Last year I used the small wooden coffee sticks in my propagator, the permanent marker writing disappeared & they went mouldy. Very humid in there though.
This year I tried a previously read suggestion of white plastic milk bottles, I thoroughly degreased them, sliced them up & my marker wouldn't write on them. A CD marker did though & although they're less rigid than bought plastic ones, they are working well enough. Worth the effort if you get through hundreds.
I have a more maverick approach to gardening, in that I don't label anything; thus get a surprise at what pops up, and then get the added bonus, of trawling through my gardening books, trying to find out what the plants I planted were/are.
Going back to the wooden sticks, lollipop sticks are good (nice excuse to eat ice lollipops, especially those rich chocolatey ones!), a soft lead pencil works best and lasts well - but stuck in a wet pot they will eventually rot away.
I use soft lead pencil on plastic white labels, but the plastic goes brittle after a couple of years. I used to use aluminium labels that you write on with a sharp pointed metal scriber. They last forever but you have to get up close and personal to read them.
I just cut up my old plastic milk containers into strips, then use a permanent black marker pen to write the name on, Doesn't cost a penny and are reusable!!
Well us gardeners use our loaves when it comes to thrifty ideas in the garden , if anyone has any more ideas about anything that costs less than buying the expensive alternative in anything to do with the garden, it will be much appreciated all round. x
Aldi have white plastic labels 99p for 50 which i thought was reasonable value. Got 3 packs but i think that is total overkill now i'm home. Had to resist the urge for another mini greenhouse mind, for sale for £30 which seemed pretty good value. As this is my first year at growing anything i should really see how i get on first lol
No such thing as overkill on labels, what you don't lose, the weather make brittle, the blackbirds move, will become incomprehensible over time - and yu will plant new and different things. Stock up while you can.
I manage to get some good bargains from Wilko's at the end of the season, whenever that is ! Bags of composts for the following spring, gong for 25 to 50 pence, BIG 'uns too ! If one has storage space, the autumn is a bargain basement dream come true! All sorts of spontaneous cheapo's !
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Last year I used the small wooden coffee sticks in my propagator, the permanent marker writing disappeared & they went mouldy. Very humid in there though.
This year I tried a previously read suggestion of white plastic milk bottles, I thoroughly degreased them, sliced them up & my marker wouldn't write on them. A CD marker did though & although they're less rigid than bought plastic ones, they are working well enough. Worth the effort if you get through hundreds.
I have a more maverick approach to gardening, in that I don't label anything; thus get a surprise at what pops up, and then get the added bonus, of trawling through my gardening books, trying to find out what the plants I planted were/are.
(I know. I know... )
Going back to the wooden sticks, lollipop sticks are good (nice excuse to eat ice lollipops, especially those rich chocolatey ones!), a soft lead pencil works best and lasts well - but stuck in a wet pot they will eventually rot away.
I use soft lead pencil on plastic white labels, but the plastic goes brittle after a couple of years. I used to use aluminium labels that you write on with a sharp pointed metal scriber. They last forever but you have to get up close and personal to read them.
I just cut up my old plastic milk containers into strips, then use a permanent black marker pen to write the name on, Doesn't cost a penny and are reusable!!
Well us gardeners use our loaves when it comes to thrifty ideas in the garden , if anyone has any more ideas about anything that costs less than buying the expensive alternative in anything to do with the garden, it will be much appreciated all round. x
Aldi have white plastic labels 99p for 50 which i thought was reasonable value. Got 3 packs but i think that is total overkill now i'm home. Had to resist the urge for another mini greenhouse mind, for sale for £30 which seemed pretty good value. As this is my first year at growing anything i should really see how i get on first lol
Chickey, I stocked up at Aldi today too, they are good big labels aren't they? It won't be overkill, by the way, labels disappear like odd socks!
No such thing as overkill on labels, what you don't lose, the weather make brittle, the blackbirds move, will become incomprehensible over time - and yu will plant new and different things. Stock up while you can.
I manage to get some good bargains from Wilko's at the end of the season, whenever that is ! Bags of composts for the following spring, gong for 25 to 50 pence, BIG 'uns too ! If one has storage space, the autumn is a bargain basement dream come true! All sorts of spontaneous cheapo's !