I was wondering if there’s a simple way to label something outdoors that won’t fade? Last year I had plastic labels with sharpie marker that faded so I had trouble keeping track of what was what. In the future I’m planning to mix seeds more and have more surprises but for now I’m comparing different varieties and keeping track of my favorite surprises from last year.
There are markers at tractor supply and farm stores that are permanent markers made to write on ear tags for livestock. I haven’t used it before so I can’t say from experience. Just an idea.
My favorite idea (that I’ve never done but love the idea) is to get a letter punch set. So you can make whatever words you want. And use soda cans cut up. Punch the words into the aluminum so it will be something that lasts. Then you can hang the aluminum name plates/tags however you want. As row labels or individual plant tags, etc.
I can attest that Artline brand garden markers last much better than typical permanent markers. This is an Amazon link to the exact markers I’ve been using: Amazon.com
I’ve also used the Sharpie brand oil base marker pen: Amazon.com
That seems to hold up well but using it is much slower than the garden marker.
We have intense UV here in Australia so all ink based markers fade quickly. I got onto using chinagraph pencils instead. Never fades, but can be smudged if handled roughly.
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Grease pencil!
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Simple soft pencil, 2B, 3B or 4B, works a treat on plastic labels. My preference is 2B but there’s little to choose between them. Smudges if rubbed when wet but otherwise will last a full season and more. Still searching for the best long term marker. At the moment I use a dremel with a round-tipped grinding bit to engrave in wooden stakes. Lasts but difficult to read once the wood has weathered for a few years.
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I have tried many, but for long season outdoor labeling I have found that sharpie/paint marker on wooden stake holds up the best.
I use the paint markers as well, I left them out over the winter and they still look fine
The longest term labels I made were cut up aluminum cans, put on a soft underground (mousepad…), and where I wrote with an old, inkless pen.
Similar to what Kadence proposes with a letterpunch, but everyone can make it at home. When you hang them on trees, they can break off as any thin aluminum stuff, but otherwise they last about forever.
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One option is to write your notes down in a notebook or even the notes app on your phone at time of planting. It’s quick and easy, and no plastic labels end up as trash that you find in the garden for years to come.
to avoid the pieces of plastic from the broken labels in the garden, I passed this year to the wooden ice cream sticks with writing with bold pencil (5 € / 1000 pieces here, which also makes it the most economical version possible!).
like that if I forget it is not serious they will decompose in the field by bringing carbon.
I’ve seen on Amazon I think it was Amazon anyway copper labels where you ride on them and it imprints what you write on them and it might turn green but it’s still still imprinted
One can also cut up aluminum beverage cans and “write” on them with a nail or something. This is commonly seen in orchards or perennials as well.
I hadn’t thought of just writing with an old pen to imprint it!
Lots of great ideas. Thank you! I think I’ll try popsicle sticks and UV resistant markers.
My husband is a hobbyist woodworker, the kind of “hobby” that has overtaken more of our lives than my gardening “hobby”. He produces a lot of offcuts that are too small to be useful additions to his scrap wood bin, but make a nice sturdy garden marker. Paintstick size or so is my favourite. I find sharpie works fine on these for a year or two because they are so big, but a UV permanent marker or woodburning tool would make them truly permanent in the multiple-years sense.
Great! We’ve got a lot of scrap wood around too.