It is really easy to make your own free plant tags for all your seeding and growing needs. This short video shows how to use a sharp pair of scissors, an old yogurt tub and a bit of time to save and recycle plastic while making sure you don’t forget which plant is which.
I’ve used this technique quite often in my seed trays and find a good soft pencil works really well as the marker. A permanent marker does well as well when writing on these homemade plant tags; just don’t use water-soluble markers if you want to be able to read the writing after 2 hours (humidity and watering take it off).
Good Use For Old Forks
Tops off the yogurt containers above get cut into a half-circle and woven into the tines of an old fork. Mayo cleaned out all the yard sales for one spring to pick up a ton of forks (seemed like a ton hauling them home) for next to no cost.
Hand Grinder Tool
These small hand grinders (Dremel is a popular brand) are excellent for permanently etching plant names into cedar boards. I buy a single 8×8 board – two-inches thick, and slice it into strips about 3/4 inch thick. You could use a thinner board and cut it into 2-inch wide strips for the same effect.
Then I simply put a small etching cutter blade into the tool and carve out the plant name. Works and it’s simple to do. You are not graded on your penmanship. 🙂
A Superb Solution to Garden Tags
If cutting boards is not your style, you may appreciate this one. You still have to pick up some cheap forks but the second part of this is drinking enough wine to give you a tag for every plant in your garden. Gardening has never been so mellow.
I use extra vanes from plastic mini-blinds.
Found a bunch lurking in the closet corner. I cut them into 6″ lengths–cut on an angle (which makes it easier to insert into the ground).
I can insert them quite deep into the soil and they don’t blow away.
Thanks Kathie – I had several folks suggest this. I have used this and forgot this simple system. Let me suggest also a “China Marker” works nicely to write on them. The waxy pencil stays on for at least one season.