Comments on: Name that plant

By: heidi

heidi — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:43:04 +0000

hi! did your ink-on-wood stamped markers survive the season? didn’t run/bleed/fade? curious as i’m wanting to do the same!

By: meemsnyc

meemsnyc — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 03:31:13 +0000

Where do you buy the alphabet stamps and permanent ink from? I love this idea!

By: Melissa

Melissa — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 08:05:15 +0000

Try making markers out of re-purposed things in your home – milk cartons cut into strips with Sharpie lettering or aluminum soda cans work great! The aluminum cans are really easy to cut with scissors and if you push hard with a dead ball-point pen (on top of a stack of newspapers or paper) it indents the soft metal and will be readable forever. You can make stakes or small metal tags using a holepunch and garden wire or twine. This is what i did in my garden for all my herbs. Beautiful and free!

By: Emily

Emily — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:45:33 +0000

These are all beautiful ways to mark your plants! I also love using old forks and placing the names in the tines! Just put the handle in the dirt and the name in the top! -e

By: Jesse Lu

Jesse Lu — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 18:49:50 +0000

i make little flags from large flat toothpicks (the serving variety not the picking variety), cereal box cardboard, and tape. They’re not permanent but by the time they croak my plants will be fully distinguishable adults (or adolescents) and I won’t need the signs anymore. I do have an awfully small patio though… I’d probably sing a different tune with a large and more permanent garden.

By: koala brains

koala brains — Wed, 27 May 2009 00:41:59 +0000

I’m a gardening newbie and started reading your blog recently. I made the popsicle sticks today and they came out great. I used regular stamp ink then sprayed acrylic sealant. It’s about to rain so I’ll find out if it keeps the ink from smearing! Thanks!

By: vickie

vickie — Wed, 20 May 2009 16:52:30 +0000

i do stones. paint them or simply write on them. they look the best. but usually no time or preparation and so i put plastic plant pots on sticks…when will i learn to have markers ready? i still love the popsicle sticks…easy, cheap and they work.

By: Kerry Moore

Kerry Moore — Thu, 07 May 2009 15:54:43 +0000

Lots of good ideas here. I don’t like seeing the white plastic markers glowing in the garden in the evening, but at least it reminds who’s new and might not make it. As to the winter-overs, I usually use one of Lee Valley’s metal markers cause even though I can’t see them at any distance, when I am on my knees weeding, or even thundering about transplanting in the fall I know where something is. The marker names are long gone, but the fact of the metal prongs tells me the spot’s taken. And that’s what I love about spring – it’s all a lovely surprise. I am often heard chorusing to my garden-deaf husband, “Look, look, it might be the hyssop or maybe the bergamot; but somethings come back!”

By: The Modern Gardener

The Modern Gardener — Sat, 02 May 2009 15:51:28 +0000

This is such a lovely collection of plant label ideas (even if I am biased as our shop carries one of the products!). I haven’t seen most of these and they are great. And thanks for the mention.

By: Jeannie in Sacramento

Jeannie in Sacramento — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 06:07:51 +0000

my mom always used the expression, “there’s nothing worse than…” and it would make me laugh because I could think of many a worse thing. As in “nothing worse than a garden littered with nursery plant labels.” It’s a charmingly wrong statement. But, nevertheless, your labels are delightful. thanks!