All good gardeners know how important it is to label your plants, and how frustrating it is when you don’t. It’s amazing how quickly you can forget what on earth you sowed in that seed tray, or planted in that border, unless a handy label is nearby to give you all the information you need. Even the names of shrubs and trees and Hostas can be lost in the mists of time unless you label them correctly.
Over time, we have lost labels through animals, children unappreciative friends, and hired workers, that have pulled out or destroyed plant stakes or labels. We will try and compensate for this during the blog.
From the disposable to the permanent, the low-cost to the more costly, plant labels come in all prices and materials. Choosing the right type for the right job will make your life so much easier and can even add natural beauty to your garden. The UV radiation will take it’s toll on all of your pens & labels eventually.
Here at Rewela Hostas we use a simple 4” rigid plastic label, handwritten with a permanent marker pen such as Staedtler permanent lumocolor pens. These are waterproof and generally last for at least one season before needing to be replaced or rewritten.
We will also add a 6” white plastic label but this time with the name printed from a tape cassette, with a handheld Brother P-Touch printer.
You can normally buy a hand-held printer for about £20-£30, with the cassette tapes from about £14 each. Be aware there can be expensive suppliers. We like the P Touch because it is so very easy to use and virtually permanent and rain-proof. You don’t just have to use it in the garden. These labels or at least the printed tape is useful in the kitchen. The tapes are sticky-backed and can be used on any label & most surfaces.
The labels are placed in the ground or pot so we can read them. They tend to last at least 2 years, and in many cases a lot longer. They come in a variety of colours. We tend to use black print on a yellow tape, as we find this combination much easier to read.
We have a small plastic ‘T’ label with the name of the Hosta written on it, by hand, using a BIC marking 2300 permanent marker. We find this works well. It does fade eventually, but it is so easy to rewrite. We use the taller ‘T’ labels for the sales pots, as these are easier for the customer to see as they walk around the nursery.
Of course, you can make your own labels out of plastic yoghurt pots or emptied milk bottles, but you can’t beat labels designed for the purpose.
There are literally hundreds of different labels on the market, that will be suitable for the task. The choice is yours. Spend as much or as little as you want for a label, as long as you are happy, and it does the job. Most important! So! Which combination works best.
Aluminium labels blend in well in the garden and come in all sizes. Write on them with a solid pure graphite. The aluminium has a special surface that is designed to react with the pencil making it permanent after a year (before this time you can rub it off). These will be less offensive to the eye, than say white plastic labels.
Many plastic plant labels become brittle and snap when left out in the elements. Who hasn’t come across half a plastic label when digging in the garden. But these black labels made from 90% recycled plastic are rigid and stronger so should last for a good few years. They are ideal for the border, large pots or the Hosta garden since they blend in nicely but are large enough to read easily. Buy with a silver pen for a classy look and waterproof letters that can removed with white spirit or methylated spirit if you want to reuse them. They come in a pack of 20. Not a cheap alternative but so lovely.
Slate labels are great looking in the garden, and you can get reconstituted slate too. Write on these with a white acrylic pen. Mid-range to expensive.
Softwood wooden labels sadly don’t last very well. However, there are some that are made from Oak or Bamboo that will last a little longer. These can come in a variety of shapes & sizes. A graphite pencil or even a permanent marker to write on these. Mid-range to expensive.
Copper labels set on wire are very permanent. They come with a set of stamps for the whole alphabet. You use the stamps to create the name. They look great in the garden. At the costly end of the market, but if you are not doing many labels, perhaps worth it.
T shaped labels come in black or white as well as many other colours. They are a semi-permanent solution to labelling. Write on them with marker pens, black onto white labels & White pen on black labels. They will usually last a year before needing to be rewritten but are at the less costly end of the market. We tend to use these as they are easy to read in the garden, and the permanent marker will last for a year.
For a very temporary label try blackboard labels and chalk. This can be wiped off when finished with. However, often needs rewriting after being washed off with the rain or watering. They do have the option of using a white oil-based marker pencil which can be removed with white spirit for re-use. Middle of the market for cost.
Each gardener will probably have tried several pens and labels and have already made up their mind which is their favourites, and the one they will stick to. All I can say is that there is a massive choice of both pens and labels to choose from. Find a combination that you like.
To supplement your labelling system, how about doing a small plan or map of each of your Hosta beds. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. It can be hand-written and easily altered should the need arise. Why don’t you read our October 2024 newsletter for much more on ‘mapping’ your garden. All you will need to do is subscribe to our mailing list to receive our monthly newsletter.
If that wasn’t enough for you, there is something else you can do. With good quality camera phone, and digital storage, you can photograph both the whole border and the individual Hostas and store them digitally. It’s so easy. It’s so much fun.
Before the foliage dies down, make a note on paper, or get your exercise book out, now, before your Hostas go over, just to ensure you have all your Hostas noted as to where they are. You can do your proper mapping & labelling during the cold, wet winter days.
Now you have no excuses for losing a Hostas name. It doesn’t matter how computer savvy you are or not in many cases, you can still record your babies with pen and paper. We keep paper records as well as digital ones, just because we can.
To learn more about Hostas, you may interested in reading : Grow and Maintain Hostas In Containers, Benefits of Companion Plants, What Are the Common Mistakes to Avoid When Growing Hostas?, Ways to Protect Your Hostas from Slugs and Snails and "Uncovering the Advantages of Bare Root Hostas:
Shop for Hostas HERE
John Plant
Rewela Hostas
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