No more useless garden pens, please!

Good guy

Does anyone know of a brand of indelible pen suitable for writing on plastic plant labels and that will last through a season's watering, weathering etc?
I'm so frustrated at carefully labelling things only to go to plant them out in six months and find the label illegible or totally blank! Pens available in garden shops don't seem up to the job. What do professional growers use?

Ado 2 · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 9:15 am Post subject:

Sharpie..permanent marker I got mine in Easons

tagwex · Posted: Fri Jul 31, 2015 12:20 pm Post subject:

I use a Sharpie too. It does fade a little but not a big job to go over them again. Professional gardeners don't need labels, they know everything! You could always go back to the slate and chalk like in the good old days.

Audeon · Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 7:21 pm Post subject: Almost non fade plant labels

Use black plastic lables, either bought on line from UK, or cut rings of black Wavin pipe and split into four, or cut up heavy black plant liners (pots) then use a white or silver Pilot marker to write label. Lasts for years. Lidl do a metallic silver and gold marker in their United Office range, 2 to 4 mm thick line.

Margo · Posted: Wed Feb 08, 2017 8:07 pm Post subject:

I use dymo tape

Blowin · Posted: Thu Feb 09, 2017 6:42 am Post subject:

I've never actually tried this but, assuming you'll be happy with just 'Lettuce' etc. without a specific variety (presumably you'll know what variety you planted), you may find that laminated labels, or pieces of seed packet, would survive?

I've got a laminator, hence the suggestion.