I've used a paint marker in the past (I forget the make sorry) which worked well until the pen was about a year old, then I found when you "pump" the nib to get paint out it just floods out in a big mess!
If anyone can recommend a paint one that doesn't do this, I'd be all ears!
I've ordered two pencils through the link recommended by pansy above. One black one green (to try out if the colours are hardier than the black). I think the only way to be sure is to try them. I'll get some pens too. I will do some rubbing lightly with salt, for coastal conditions, and leaving in the sun and the freezer with a few samples to start off. I'm thinking some secondary labelling system might help, but I'm still puzzling over a system, but I'll let everyone know what I find out.
I find laundry marker pens work well. In fact, the writing lasts so long and won't rub out, I can't re-use the labels . For pricked-out seedlings etc, when there are lots to go into trays, I have bought a cheap packet of coloured plastic straws, putting different colours into the trays for various plants, and keeping a note of the colours in a notebook - if you know what I mean .
Thanks Poly-anthus and Busy-lizzie, I'm looking into the laundry marker options.
The straws could be good too. I used to use lots of colour coding for organising myself at college, so something like that would fit my way of working well.
I tend to use a pencil too. Like Poly-anthus I have used, not straws, but plant label sized strips of plastic cut from food containers. It really helps when there's not enough room on a label to write the colour as well.
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I've used a paint marker in the past (I forget the make sorry) which worked well until the pen was about a year old, then I found when you "pump" the nib to get paint out it just floods out in a big mess!
If anyone can recommend a paint one that doesn't do this, I'd be all ears!
pencils work well
I've ordered two pencils through the link recommended by pansy above. One black one green (to try out if the colours are hardier than the black). I think the only way to be sure is to try them. I'll get some pens too. I will do some rubbing lightly with salt, for coastal conditions, and leaving in the sun and the freezer with a few samples to start off. I'm thinking some secondary labelling system might help, but I'm still puzzling over a system, but I'll let everyone know what I find out.
I find laundry marker pens work well. In fact, the writing lasts so long and won't rub out, I can't re-use the labels
. For pricked-out seedlings etc, when there are lots to go into trays, I have bought a cheap packet of coloured plastic straws, putting different colours into the trays for various plants, and keeping a note of the colours in a notebook - if you know what I mean 
.
Thanks Poly-anthus and Busy-lizzie, I'm looking into the laundry marker options.
The straws could be good too. I used to use lots of colour coding for organising myself at college, so something like that would fit my way of working well.
I tend to use a pencil too. Like Poly-anthus I have used, not straws, but plant label sized strips of plastic cut from food containers. It really helps when there's not enough room on a label to write the colour as well.
What we all really need is a system like microchips for pets, for plants. Then we could put in all the info we want and then just read it off!
Quick BCD. Phone the patent office and wave at us from the Dragons' Den!!!
Kangaroo vine!
Going to try laundry markers and straws!