had even begun to peel.

And you can forget peeling them of yourself- they are there for life.

Amazon $38 and remember outdoor tape.

thats what i paid 20 years ago.. i think you are way off on that price

see here: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Brother-P-Touch-PT-D200G-Home-Office-Label-Maker-Easy-to-Use/177487421?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&http://clickserve.dartsearch.net/link/click?lid=92700060762254883&ds_s_kwgid=58700006715445296&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000003583668&ds_a_cid=654818135&ds_a_caid=13956209185&ds_a_agid=126452889113&ds_a_lid=pla-1392082700544&ds_a_cid=116919406&ds_a_caid=361575031&ds_a_agid=1200667322826314&ds_a_fiid=&ds_a_lid=pla-4578641339573147&&ds_e_adid=&ds_e_matchtype=search&ds_e_device=c&ds_e_network=s&ds_e_product_group_id=4578641339573147&ds_e_product_id=177487421_0amp;ds_e_product_merchant_id=27449&ds_e_product_country=US&ds_e_product_language=EN&ds_e_product_channel=Online&ds_e_product_store_id=&ds_url_v=2&ds_dest_url=?adid=2222222242031946843&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=&wl4=pla-4578641339573147&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=%7baceid%7d&wl9=&wl10=27449&wl11=Online&wl12=177487421_0amp;wl13=&veh=sem_LIA&msclkid=26a9104fd81f1774a1e0730bf6088b7c&gclid=26a9104fd81f1774a1e0730bf6088b7c&gclsrc=3p.ds

wow.. is that a link or what.. lol ..

you need one that uses the UV proof tape... tz-131... half inch...

you dont need one that hooks up to the computer or some nonsense ...

ken

I think the white stakes are not what you are looking for, but I did just want to add that the ones I use are not flimsy thin plastic. They are thick and very sturdy. Yes, if they get stepped on they might break, but I've been re-using the same stakes for 20+ years now. As a matter of fact I decided I needed more this spring and kind of panicked because I can't remember where I got them, and a quick search just showed the thin flimsy ones lol. Never followed up, but just wanted to put out there that these sturdy ones are likely available, and are much better than the thin ones that pop up first in online searches.

:)

Dee

Hello Kindness Matters,

For my outdoor plants, I use stainless steel markers from Kincaid Plant Markers

(That is a clickable link to the Kincaid website)

They have a variety of solutions for durable plant markers. I am not associated with Kincaid, other than as a satisfied customer. I have bought a bunch of stainless steel outdoor plant markers from them. They have some clever designs of plant markers.

ZM

(not associated with any product or vendor mentioned or linked)

Hi Ken,

That was quite a link you inserted in your message. I was a little amazed that it worked.

However, this forum's Link feature can insert a "slimmer" version of your link to Brother Label Maker

I like to use the forum Link utility for that reason. Incidentally, Kincaid has some Brother stuff.

ZM

Another idea from the 70's could be painted rocks. If done well, they could last for decades.

Cearbhaill and Ken,

Thanks guys! I just measured the Wit's End Gardens labels, and they are 3/4in, not 1/2in, which is around $60 for the machine. Still not bad considering that I just paid that much for custom labels, which wouldn't be a problem if they had been done exactly the way I typed them out, but sadly they were not...which is why I'm now looking into making my own. From what I've gathered from you and Amazon and the Brother website, I need the tape that says laminated and indoor/outdoor. Amazon says that it withstands UV, heat/cold, and spills, which I did not see specified on Brother's website, but it's the same tape. Since the Wit's End labels are black print on white tape and stand out a bit too well in the garden (I don't need them visible from the street), I'll probably want to try clear tape with either black or white print...it'll be on the zinc plates so not sure what would look better on a silvery background. Editing to say that it looks like the model you guys recommended (that uses 1/2in tape) would work for my purposes too since it supposedly can do 2 lines (though I've not seen any pics). Might go with that, especially since it looks like the name plates on Amazon might not be as tall as the ones from Wit's End. Now to find the right stakes and plates... Wit's End says galvanized wire stems and zinc name plates whereas the cheap ones on Amazon claim to be stainless steel. Wit's stakes are also 10.5in tall whereas Amazon has 10in, 6in, and 4in stakes. Don't think I necessarily need 10in, but don't know if the 4in and 6in would heave out.

Zen Man,

Thank you for sharing the Kincaid website! Someone else recommended it earlier this year and so I've looked at it before. I like the selection, but figuring out how to price and order hasn't been as easy, and I keep getting a message that my connection isn't private, so I haven't gotten far. Out of the styles that they have available, the hosta stakes and plates I liked years ago looked the same as this https://www.kincaidplantmarkers.com/labeling-accessories/custom-printed-labels/ except that the hosta seller somehow etched or engraved the writing into the metal plate rather than sticking a label on it. And those were the ones I liked the most! Wish I knew what he used to do that, but imagine that whatever it is probably cost a lot...

Doc Mom,

The painted rocks are a neat idea too, thank you!

Dee,

What thickness are the plastic stakes you use?

Thanks again to everyone <3 Love Esther's detailed photo instructions!

Personally, I don’t label anything because I have a tiny garden and I dislike seeing plastic, metal, etc. out there. I want a restful garden, not a collection of specimens cluttered by a busy outdoor filing system. If labels are needed how about putting very small markers with just a number or code and keeping all the details in a note book or on a device?

"I want a restful garden, not a collection of specimens cluttered by a busy outdoor filing system."

The only plants I tag are my Japanese Maples and the Hostas and those tags are purely for the garden club tour people. Otherwise I'd be pulled 200 directions trying to answer people's questions about "What's this one?"

Only one other plant is tagged- I have a large Needle Palm in my front yard that is apparently quite unusual to the rural folk, so much so that people stop and knock to ask me what it is.

Now I just scream "There's a label," lol.

I agree, floral, hence my burying of all tags. I suppose if I had some unique or even just truly lovely specimen I might do a decorative label, but I don't, lol, so I don't bother.

I actually used to be able to tell you the name of every single plant in my garden and in the several gardens I maintained. Then I neglected my garden for a few years (thanks, life - always in the way lol!) and that made me forget some. I guess if you're not out there all the time the names slip away. Now I'm playing catch-up, trying to match old orders and invoices with plants in the garden, and posting here for IDs. And labeling everything lol. Underground lol. Getting to old to rely on memory alone!

:)

Dee

This subject comes up every few years. see if anything in these threads help.

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5500247/best-way-to-create-permanent-garden-labels-for-perennials#n=11

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/5443350/best-plant-labels-to-almost-bury#n=14

I just ordered a bunch of new plant I.D. tags from Amazon: Pet I.D. tags. These are aluminum, you can pick from various colors and shapes, although I always get the large circle. The text is laser engraved on a single side. I like the Coghlan's lightweight aluminum tent stakes because they are copper colored, which looks nice with soil and especially with red dyed mulch. It doesn't give that silvery artificial intrusive look. I am waiting for my Chicago screw sample from Chicago screws, as I can't remember the length of the 1/8" diameter Chicago screws. The Chicago screws have a threaded part screw into a hollow part, so they are very secure and make a neat connection of the tag to the stake. So with the aluminum tags, aluminum tent stakes, and brass screws, rusting is not an issue, nor is UV. These things weather very well.

LO cearbhaill, you are waaaayyyy more organized than I am! You remind me of my mom - she loved to organized things and loved, loved, loved making lists. It must have skipped a generation with me - my daughter likes lists too lol. I do admit to loving containers and boxes, etc, and often buy them or save something because it looks like a great storage option, but then I don't do much with them haha.

This past spring I did try to get more organized, and started a spreadsheet of all my plants, (hence my drive to ID so many of them!) and so far have been very good about adding new purchases to the list. Of course, I didn't buy that much so we'll see how it goes!

Kindness, I tried to measure one of my stakes. It's only about a millimeter thick, which I know sounds thin but it is much more rigid than it sounds -certainly more rigid that the thin, bendable ones. It about 4 inches high and 1 inch wide, tapering to a point at the bottom.

:)

Dee

Carpenter pencil on the cheap white tags holds up very well and wipes off with spit to reuse (sorry gross but ive tried all sorts of things to wipe off that pencil and a licked finger works best!) but if im labelng something I want to last (like say a shrub, especially) I use extra long lasting marker on landscape tape and loosely tie around the stem. Tags I made for dahlias last year with landscape tape are going into year 2 storage with clearly legible tied-on landscape tape.