Labelling methods

[Jerry Delaney]

Being strictly low tech, nothing beats a plain old No. 2 pencil and white labels. Worse than the printing fading is when you have a visitor go through the greenhouse, or when taking plants for show and tell, and then find a label missing or two or three labels in the same pot. I eventually wised up and now use labels with a hole at one end and wire it to a pseudobulb or the pot.

[Ray]

I did a study on this several years back, comparing several alternatives, left on the bench in the greenhouse so they'ed get all the water, light, and chemicals.

• Pencil is good against UV, but can smear and be removed with handling over time.
• If you're going to go with Sharpies, use the so-called "Industrial" ones.
• The Pilot Photo Markers are really good, but expensive.

There are aluminum labels available that you write on with a pencil, embossing the name. Unfortunately, aluminum can be toxic to plants at the correct pH.

I'm not sure I see the point of stainless steel. It probably won't emboss well (too hard), and what will you write on it with?

The sheet-feed laser labels are quite good, as most name-brand laser toners are quite durable.

I use a Brother P-Touch PC printer, too, and it is by far the most legible and permanent, However, if you talk to the Brother folks, they'll tell you the black-on-white is the most UV stable. The adhesive is spectacular - I have a label on a casserole dish that has been baked and through the dishwasher many, many times over the last 10 years, and it's still there!

Also, no matter what you use, the best thing to do is attach the label to the plant. Sticking it in the pot, as most of us do, doesn't help much if others pull tags to read them and put them back in the wrong pot (a perennial problem in commercial outlets), or if pots get dumped over. I remember hearing of someone's grandchild coming to visit, and while the adults were talking, the kid walked up and presented the grandmother with a whole fistful of labels!

[kiki-do]

A fistful of labels Ray???? OMG, that's a nightmare!!!!
Thanks for your research information. It's much appreciated.

[Grandma M]

I use the Brother 1500 P-Touch printer. On a 3/4" label I can place info on three lines, such as - - (I can do it on my PC just like paper labels)
Name
Cross info
Where purchased and date

I use 1" pre-printed plastic labels, from Charlies Garden, so I can hand record, bloom date, and repot date on the back.

The tape is available in several colors, and widths, so I color code my plants. Catts -green tape, vanda blue tape, paphs white tape, phrags, orange tape. I can tell at a glance if it is a paph or a phrag. I punch holes on the end, if it is not pre-punched, so I can attach it to plant, basket, or pot. All the necessary onfo is available on the label. I also have a Excel spread sheet with all this info, and more, such as cultural needs, temp, light, and a tiny picture of the plant or flower.

Shannon helped me with the info to set up the Excel sheet. Thanks a bunch, Shannon.

[cloudswinger]

I got a plant labeling kit from Target that came with some sort of wax pencil. That works great. I write on the pot too, since I have a helpful 4yo, who would just hand me a fistfull of labels! She was petting one of the orchids just the other day and broke some roots.

[cneos]

I use clear mailing labels and a laser printer. The clear labels are much more durable and longer lasting than the white labels.

And in a pinch, there's nothing like a number 2 lead pencil!

[peeweelovesbooks]

Thanks everyone for all of their responses. I am off to find the brother machine and labels. I think a combo of labels on the pots/plants is best for me.