I would be interested to know just what information everyone puts on their labels?!?!
Does anyone include the hybridizers' names and awards won, or anything like that?
I've been putting just the name, but was thinking of including more with this new batch of labels I'll be printint up.
We print name, class, hybridizer & intro date.
Class first and then name. I was putting all the other info on the back, but kept pulling the tags up so often, the legs would get bent.
Now I have all that info on printed sheets, which I have in plastic protectors in a notebook that I can take to the garden, and set on a table to refer to. Plus on the computer and note cards.
I purchased my tags from EON, and got the colored ones, which I just love. Dark blue is for siberians, green for the water loving irises, brown for the bearded. Since I have them mixed in rows it makes it so much easier to find a plant.
I'm just a grower but I put the name, the date I planted it and who I got it from (my contacts here on Dave's Garden). I want to see how many years ago I got it so I can see how well it is growing and I really want to relate to whoever gave it to me as I admire how beautiful it is. The other information I keep in my book with the pictures I take. I don't need that info when I'm looking at the garden.
I print name, class, hybridizer & intro date. I like the hybridizer on the label, so if I see several that aren't growing well for me from the same person I know to steer away from that hybridizer's iris. On the other hand, if I keep seeing that my favorites are by one or two hybridizers, it reminds me to go online and see what else they have.
name and hybridizer but this is for a commercial bed
D
kay what is the name of your garden?
commercial?
Hobbiest?
D
Thanks everyone! I'm definitely going to change my labels. I keep all the info in files in my computer, so it will be easy to gather. Class, year registered, hybridizer and Name.
I like your idea Kay, of putting where/who they came from and when they were first planted. I have some narrow tape I could put that info on the back of the labels. It will be fun showing the pictures and actually remembering who gave them to me. Sure can't depend on my memory any more.
Polly, great idea about the different colored tags. I didn't realize they came in different colors. I'll have to check them out. I have used different colored tape in my label maker to mark certain things that die down to the ground in the winter. That way when I see white print on black tape I'm not tempted to plant something else on top of it thinking it's toast.
All my Daylilies are black print on white tape, and Iris are black print on clear tape.
Dee, I'm just a hobbiest. No name for the garden, I call my home Camelot because my parents lived here, my mother referred to it as Camelot and their last name was Knight. I wish my mother could see the place now with all the flower beds instead of the construction equipment that my dad decorated the yard with. Her favorites were iris and she had a few that I still have.
Kay -- I think your yard is beautiful! Are those red flowers dahlias?
I do the same as you, as far as marking my Irises. My labels show the name of the Iris, where I got it (or who I got it from), and the year that I planted it in my garden. If I want to know hybridizer, awards, etc., that information is available on the internet. When I'm walking down *Iris Lane* -- I want to relate to the flowers, not their history. :-)
I just put a number on the label tag with my iris and then keep a computer listing of other details such as color, name, where i bought it from. I dislike trying to keep all this information in the weather on labels and found that the number system helps me keep better track of what I'm doing. bob
This message was edited Sep 16, 2010 10:56 AM
I find it so interesting to read what everyone does in their gardens. I am only a hobbyist but have a round 200 named TB iris. Always one more I want to buy. Having also such a lot of epis etc , I find that it is so easy for me to just number everything. I keep a computer record of all the info, name, where from etc and a bloom photo. I also keep a notebook for each collection, irises, epis , schlums etc , which I can easily carry around in the garden. The number system works well for me because all the iris are in rows of ten with each row also numbered on a stake at the head of the rows...eg.. 10 , 20, 30 etc. This means if a label goes missing ( helpful magpies) or fades, I still know which number it was.
Jean.
Just got back from a couple of days off. Yes, the red flowers are dahlias. The flowers in the background are perennials but the garden in front is my "special" one because it has my favorites; iris and dahlias. I have a row of "border dahlias" in front of the iris and three rows of tall dahlias behind it. That way I have color after the iris. Most people seem to do day lilies and iris but I chose dahlias. Day lilies start their bloom right after the iris; this gives me a while between to concentrate on cleaning up my iris work ( pictures, and stuff) before the dahlias. Dahlias last until frost also.
av_ocd_girl, I'd love to know what you use to print out your labels! I just ordered metal plant labels, and I'm not sure how I'm going to put the name of the flower on them. I'm really hoping to print them out with something and stick them on the metal plant label, instead of using a pen or pencil to write on the metal. I've heard that the Brother P-Touch Labeler is great. Is that what you use? Any suggestions? I've got snow on the way, and need something that will stick through winter!
The Brother P-Touch Labels will last a very long time. We had one that withstood 10 years in the garden, several which were covered with dirt! When we moved all the iris from bed #2, we found this label. Notice that the tape survived longer than the label itself. I think the main thing is to make very sure you burnish the tape very hard against the label, especially around the edges to seal it completely. They sure work for us, now if we could keep the critters and weather from digging and pushing them up, we'd be happy gardeners. We tried using rocks, but the skunks and raccoons move them around. And last years 63" of snowfall in one month even bent over our metal slats I tried.
Yes, I use the Brother P-Touch label maker. I use the Model 2700-2710. Different models take different width tapes. This model connects to your computer and has more versatility of font and type size.
There are other models that are hand held and can be used right in the garden. I'm sure everyone has their favorite model label maker. You will need to use TZ- indoor/outdoor tape which comes in different sizes and colors. Lasts virtually forever outside.
Here's the Brothers website showing all the options of different labelers: http://www.brother-usa.com/Ptouch/
After deciding which model I wanted I went on ebay and waited for a good deal to show up. I found a $100. machine for around $40.
We find Brothers works fine. I can't tell you model or tape type as DH takes care of it. For temporary markers because of snow try plastic knives & garden mark Ink. We have stepped on metal labels & bent them & sometimes the attachment on the sides of the plate breaks, last longer than the tapes. However the metal is better than plastic.
Thanks so much to everyone for the great information on the printing of labels! It was a huge help!
I shopped online for Brother label makers, and decided on the PT-1090, basically because it's on sale at a couple of places, and does everything I need. It also comes with plenty of laminated tape to get me started! The list price was $34.99, but it is on sale at Staple's for $15! It's also on sale at Office Max for $20, and they price matched it for me so that I got it for $15! The sales end on 11/6/10, so if you need one of these, you better hurry!
Natalie
This message was edited Nov 3, 2010 7:22 PM
Hope you don't mind if I jump in on your conversation. I lurk around on the iris forum, but don't post a lot. I got the Brother P-Touch 2100 because of the ability to connect to your computer and print from your spreadsheet, but then have never gotten around to doing it! I just found my instruction book last month, when I cleaned off a bookcase to move it, so I'll have to play a bit this winter.
I love the industrial strength/indoor-outdoor labels tape! I started out using Eon garden paint pens on my Eon metal plant labels, and they faded to almost illegible in the course of one year. I re-did a bunch of them with my P-touch, and those labels still look brand new after a couple of years! I even print narrower labels to put on plastic markers for my veggie garden, and am able to re-use them for several years, assuming I do the same varieties again.
Sighing over all the beautiful iris pictures. I'm just dreading winter and snow, and the long, dark wait for things to bloom again. I have such a soft spot for iris. They are one of my mom's favorites, and every spring I could just hardly wait for them to start blooming. The little miniature iris were my favorites, though now I'm a goner for the tall bearded ones.
Angie
If you have the minis they can help your iris fix until the tall beardeds bloom.
I label mine Kay's way, and on p-touch industrial tape on old metal blinds, they last about 3 summers in this climate..I keep a journal on the other information
