Label Pen - Recommendation

[Ray]

I am a firm believer in either laser-printed or Brother P-Touch labels for my plants, but a lot of us like to hand-write stuff like dates of flowering or repotting, bloom stats, etc., on them.

I used to be able to get "Pilot Photographic Pens" (intended to write on prints) for a couple bucks each, and they were better even than the Sharpie Industrial markers. Unfortunately, they are no longer manufactured.

I contacted Pilot, and they sent me some samples of an "art pen" - labeled as "Pilot ultra fine point permanent type NO XYLENE SCA-UF". I wrote on a plastic label, and stuck it out in direct exposure to all-day sun and whatever Mother nature dumps on it.

After 3 months, I see absolutely no fading from the black ink. (The green was mostly gone in 3 weeks.)

 

[Linus_Cello]

Thanks for the tip Ray. At last Monday's NCOS meeting, Clark Riley put in a plug for your laser-printed labels. He also recommended pencil along with ink for handwriting.

 

[NYEric]

The best pen for labels is a #2 pencil!

 

[Shiva]

Thanks for the tip, Ray.

 

[nikv]

I tend to use a Sharpie to write on the label. And then I place a second blank label over it and place the two of them together in the pot. That way, I know the sun won't fade the written label. I go through twice as many labels, but I'd rather not have any faded and unreadable labels for my plants.

 

[chrismende]

Cool. I still just use pencil for those uses. I'll give it a try.

 

[Ruth]

The best pen for labels is a #2 pencil!

Totally agree!

 

[jtrmd]

#2 pencil and sharpie over top if I am in the mood.

 

[likespaphs]

The best pen for labels is a #2 pencil!

Totally agree!

i do too!

 

[Ozpaph]

dymo printer place stabilized plastic ribbon.

 

[Ray]

The best pen for labels is a #2 pencil!

...except it can smear.

 

[phrag guy]

these are the best pensils I have found over the years- Sanford. Design' Ebony # 14420

 

[orcoholic]

over 20 years using a 5mm pencil with hb lead. Never lost a letter. Can't say the same for the plants.

 

[Yoyo_Jo]

Sharpie now has oil-based "Paint" pens. I use them for labelling plants in my garden. Lasts far longer than regular Sharpies.

 

[Bob in Albany N.Y.]

I use a pencil on my labels but also have all of my plants labeled by # that is also put on the label as wll as in a log. Then I use a pilot gold marker with an extra fine point to write the # on my pots. I assume that the silver ones would work just as good. This works great on dark pots but not so well on the clear ones. This way when I lose a label I can still locate the identy and write a new label.

 

[keithrs]

I use wax pencils on the pot.... I'm too cheap to buy labels for pots!!! LOL

Thanks for the tip Ray! I'll keep an eye out for them for the plants I do use labels on.

 

[Ray]

I use wax pencils on the pot.... I'm too cheap to buy labels for pots!!! LOL

...and when a storm / child / animal knocks them over and out of the pot?

 

[KyushuCalanthe]

over 20 years using a 5mm pencil with hb lead. Never lost a letter. Can't say the same for the plants.

Now that is funny :rollhappy: I don't even want to consider counting all the labels of, ah, parted friends...

I have a real problem with fade in this hot, wet climate, particularly with labels in the sun.

 

[keithrs]

...and when a storm / child / animal knocks them over and out of the pot?

You put it back in the pot! oke:

Same can be said for labels....

 

[SlipperFan]

You put it back in the pot! oke:

Same can be said for labels....

I suspect labels are easier to lose than are pots. But it's more difficult to pick up a pot to read the name than to pull out a label and put it back...