Where are folk getting their metal plant tags from?

Where are folk getting their metal plant tags from?

I found this supplier on line but they don't list prices-
http://www.bapequipment.com/cat_9.html

Either B-39A or B-39 should work for me.

I now have a friend make mine on an old railroad label machine, which doesn't help you much. But I used to use a heavy scissors to cut soda/beer cans into strips, and embossed them with a hand stamping set you can buy at hardware stores. You also can use the embossing tools on aluminum or copper flashing cut into strips, or you could try an electric engraver.

Guy S.

Hey Guy, doubtful I will sit down cutting apart pop cans. Never thought of using aluminum or copper flashing but then when I go to places like Home Depot... it's mostly to their outdoor plant garden areas. I can go check out what flashing looks like for the future. The railroad label machine sounds best to me but I'm fresh out of those this week.

Pricing is as follows-

B39-A
has a copper eyelet and the wire is already attached. The cardboard backing is exposed and the elements will destroy it in time.
$89 per thousand

B39
has a hole but no actual eyelet. The tag is crimped to hold the cardboard in place that is sandwiched in the middle of two thin gauge pieces of aluminum.

$68 per thousand

Overall, it appeared the B39 was the better value and that one was paying for the eyelet in the B39-A
shipping costs were $16 because of weight. I called these people at 1-800-561-3600 and ordered a thousand. Now, if I can only write as clearly and distinctly as V V does on his tags, I'll be ready to go this spring.

E, depending on the hardness of the wire tie and the softness of the tag, having the eyelet might make sense esp with the tag wafting about in the breeze: sort of like flashing around a buttonhole. I know you want these for permanant markers so why chance finding your Flown tags under another tree. Ken

The problem is that I originally used surveying flags. Jacob pulled all the pretty surveying flags from the ground and created a sort of "floral" arrangement for me either last year for Mother's Day or the year before- I don't remember which. Regardless, not much you can do other than choke back tears and not gag in the kid's face. I've used the vinyl stakes to denote species but the writing has worn off to the extent I am forced to try to figure out what I wrote by holding the plant stake under a black light. That is a help. Having the eyelet makes perfect sense for the long haul... but then again there is nothing more deadly than a cheap female with a credit card sitting in front of a computer who wants metal plant tags as in yesterday. Shoulda coulda woulda... the story of my life.

One other tip, regardless of the material or the presence/not of eyelets: make sure the wire runs through holes at BOTH ends of the tag, not just through one end, even if you have to punch the second hole yourself. That way the tag will not flop around on the wire and will stay in place much better.

Another idea: don't hang them from wires at all, but screw or nail them to treated wood 2x4 posts. Sink the posts to just above ground level so they won't be in your way or overly conspicuous in your garden photos.

Finally: the cheap foil tags with cardboard backing become deer dental floss. Use something much more substantial.

Guy S.

If I remember correctly, someone said that they have plant name tags made at a local trophy shop. I believe that the tags are made out of brass and will last an eternity. You'd have to check locally to see what it would cost to have these tags made. You might want to search the forums because I think that there was a picture of the tags that were produced.
Mike

Oh great, deer dental floss for $68 plus shipping and handling. Lovely, just lovely.

I'll go check the Trophy shop up in Kenosha and see what they suggest. I have a need for about 1000. My lower lip is quivering right now at the mere thought of what this is going to end up costing me.

Here's something else I'm considering: use radio frequency chips like the ones vets place in dogs. Embed them just under the bark, or in plastic or treated wood blocks barely buried at the base of each tree. Then use a reader to display whatever info you like, programmed into it by your 14-year-old uber-geek kids!

OK, one more: check out some of the options sold by places like United Label Sales -- www.unitedlabel.com.

Guy S.

Too much going on around here to embed a chip. I suppose in the long run it would probably be cheaper for woodies but I dunno about that. Sounds like a nice way for some sort of a freak pathogen to get into my trees and eat them from the inside out or something else equally horrible.

Your link to United Label Sales is failing so I'll go and google them.

I have been very pleased with the metal labels I purchased from Paw Paw Everlast Label Co. You can link to them in the "P" section of DG's Garden Watchdog. Prices are good, too.

Oh oh oh! If their prices are good, you just posted the exact style I was looking for to be able to mark some species of native terrestrial orchids I found here as well as some endangered and threatened wetland species.

I got here so far-
http://www.everlastlabel.com/

Back to checking for prices.

I like style C and E. Quick questions for you. Why do they have to sell replacement zinc plates for permanent plant markers? Next question would be why do they sell special crayons to to go with their products? I was sort of looking for a product that was able to embossed. Am I missing something? They are zinc which means they should be able to be written on with a toothpick if I wanted, right?

I need styles exactly like what you suggested for me. If these can be written on with anything that has a point, I'm buying a hundred of each style.

Thanks for recommending this place.

In years past I ordered the Pawpaw plant markers. I did not use their marking pencils. I don't recall why now. Whatever it was I used faded into nothing. The markers lasted well though and I liked using the wires to pen things down with like my wire cages around my newly planted trees.

When we were moving I still had a couple boxes of these things I had never used. I pitched them. Sorry. I would have given them to you. I no longer have any interest in remembering what I plant any more. :) There was a time when I knew all the Latin names for everything. Now, I just plant, smell and look at everything and love it no matter what it's name is. Ha!! It was nice to have when my garden was on the garden walks. People would like to know what everything was.

If I were doing it again........which I'm not......... :) I would take the time to paint on the name of the plants with a good paint that won't wear off.

Good luck,

Brenda

Say Brenda, thanks for the thoughts.

Tee he, my kids helped me relive some of those childhood delights!

Careful, Guy's in the chocolate again.

Epistolographer:

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

You should've just asked me. You can find the self-same labels as I provided at:

http://www.amleo.com

They have lots of other stuff for gardeners with no self-control, including Carhartts.

As for the rest of the authenticity....practice practice practice.

One slight problem V V- I keep getting internal server error messages every time I try to click on anything. I suppose the fish emulsion fertilizer is in there too somewhere! I am twitching... not that I don't have any self control but... I ccccccan't get in to look at whattt t t they hhhave and the suspense is killing me. I hhhhave mmmy credit card here with me now and I best put it away nightie night as it won't get used this evening. Poor poor credit card.

I got the same thing; probably just some leftover midwest bad weather blown down from IL.

Take two truffles, and call the 800 number in the morning.

Ya, our weather sucks doesn't it!

I ate them all. I hid them under the kitchen sink by the cleaning supplies because I was relatively confident no one would ever go looking there and snuck around plopping the tender morsels in my mouth until they were all gone.

Equilibrium, we've used these 'Impress-O-Tags' http://www.amekron.com/main.html, minimum order one carton (1000 tags) under $100.00 and have been impressed with the quality.

Works this morning; this should take you right to the page.

http://www.amleo.com/index/help-desk/subcat.cgi?Cat=IC&page=3

OAT Aluma Boss Aluminum Tags are the item.

Now that's a talented cat!

Better link for rch48's tags- http://www.amekron.com
scroll down and click to skip the intro. This tag interests me. I called them and asked them to please send one to me to look at.

Oh oh oh, a fool and their money is soon separated! John's link is offering the same tags I just ordered for $68 for only $46.99. This does not exactly give me warm and fuzzy feelings. Good news is that I found the small write on plant tags that I use for carnivorous plants available here in bulk for considerably cheaper than what I have been paying. I'll book mark this thread and order from them next time.

The prices on the tall stake markers that I need are better from CS28557's link so I'm going with his/her supplier.

Thanks all!
Lauren

Lauren, we actually ordered these tags from some other supplier, but I took Amekron's name off the box and searched for them. Better prices to buy direct from Amekron than what we paid - guess we all learn!

I have a friend who grows mainly hostas, and also uses metal markers like those you were looking at from Everlast. They are not indentable(sp), but you could engrave. He uses a Brother P-touch label maker and puts a label on them rather than writing on them. He says it is the only one that is really weatherproof. It seems to me that he uses a special weather resistant tape in the labelmaker, in addition.

I do use the impresso tags. Very simple and easy, although I also make stakes for them.
Advantage: aluminum doesn’t rust(hardly). Disadvantage: aluminum doesn’t rust(hardly). Before you decide I’m a total whacko(again), let me explain:
Think of the shiny mylar tape that people dangle in the wind to scare off birds. Now think of a garden with a dozens of dangling shiny aluminum tags, like twinkling lights on a breezy sunny winter day. Kind of Christmassy all through the cold season, but all that glitter is quite distracting.

Rick

Peaceful Valley Farm Supply (www.groworganic.com) item GP520 worked for me. They are aluminum with twist ties. They have zinc markers, plastic labels and tree stakes and tags too.

Hey Rick, we have an engraving tool. We used it to put our names on bikes and such. The writing doesn't come out the greatest because it vibrates but practice makes perfect and I'm sure after I actually started using it, my writing would be legible.

Hey passiflora_pink, I found that website. They had some neat products there. One problem is that I'm going for a quantity of 1000 so I sort of need bulk packaging and pricing.

My solution was to go to Lowe's and buy a roll of Aluminum tape. I cut it to length (3" in my case) then removed the backing and folded it in half lenthwise. This gives me an aluminum tag of about 7/8" x 3" that can be imprinted using a ballpoint pen....even one that doesn't 'write' any more!
If you like, you could buy floral wire and, by enclosing it in the center, before folding, have a wire for hanging or attaching to a stake.
The tape was about $8 and will make about 500 or so labels, depending on desired length.

For use in pots, I cut mini blinds into 4-6" lengths and cut my 3" strip of tape in half, attaching one peice to the end of the mini-blind peice. When the label needs replaced, I simply put a new strip of tape over the old...

I use mini-blinds too! Love em!

My husband is taking me to Home Depot tomorrow to go find this tape for me that everyone raves about. I'll get with the program. For $8 plus the cost of floral wire, I'm a believer!

We couldn't find the aluminum tape but we did find the flashing. The aluminum flashing was only $3. What do I use to make a little hole for the wire?

A sharp stick (WARNING: Do not apply to eye, nor run in house with same).

A stick will poke right through that? Just like the kind we use to stab apples with in the fall when we dip them in caramel before we roll them in nuts? Please don't tell me it's as simple as using a caramel apple stick. Okie dokie now... I think I'll just toddle along now. Guess I don't need to go back and buy some expensive aluminum hole puncher thingie.

When I cut my blinds, I use the blinds cutter at Home Depot. That way you get the nice rounded end on every tag/label. But the longest you can make is only about 4.5 inches. And that's great for a lot of things.

E:

Aren't you overrun with sharp Rhamnus?

Actually, if it's like the tags I have, the same tool you write on them with would be sufficient to puncture them (an old Bic pen works fine).

A leather punch, pick any hole.

I didn't know Home Depot had a device to cut blinds. I've been using scissors. You learn something new every day.

Rhamnus thorns are too miniscule but a nice Crataegus thorn would probably do quite nicely.

Ken has the right idea -- use a leather punch, or a ticket punch, or a heavy duty paper punch, or anything that will punch out a hole instead of poking through. That way you won't have sharp pieces sticking out the back side to cut your fingers. (And Lord knows, no one wants to have sharp pieces sticking out their backsides!)

Guy S.

Eeek, I started typing and left the screen up to fold a load of laundry and didn't even realize he had posted when I came back and finished typing and pressed send. Sorry Ken... I totally missed your post. I have a paper punch here somewhere but I'm afraid I'm fresh out of leather punches. I'll try a few different ways. I don't like blood, particularly when it is my own dripping out of my finger tips or anywhere else for that matter.