The Tropical Fruit Forum
Tropical Fruit => Tropical Fruit Discussion => Topic started by: happyisland on August 02, 2012, 09:00:04 PM
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I'd like to have some visual marker as to which trees are which, both to remind myself and to help other people know what's going on in my yard. Does anyone out there have an attractive solution? I know some of you guys have hundreds of trees - what is your approach to keeping things organized?
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Hi,
here is what I use:
(http://s15.postimage.org/xutc41azr/plant_tags.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/xutc41azr/)
Then I keep an inventory on my computer for all the numbers. I never have to write a single label and I don't have to worry about fading of the text. And if a plant die then I can reuse the same label without any hassle.
Tomas
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Tomas,
Great idea! Where do you get the set of numbered tags?
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Hello Har,
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/drilldown_pages/view_category.asp?cat=128 (http://www.forestry-suppliers.com/drilldown_pages/view_category.asp?cat=128)
They are called "Round Numbered Tags" and they have numbers up to 10,000. I should also mention that I use insulated twisted copper wire to hang the labels with. They last forever and they don't cut into the stem like a naked wire does.
Tomas
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Cool solution, tomas! I currently have a version of that, a list in my computer that just describes where everything is, like "pickering mango, planted by the driveway, closest to the street"...
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Thomas, too cool i have been thinking along that same line for my trees but don't know how the Alum.-tags would hold up to salt air. I'm about two miles inland on central coast of Ca. How are your tags holding up and how long have you had them!
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Hi Scott,
They haven't eroded anything yet. But I have only had them for no more than 2 years. I live just a few miles from the ocean myself.
Tomas
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It's best to have both a map as well as labels on the trees. Labels can get lost, vandalized, or disappear, so map provides a good back up. I like Tomas' idea of embossed metal labels, but i would want to have more than just a number on the latel. It would be great to have the cultivar name, and maybe date planted. If you have only a few plants numbers would be enough, but if you have hundreds you're not going to remember what number 596 corresponds to. Or you would have to have the key with you also at all times, which also defeats the purpose of having labels. Some plants are kind of tricky to attach a label to, like bananas, and pineapples. The best all around would be to have the label on a stake with a sign. Kind of like is used in arboretums. But this gets kind of expensive to do lots that way.
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Great timing as I was just going to ask a question on this. I do think the numbers will work fine. They could always be attached to a stake for bananas or pineapples. I tend to "know" my plants eventually. It in the early days if a label fades, it is a problem. For items that may take years to fruit, I need durable labels and for me if it means a number only, it certainly doesn't defeat the purpose. 596 corresponds to a Maha Chanok Nw seedling secured from harry. (kidding).
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Whatever works for you is the best. In my case numbers don't work. Most of my plants are in rows, the rows already are numbered, so very easy to find them on a map. Putting a number on individual plants doesn't really help me.
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Cool idea with the tags, I was thinking of making a list of the mangoes with rows as letters and number for the position, B-4 would be the 4th mango on the second row, this would be ok if you had a plantation type layout because nothing would have to be tagged, only listed somewhere. but for a non linear like a back yard, tags would be the best way.
I guess is someone wanted to get fancy, they could make those little pedestal type things you may see at a botanical garden. probably be nice if you are displaying your trees a lot to people.
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Since I don't have that many trees (fewer than 30) my #1 goal would be to have an 'arboretum-style' naming system that would display the tree's common name on a small stake near the trunk. Does anyone out there have anything like this for trees or for their garden?
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Making aluminium plant labels from a drink can (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5BqXnGMmh4#)
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The dedicated plastic plant tags with permanent ink take years to wear off.I have to scrub them with turpentine and the writing still doesn't come off properly.There are a few styles of aluminium tags that you scratch the name on.I have seen the rounded edge ones that are a little bendy and take a scratch well in packets.
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I need to do something like this with my trees. Currently I have a tree map but its kind of a PITA to keep current.
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Another way to label these round tags, or any other shape of thin flat metals is to use an alphabet set of hand stamps/punches. Using a hammer and the letter punches, one can just stamp in the name. Doesn't take long and will last almost forever. Can place around trunk or branch using a sturdy wire such as fishing leader and crimping wire in place. A number set of stamps/punches is also available if one wishes to use a combination of letters and numbers. I also like to use a bingo card style system when laying out an orchard. Letters A-Z for the rows and 1- thru how many trees within each row.
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(http://s17.postimage.org/41phz2hqj/DSCF4997.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/41phz2hqj/)
The right tags and permanent marker can keep you out of ID strife.
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Soft-strap plastic tags written on the rough side with an artist's black soft pencil, and hung on a shaded part of a tree, will be legible for half a dozen years--- until brittle enough for the birds to yank off for nest making.
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I found a way to label and recycle. It does require trash picking, but I am ok with that!
Whenever we see people throwing out window blinds, we pick them up.
The vertical ones are/were made out of a very hard plastic. Lasts for years. We cut it to size, drill a whole in it for a hanger and then use a zip-tie to hang it.
We mark them using a paint pen from Walmart (in the craft section).
(http://s14.postimage.org/89bgolm19/IMG_0196.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/89bgolm19/)
For smaller plants, potted plants or seedlings, we use the horizontal blinds. They are a thinner plastic, but still durable.
(http://s15.postimage.org/7x9sngo1z/IMG_0197.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/7x9sngo1z/)
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I use aluminum tags like these. http://www.amekron.com/ (http://www.amekron.com/)
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I use aluminum tags like these. http://www.amekron.com/ (http://www.amekron.com/)
I used tags like that when i first started out. Was a big mistake! Don't know if it was the same brand or not, but the wires that came with the tags rusted out and the tags fell off. So i had to go back through and retie all the tags with stainless steel wire. Then the tags being too thin over time get crumpled and wrinkled and pretty much become ilegible. I think they are ok for about 5 years and then rapidly degrade after that. It's better in my opinion to use a thicker metal and an embossing tool. For trees you need to think of something that will last at least 25 years or more.
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I actually sell the Amekron tags on eBay. They are great for identifying potted plants, young unground trees, etc. not the best for past 5 years, as Oscar said, but very easy to use. They indent with a pencil or ballpoint pen, so you don't have to worry about ink fading as with some homemade tags.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/270617549007 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/270617549007)
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Thanks for starting this thread, David :)
This will be most useful indeed ;)
A friend taught me a nifty low cost way of making tags with aluminium drink cans and using a nail to write the trees names. 8)
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I'd like to have some visual marker as to which trees are which, both to remind myself and to help other people know what's going on in my yard. Does anyone out there have an attractive solution? I know some of you guys have hundreds of trees - what is your approach to keeping things organized?
The ideas here got me thinking and I am going to be labeling my trees and keeping a record on computer backed up by "cloud" via sugar sync (free 5gb on line backup) which I do other important records
My distillation is get aluminum and tie it to tree with insulated copper wire. Bare copper wire will erode due to contact with aluminum. The wire's insulation may breakdown and fall off in 5 years due to sunlight...so need replacement. But aluminum tags have very good durability and non-erosion
- Aluminum is all over. What I have on hand to use as tags are
- sardine tin...can be cut into 4 tags
- aluminum flashing
- aluminum chaffing and baking dish. These are nice and thick, thicker than aluminum foil. You can cut tags out of these though you should double them up for your tag. Use two layers
- aluminum soda and beer cans..... need to double them up too (jf-whisper's idea)
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At Fairchild gardens, they wrapped the wire used for tags in a coil like a spring, so that it could expand as the tree grows. They had permanent aluminium tags that were extra thick.
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Thank you for bringing up this topic. I have now too many plants to remember them all. The plastic plant markers in the south Florida sun break down in one season or less. I like the aluminum tags, but don't really want to spend that much money. The soda can idea looks perfect...but I am afraid the edges would be sharp and slice up my fingers. What tool do you use to cut up the cans? How sharp are the edges? Is anyone actually using this method?
Erica
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Thanks for starting this thread, David :)
This will be most useful indeed ;)
A friend taught me a nifty low cost way of making tags with aluminium drink cans and using a nail to write the trees names. 8)
Steven, like i pointed out in my previous message above, the thin aluminum lasts about 5 years and then becomes wrinkled and illegible. Most trees (hopefully) last longer than 5 years, so i find this type of labeling for trees is not good.
Zands, no need to use copper, or insulated wire. You can buy a small roll of stainless steel wire for very cheap at any hardware store. No reaction with the aluminum or any other metal. Mr. Clean, that is a good idea to tie the wire onto the tree in a way that the branch can continue to grow without girdling it.
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While there are fruit lovers everwhere copper tags are less common.At 18c each compared to 6c for the plastic ones they are quite expensive as well.
(http://s9.postimage.org/6au1l9s0b/DSCF5003.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/6au1l9s0b/)
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Thank you for bringing up this topic. I have now too many plants to remember them all. The plastic plant markers in the south Florida sun break down in one season or less. I like the aluminum tags, but don't really want to spend that much money. The soda can idea looks perfect...but I am afraid the edges would be sharp and slice up my fingers. What tool do you use to cut up the cans? How sharp are the edges? Is anyone actually using this method?
Erica
You can use an old scissors to cut up aluminum soda cans. It will dull the scissors after you cut up a bunch so use a scissors you don't mind abuisng
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Steven, like i pointed out in my previous message above, the thin aluminum lasts about 5 years and then becomes wrinkled and illegible. Most trees (hopefully) last longer than 5 years, so i find this type of labeling for trees is not good.
Zands, no need to use copper, or insulated wire. You can buy a small roll of stainless steel wire for very cheap at any hardware store. No reaction with the aluminum or any other metal. Mr. Clean, that is a good idea to tie the wire onto the tree in a way that the branch can continue to grow without girdling it.
Thanks on the SS wire. Better than insulated copper because it is thinner. So can poke a smaller hole in the aluminium
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I got these stainless steel dog tags from Amazon and punched the names in them with a metal letter punch. Hopefully they last a long time, I'll be attaching them with stainless or coated wire.
(http://s14.postimage.org/nmql2swst/IMG_0538.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/nmql2swst/)
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I got these stainless steel dog tags from Amazon and punched the names in them with a metal letter punch. Hopefully they last a long time, I'll be attaching them with stainless or coated wire.
That looks good! Should last well over 20 years. You might want to punch in date of planting? Looks like you have plenty of room on the tag to do so.
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I got these stainless steel dog tags from Amazon and punched the names in them with a metal letter punch. Hopefully they last a long time, I'll be attaching them with stainless or coated wire.
(http://s14.postimage.org/nmql2swst/IMG_0538.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/nmql2swst/)
That's a great idea. I like those. That may be the way to go when it comes to long lasting labels.
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I got these stainless steel dog tags from Amazon and punched the names in them with a metal letter punch. Hopefully they last a long time, I'll be attaching them with stainless or coated wire.
(http://s14.postimage.org/nmql2swst/IMG_0538.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/nmql2swst/)
KONA, my dog tags are not as readable as yours. What size "punch" do you use? Also, what do you use as a backing when you punch the tags?
Thanks.
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Here in the south florida sun, permanent ink on plastic is faded within a year. Pencil lasts much longer. Brown thrashers like to make nests with the pot stickers though.
The dedicated plastic plant tags with permanent ink take years to wear off.I have to scrub them with turpentine and the writing still doesn't come off properly.There are a few styles of aluminium tags that you scratch the name on.I have seen the rounded edge ones that are a little bendy and take a scratch well in packets.
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I still occasionally use the soft aluminum tags that can be easily written on by indenting with a ball point pen. These do oxidize and fall off after two or three years. It is likely that birds collect these also. They sure do disappear.
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KONA, my dog tags are not as readable as yours. What size "punch" do you use? Also, what do you use as a backing when you punch the tags?
Thanks.
I think the letters are about 1/8" or 5/32". I used concrete as a backing to punch it on, I tried wood and it did not come out. There was a few marks left on the concrete so use something that you do not mind damaging.
Thanks,
Jason
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Here in the south florida sun, permanent ink on plastic is faded within a year. Pencil lasts much longer. Brown thrashers like to make nests with the pot stickers though.
I found same to be true here. My recent earth shaking discovery is that the markings on the labels last a whole lot longer if i just push them further into the pot and into the soil so that the sun doesn't hit the marked part. Took me many years and a college degree to figure that out. ;)
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HAHAHAH Yah, didn't think of that. Nowadays I have to push them into the pot to prevent the brown thrashers from pilfering them anyhow. Ohh well, pencil is cheaper :-).
Here in the south florida sun, permanent ink on plastic is faded within a year. Pencil lasts much longer. Brown thrashers like to make nests with the pot stickers though.
I found same to be true here. My recent earth shaking discovery is that the markings on the labels last a whole lot longer if i just push them further into the pot and into the soil so that the sun doesn't hit the marked part. Took me many years and a college degree to figure that out. ;)
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(http://s9.postimage.org/qpb518itn/dymo.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/qpb518itn/)
I think this is the solution for pro's.
This Dymo labelwriter can do metal labels.
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(http://s9.postimage.org/qpb518itn/dymo.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/qpb518itn/)
I think this is the solution for pro's.
This Dymo labelwriter can do metal labels.
Maybe a pro who has less than 10 labels to make. :P Seriously, that has to be painfully slow for someone labelling hundreds.
I'm happy with a sharpened nail and some cheap aluminium; either from the local print shop or roof flashing.
John
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Well in that case you need to use an automated system i guess. A printer that can print on steel with a laserbeam or something like that. In the mall here they make keyhangers with your photo on it with a laser.
Or maybe an etch-pen filled with acid will do the job on copper labels.
I also have the labelproblem because the markers don't last more then 2-3 years. Also the plastic labels degrade to fast.
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I got these stainless steel dog tags from Amazon and punched the names in them with a metal letter punch. Hopefully they last a long time, I'll be attaching them with stainless or coated wire.
(http://s14.postimage.org/nmql2swst/IMG_0538.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/nmql2swst/)
My friend uses these metal letter punches in a home-made channel press and then when they are fixed in place, presses all of the letters simultaneously. He will do a hundred or so before he rearranges the letters.
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(http://s9.postimage.org/qpb518itn/dymo.jpg) (http://postimage.org/image/qpb518itn/)
I think this is the solution for pro's.
This Dymo labelwriter can do metal labels.
Maybe a pro who has less than 10 labels to make. :P Seriously, that has to be painfully slow for someone labelling hundreds.
I'm happy with a sharpened nail and some cheap aluminium; either from the local print shop or roof flashing.
John
John, as i posted previously, the method you suggest of scratching name on to cheap aluminum will not last more than 5 or so years...not very useful on trees that live 25 years and much more. Unless you are willing to replace the labels periodically.
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John, as i posted previously, the method you suggest of scratching name on to cheap aluminum will not last more than 5 or so years...not very useful on trees that live 25 years and much more. Unless you are willing to replace the labels periodically.
I'm just saying a metal stamping system that does only one letter at a time, and one label at a time, will be very slow. I'm okay with replacing some labels in 3-5 years. Scratching aluminium with a sharp nail lasts longer than 'permanent' marking pens on plastic.
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I saw a woman in Vegas area on John Kohler's youtube page one time. She is known as the tomato lady in NV. She used metal flashing like they use for roofing. She cut into thin (say 3 inches wide) rectangular strips and folded in half at 90 degree angle like a bookend. Then, she used landscaping staples to anchor the signs into the mulch below and used paint pens to label them. Won't fade or wash away but not easy to reuse.
Growing Food in the Desert - Winter Vegetable Garden in Las Vegas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UYv7xkc1DsY#) it is at the end...around 9:10 or so.
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The aluminum roof flashing is exactly what I've been using, but I do now prefer using cut-up soft drink and beer cans. The metal is softer so the writing utensil indents more than scratches, making longer-lasting labels.
John
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Just a word of caution since we are talking lasting many, many years. On our sailboat we are very aware of the galvanic corrosion between stainless steel and aluminum. Using SS screws in the aluminum mast, for example, in the marine environment, leads to definite corrosive effects and potential failures in the rigging. SS/SS or alum/aluminum would be preferable.
http://corrosion.ksc.nasa.gov/galcorr.htm (http://corrosion.ksc.nasa.gov/galcorr.htm)
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what about white rocks written with pencil for known varieties or if you several of the same genus.
species that cannot be confused don't need it?
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After years of trying several materials and system, I use now only stainless steel labels. Size 75 x 35 mm. Ordered some 500 to a metalworkshop with a laser cutting machine. Welding wire of diameter 1mm or 0.6mm to fix. Also some left overs from stainless cables can do the job, when split into reasonable thickness.
The text is stamped with a set of ABC letters from 3 mm height and nowadays also sometimes 4mm to highlight capitals. I have also 3 and 4 mm numbers.
With small trees I hang simple with a loop the label on a branch or stake (also for bushes) That the wood grows over the wire is no problem as long as it is stainless.
When trees are older I drive the u hook into the bark with an old screwdriver. Later on it overgrows nicely and the wire sticks beautifully out, with the hanging label.
Hereby some just made new ones:
Leo
(http://s14.postimg.cc/odm2sxr8t/Stainless_Steel_Labels.jpg) (http://postimg.cc/image/odm2sxr8t/)
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After years of trying several materials and system, I use now only stainless steel labels. Size 75 x 35 mm. Ordered some 500 to a metalworkshop with a laser cutting machine. Welding wire of diameter 1mm or 0.6mm to fix. Also some left overs from stainless cables can do the job, when split into reasonable thickness.
The text is stamped with a set of ABC letters from 3 mm height and nowadays also sometimes 4mm to highlight capitals. I have also 3 and 4 mm numbers.
With small trees I hang simple with a loop the label on a branch or stake (also for bushes) That the wood grows over the wire is no problem as long as it is stainless.
When trees are older I drive the u hook into the bark with an old screwdriver. Later on it overgrows nicely and the wire sticks beautifully out, with the hanging label.
Hereby some just made new ones:
Leo
(http://s14.postimg.cc/odm2sxr8t/Stainless_Steel_Labels.jpg) (http://postimg.cc/image/odm2sxr8t/)
This looks great. How much did you pay per label?
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This Dymo labelwriter can do metal labels.
I have a Dymo labelwriter quite similar to the one pictured. It does not do a good job on strips of aluminium cans. The plastic embossing wheel does not emboss well on aluminium.
I am looking for a metal embossing system or metal letter punch. Any suggestions on models and aprox price ?
mangaba
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No association, just thought these looked good and thought may would like to know of this new option.
https://signsfortropicals.com/ (https://signsfortropicals.com/)
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I just use white plastic "T stake" plant markers and write on them with a paint pen. On one side I print the common name, on the other I put the botanical name.
Each plant also has an aluminum tag with a code that includes year, plant #, material type (seed, plant, cutting etc), source (collected in the wild, fruit stand, nursery etc), and its assigned acession number. Abbreviations, of course, and those soft tags you engrave with a ballpoint pen.
I have about 150 trees.
Carolyn
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My caveat to this thread is that all my plants are container plants, though the majority of the year, those plants (and their associated plant labels) are outside in the weather.
I use aluminum from drink cans for my plant labels. It is not so thick that it cannot be embossed into but is thick enough that it will withstand wear. I cut the top and bottom off the can, then unroll and flatten the side. I use an empty ballpoint pen (empty because I do not want ink getting all over the place) and place the aluminum on a surface with some give, not a hard surface. On my labels, I write the scientific name, common name or names, date I acquired the plant or seed, and who I acquired it from. I engrave this information lightly with my first pass, then do a second pass to engrave everything more forcefully. It takes a little bit of time and hand strength to do this, but not as much of either as you might think.
Here is what one of those labels looks like. Note that I cut off the corners to make them safer to handle.
(https://i.postimg.cc/G8ztRFGs/Plant-Label-1-Unmounted.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/G8ztRFGs)
I place them in my plants in a variety of ways. The most common and easiest is to use a thick piece of aluminum wire. I make a loop at the top for the label to go on and then stick it down into the pot. The wire needs to be long enough to anchor itself down in the pot and of a thick enough gauge not to bend too easily. I always use aluminum wire for my aluminum tags to prevent any galvanic corrosion, which would reduce the lifespan of the tags.
(https://i.postimg.cc/HVFxTsc3/Plant-Label-5-Aluminum-Wire.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/HVFxTsc3)
Sometimes, I make small cedar posts for the tags to go on. Cedar is very rot resistant, but it will rot eventually, so this is not the most permanent post material.
(https://i.postimg.cc/1f8XxNtf/Plant-Label-2-Cedar-Post.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/1f8XxNtf)
Other times, I use other forms of aluminum. This post was made out of an aluminum storm window.
(https://i.postimg.cc/6T5T0PxV/Plant-Label-3-Aluminum-Post.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/6T5T0PxV)
This shows what my plant labels and posts look like after several years of use. This is one of the first of these I made, back in 2020. I was still figuring things out, so it is not the best label. Although I did not photograph the back of the label, after a couple of years, whatever drink advertising that is on the reverse will fade away in the sun and become pretty much unnoticeable.
(https://i.postimg.cc/dDH3S9Jb/Plant-Label-4-Aluminum-Post-Aged.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/dDH3S9Jb)
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No association, just thought these looked good and thought may would like to know of this new option.
https://signsfortropicals.com/ (https://signsfortropicals.com/)
Thanks for posting the link, Oceanus. I am the one doing these engraved signs and they are engraved on a marine grade material that has been used in the marine and other industries for over 20 years. It is also thicker than many, being 1/4" thick material. While I had been concentrating on the larger staked signs, I have also started engraving smaller oval hanging identification signs that can have one or two holes for attachment purposes.
If anyone from Tropical Fruit Forum is interested in any of my signs, just contact me for special pricing letting me know you are a member of the forum.
Here are a few pics of the oval signs.
(https://i.postimg.cc/62MhwgBX/Dragonfruitsamplesigns.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/62MhwgBX)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Lgh3sDsZ/IMG-2950.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Lgh3sDsZ)
(https://i.postimg.cc/V5NR4fFL/IMG-3191.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/V5NR4fFL)
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Nice!