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fading labels

• Message 1. 

  Posted by irisdublin (U14428036) on Thursday, 24th June 2010

  Hi
  
  I recently went to pick some mangetout/peas and wasnt sure which was which so checked the labels. Ice lolly sticks with permanent marker on , and they've all faded!!
  
  Does anyone have any suggestions for labels. I have loads of those ice lolly sticks and would like to use them.
  
  Thanks

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• Message 2

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  Posted by bookertoo (U3655866) on Thursday, 24th June 2010

  Have tried lots of different pens over the years, but have come to the conclusion the only thing that really stays on is an ordinary pencil! I asked in a nursery near us what they use, they use a black felt tip whh is great when first written, and although it says it is indelible it does in fact fade. Lead pencil, with clear nail varnish over it if the abels must stay legible for a long time.
  
  You coud try one of those little printers which punches the names on a strip of plastic, it can't come off, but I have always felt it was a) jolly epensive and b) not terribly 'green' as it is all plastic! Love to know if anyone has one and finds it useful?

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• Message 3

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  Posted by BaraGwenith (U14257539) on Thursday, 24th June 2010

  Yes, I have a Dymo printer and it is brilliant. I use it on plant labels, jam jars, spice jars, boxes in the freezer, box files, temporary tags for the dogs' collars. You name it, I label it.

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• Message 4

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  Posted by Stressed out (U11163734) on Thursday, 24th June 2010

  There is only one thing that really works and these are DecoColorâ„¢ Extra-Fine Tip Paint Markers. They are permanent, water-resistant paint markers with an extra-fine tip.
  Only write on the shiny side of white labels, its a really delicate process don't press on.
  You also need a pot of white spirit and some kitchen towel. When you have finished dip the tip in the white spirit and wipe carefully on the kitchen towel.
  A pen will do a couple of thousand labels if looked after.
  The writing outlasts the labels.
  The blue and red pens are not as permanent for some reason. But blue on yellow labels and red on orange labels does look really good.
  I also have a TEC thermal printer and that prints 4 labels a second, but for stock plants I still like handwritten labels.
  If it is a plant you are going to propagate from at a later stage always write a couple of labels and stick them in the same pot. It saves you messing about when you are actually spiting plants.

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• Message 5

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  Posted by zoomer44 (U14019069) on Thursday, 24th June 2010

  I bought 100 plastic labels for plants from aldi and a marker pen from Focus specifically for marking labels. It doesn't come off but you can only use the labels twice once on either side.
  
  I couldn't be bothered with the hassel of collecting lolly pop sticks by the time I'd eaten all those I could have bought a 1000 labels and several pens.
  
  I don't use a label for every pot but keep those plants sown at a given time in the same tray, then when planted out the label is placed either at the end of the row or in the middle of the veg with the date when sown and variety.

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• Message 6

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  Posted by Playingtimeaddedon (U14150224) on Thursday, 24th June 2010

  I attend a potato fair and buy a number of different varieties of potatoes and, rather than labeling them, I draw a map, showing the rows and how many of each type are in the row.
  
  That method could be used if you sow different varieties of vegetables or alternatively, jot it down in a note book, leaving space for comments on how each variety fared.
  
  One sure thing - maps and note books do not fade or get brittle and break!

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• Message 7

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  Posted by irisdublin (U14428036) on Thursday, 24th June 2010

  Thanks everyone,
  
  I actually did have a map thats how i found out but its at home as I dont have a shed yet. I might make a drawing of the allotment row and blow it up on the photocopier, laminate it and then i will have a whiteboard map of my allotment. Alll depends on the shed!!
  
  
  thanks again Ill try the pencil on my lolly sticks, hav thousands, Im an art teacher!!!

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• Message 8

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  Posted by 7magpies (U8108459) on Friday, 25th June 2010

  I always have a map of my crop plan, which gets altered as I adapt it through the season. But I also label the crops, as I trust this method more.
  This is because:
  1. My maps are partly a statement of intentions, and may not accurately show what I eventually do; and
  2. I am a female who is rubbish with maps. I'm not even very good with those little plans on the cooker that show you which gas knob belongs with which burner. I think if I had to rely on a map of my veg beds I might just get lost and never get home again.
  
  I do keep the plans on the computer and thus have a complete record of what I did (or intended to do) in previous years.
  
  Oh, and for what it's worth, I find an ordinary pencil lasts longest, and can be rubbed out again it it hasn't faded enough by next season. Or you can just mark your row of lettuce seeds with a label saying "Aran Pilot" and hope you remember they're not potatoes (come on, I'm not the only one who does that?).

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• Message 9

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  Posted by whatalottie (U9072847) on Friday, 25th June 2010

  I've got a lot of different squashes, cucumbers and courgettes, - and guess what? I've mixed them all up, lables faded, dropped out... The only ones that I can identify with certainty are the jumbo pink banana squash, which has a much more upright habit than most.
  
  I've planted what I thought was about the correct plant for the size of space, ummm.
  I just hope I havent planted the crown prince squash in ther middle of the sweetcorn, they might feel a trifle 'squashed' (sorry)

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• Message 10

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  Posted by vic harrison (U14533015) on Friday, 25th June 2010

  The white plastic lables are very cheap.sold in most harddware.diy stores.and garden centres.
  iuse a perminant marker pen.and when finished with them i clean them with methalated spirits.I have been doing it for years

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• Message 11

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  Posted by bookertoo (U3655866) on Saturday, 26th June 2010

  If you have been using your labels for years Vic, how is it that the writing on yours just does not fade before the crop or flowers are done? I go to look at my sprouting whatevers, and still don't know what they are because the labels within a few weeks have gone blank. I also used a permanent pen, but within a few weeks the writing was just gone. I have gone now with an ordinary lead pencil and find that works best of all.

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• Message 12

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  Posted by londonplantmad (U2392946) on Saturday, 26th June 2010

  I use lolly sticks with a soft art pencil. My present one is an 8B graphic. Its easy to write on labels with and it does not fade off.

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• Message 13

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  Posted by vic harrison (U14533015) on Tuesday, 29th June 2010

  HI BOOKATOO I PROMISE YOU MY LABLES HAVE NOT FADED I WENT OVER PY PLOT JUST TO CHECK TODAY.ALL LABELS ARE FINE.MY WINTER ONION SETS I PUT IN THE GROUND LAST NOVEMBER THE LABELS ARE STILL BLACK AND VERY CLEAR. I EVEN LOOKED IN THE TIN I KEEP OLD LABLES IN THEY ARE ALL STILL OK. I CLEEN THEM ALL AT ONCE WHEN I GET A BIT SHORT OF THEM. I DO MAKE SURE THEY ARE CLEAN AND DRY WHEN I USE THEM AGAIN IT WORKS FOR ME.BUT IF LOLLY STICKS WORK FOR YOU THEN THATS GREAT THEY DONT COME MUCH CHEEPER THAN THAT DO THEY

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