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Grittyville, WA

I'm stumped about how to make a easy cheap durable fool-proof plant marker to mark the AGs I have planted. I hope this doesn't seem to silly a question. I'm really quite stumped! What I have done so far is: I have written with a Sharpie on a small plastic stake or written on the pot and placed the pot next to the plant. But the small markers seem to get lost or buried. I'm sure they will get scratched out by a chicken also the Sharpie doesn't last long enough on the plastic anyhow even though it's "permanent". I'm sure the kids will eventually pick up the pots and move them...

Good ideas for how to mark plants please!?

5/27/2017 2:08:50 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Glen, go to Wal-Mart (or any big box store) and ask until someone leads you to paint pens. Not Sharpies. Sharpies are ink & will fade away...Craft section prbly will have paint pens in numerous colors...and paint doesn't fade away!!! I use cut up peices of old window covering things...little 1" strips that you can pull up & down??? venetian blinds?? Cut em in pieces, write on em w/paint pens & Bob's yer uncle!!! Peace, Wayne

5/27/2017 2:14:27 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Staple to a hunk o 2x4 or just use paint pen on the chunk of 2x4!!! Grow em BIG!!! Peace, Wayne

5/27/2017 2:16:45 AM

Hamilton - New Zealand

Paint pens are great, highly recommend them when you need to mark something forever, used them all the time at my last job for marking metal.

5/27/2017 4:22:33 AM

SW Ohio

Paint stirrer stick and a pencil. Sharpie will fade but a pencil wont.

5/27/2017 6:09:57 AM

Hanson Ma

Look in my diary. I just posted a pic of what I use. Got the make a sign kit at lowes and some extra stands. Cut down to size and use fat sharpie.

5/27/2017 6:21:24 AM

Central Illinois

I use paint pens in the garage all the time, Walmarts are latex but can get enamel at farm implement stores,but I usually just use latex

5/27/2017 9:10:54 AM

JACKSON, WISCONSIN. ; )

Milwaukee tool make these markers that do not fade or wash off way better than a sharpie been using them for years they even come in a few colors .
I write on my hoop plastic and on a pcs of 1 x 2 those markers write even when stuff is wet dusty and dirty check em out I have plant tags that are a few years old and you can still read the writing on them

5/27/2017 10:24:35 AM

Colorado

cut up some two inch pvc pipe for markers-write your #'s on inside of curve and make any size you want--they can be reused year after year--gotta try paint pens-great info here on BP--helps to have a band saw:)

5/27/2017 11:20:31 AM

Hanson Ma

Big city. Will definately be looking for those.

5/27/2017 12:36:46 PM

Grittyville, WA

Thank you all for the ideas!

5/27/2017 2:31:20 PM

Grittyville, WA

Gonna try a wood stake, latex paint pen on one side and pencil on the other side. Thank you!!!

5/27/2017 2:39:57 PM

Grittyville, WA

And pounded in the ground far enough no one can pull it out... It's Murphy's law around here...

5/27/2017 2:42:04 PM

Princeville, IL

I use lathe sticks which are about 3 foot long for marking my pumpkins. Pain the top white and write name on both sides with paint pen. They are tall enough to bee seen above the plant when it is mature. I use the same think for marking pollinations except I paint the top yellow and then write on them with a black paint pen. you will know your parents and pollinations from several feet away.

5/27/2017 6:26:55 PM

SW Ohio

Something else that works good are hose little flags. You can write the seed, cross, date pollinated, etc on them. Cheap enough to toss at the end of the season.

5/27/2017 8:10:15 PM

Georgetown, Ontario

I use large plastic yogurt containers or ice cream pails and cut them into stakes. If you use a Sharpie Extreme marker they won't fade, they are meant for outside and won't fade in the sun. I use smaller containers for labels when I'm seeding. You can get 15-20 plant tags out of a container.

5/28/2017 7:32:14 AM

Grittyville, WA

Great ideas. Love that you take me out of my stupor and give me plenty of really good ideas to go forward with...

5/28/2017 9:12:59 AM

Central Illinois

I also have it on my PC

5/28/2017 9:30:36 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

baitman, enamel lasts longer than latex? Peace. Wayne

5/31/2017 1:22:04 AM

aurora, IL

Two pieces of wood glued together in the form of a cross. Write the name on the sign and stick it in the ground.

6/1/2017 4:11:54 PM

Anacortes, WA

I use wooden clothes pins with the spring. Write info on the flat with a Sharpie which does not fade on the wood. They clip to the side of your pots and can be moved from pot to pot if you re-pot to larger. When putting in the patch I clip it on to the heating cable cord or a bamboo stake by the plant.

6/9/2017 5:36:56 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

Dick, I will try it...but not a believer yet? Sharpie does not fade on wood, does not seem to make sense, as it has faded on everything else I have tried. Does water affect sharpie ink? Peace, Wayne

6/11/2017 1:09:27 AM

Central Illinois

in reference to enamel lasting longer, its just my observation of tools my stepfather marked many years ago, latex may be better on porous surfaces

6/11/2017 8:46:48 AM