:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/how-to-start-a-garden-from-scratch-2132778-hero-5f6138784a034bad8bf9607ccb18dbed.jpg "GROW TOGETHER: Gardeners love to label plants, but what's best?")
The other day, while cleaning the garden, I came across a box with dead batteries. I gave them away for free.
Batteries may not be a priority in the garden, but plant identification material is important. Gardeners love to label their perennials and ornamental flowers, but is it really important to keep track of plant names?
Observing the characteristics of our plants can save their lives, or at least make them healthier. For example, if our Endless Summer hydrangea starts shaking when we say your name, knowing your identity is the first step in diagnosing your problem.
When we receive the plants, we can write their names in a journal and keep the plant tags, which is a great idea. However, it makes sense to put a label directly on each shrub or perennial.
Visitors to our terraces sometimes wonder about the identity of the plants that interest them. When dividing perennials to share with others, it is also important to pass on cultivar names if known. Adding a plant ID to photos posted on Facebook helps others get similar plants whenever they want.
If we were to ask 20 growers which plant labeling method they prefer, we would probably get 20 different answers. The catalog of products for the garden and vegetable garden is presented in a wide assortment.
Labeling seed pots or containers is fairly easy, as long as the label calls for no more than one growing season. Plastic labels bought from milk containers or made by hand are effective. White plastic containers can also be used as plant labels.
What is the best writing instrument for labels? Neil Holland, a horticulture professor at North Dakota State University, taught his students that a pencil is the most durable tool on most surfaces, and I thought that was a good suggestion.
The pencil is washed out or erased, some markers fade quickly. Even fade-resistant markers fade over time when exposed to light. The stylus tends to stick to many surfaces, including plastic or metal, even if it's not shiny.
Why not do without the label of shrubs or perennials? If the tag is attached to branches or leaves, it can easily be lost or taken away.
The plastic garden center tags that come with potted perennials can last a season or two, but many will become brittle and break. I've found it helpful to remove tags and labels from plants and store them in a dedicated folder for future reference, as well as giving plants a more permanent way to identify themselves outdoors.
For most shrubs and perennials, a tag placed on the ground next to the plant provides a more permanent identification mark. For our own perennials and ornamentals, I place all the markers in the ground on the north side of the plants so I always know where to look if the marker is hard to find. The labels fade less on the north side of the plants than in direct sunlight.
Which materials are best suited for sustainable plant labeling? The decision depends to some extent on whether we want to read the label on the fly, or if the main purpose of the label is to protect the identity of the plant, in which case it can be placed transparently in the lower north part of the factory.
In addition to ceramic or stone, metal garden signs are extremely durable. Metal zinc or aluminum labels are easy to write on with an ordinary pen, creating a label that will stay visible for years. Many garden centers sell them or you can order them online.
Choose your pens and markers carefully. Even the most stubborn marks can be removed from labels after a year or two. Colored pencils can be checked and preserved with clear polyurethane varnish or clear nail polish.
Decal makers create easy-to-read decals to use on metal, wood, or plastic, but these should be chosen with care. Laser tags should be readable for two to five years. Laser printers are needed instead of inkjet printers.
When creating outer labels, I've found it helpful to write on both sides, regardless of type. If the print is illegible on one side, the other side may still be legible.
