Cheap Tags for Irises

If I had a business or an open garden, I would try to invest is really nice iris markers. However, I don't. I have tried everything I can think of...tongue drepressors, window blinds, plastic stakes with all kinds of different markers and paints...to keep my irises labeled and invariably i could be found in the garden in the middle of winter with snow on the ground, relabeling.
Then I remembered I had these left over from when I was teaching and decided to try them. They have worked very well...so far after 1 yr, I have not had to replace any. They make me happy because not only have they kept my irises labeled, they are cheap. Usually 500 for less than 30.00. My kind of price!
I bought a roll of heavy guage wire, cut it into pieces, bent the pieces into 'U' shapes, and wrapped the ends of the tags ...one end on each side...around the wire. Then I ran the ends of the wire down into the ground. I cut my wire about a foot or more long so the ends to stick in the ground are about 6-8 inches long on both sides. Has worked for me.
I did have a couple of tags get all wrinkled under the snow last winter but I could still read them. Cheap enout to just replace them.
I was reading recently about doing a similar tag with copper then putting paint into the name impressions so the labels could be read easier. I might try that later when I have time.
Just in case anyone wants to check it out, here is the address.
Deb

http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/drilldown_pages/view_category.asp?cat=128