I paint the plant names on stones and spray polyurethane as a protectant. Till I get to the stones, I use a permanent Sharpie and write on a plastic knife. The best way to ID plants is to keep an up to date map on paper.

Embossing on Copper is Easy and Fun. Just cut a little rectangle out and write the plant name on the Copper with an old worn out ball point pen. Use gloves! Fold the Copper over a piece of Cardboard to get smoothe edges. Staple onto a Craft Stick.

You can get a raised effect by tracing your writing on the backside of the Copper. If you are artsey add some little do dahs. Its a fun project to give your kids are grandkids this summer.

how about writing the names on broken clay pot pieces with a sharpee marker?
instead of a map you could also take pictures of the bed, paste them onto paper and write in the plant names on paper...could make a cool scrap book project.

the absolute best marker, last a very long time, barely fades is an Allflex Tag pen. you buy at a feed or livestock supply store, last time i bought one it was about $6 or so, and i beleive they only come in black. It is designed to mark numbers on the ear tags that go into an animals ear. I had ear tags i could still clearly read after more than 10 years...don't get it on anything accidently, it DOES NOT COME OFF!!! I always had to hide them from my family or they would get used for the wrong things! trust me, these are the longest lasting pens you will find.

Another good one is to cut 7" or so mini-blind strips and put sticky-backed aluminum tape on, leaving a couple of inches bare to stick in the soil. Write with ballpoint pen; it won't show color but makes an indentation that doesn't go away. I got 2 sets of miniblinds on freecycle, which should last me for years! The tape runs around $6 for a duct tape size roll. It is made by "Duck". I found it in the tape dept. at Lowes, not the heating/AC dept.

I use a aluminium soda can.. cut top and bottom off.. flatten down.. cut size you want.. use an old pen and write the name on it.. punch a hole in it.. hook to a piece of heavy wire( coat hanger, make a small hook to hold tag) and stick it in the ground.Have some that are 10 years old.

I go with gardenchik.... .as I've never found any markers that are really permanent. Cut the top and bottom out of cans, then cut the cans into strips about 1 and 1/2 inch wide. Turn under about one inch on the long end so you have a double thickness and punch a hole with a regular paper punch. Write with an old ball point using a magazine for a pad. The writing will be indented and will last for years. I use galvanized wire for a stake making a small sheperd's hook to keep the tag on. The only time I ever lose them is when "someone" helps me rake and rakes them out. OH.......almost forgot, my daughter used these and hers were disappearing. Proved to be a mistery solved when she noticed some of her tags up in a tree and later watched as a crow was pulling them out and hiding them up in the tree. LOL I've heard of crows stealing things before and now these! On other tags if you write with regular pencil the writing will last longer than any markers. I'm going to see if I can find the marker that Deee named.

I've had really good luck with the paint pens (black PAINT not ink) I got at walmart in the craft section. I get the metal tags with 3" prong legs from Gemplers, and the paint has stayed on them now for two years.
I tried to use a sharpie on mini blinds and it faded completely in just a couple months.

I am using the paint pens on the mini blinds slats. So far, they have lasted from last fall and are still very readable. I have also used the cans and ball point method which works well.

I have used those ear tag markers for years on the cattle....now why didn't I think of that?????

gld

the ear tag pens work really well for marking your kids basketball that goes to school, your garbage cans, anything....but the tip is kinda fat, and they can be a little runny if not careful. practice. the last pen i bought was over 6 years ago (i sold the farm.....) i have kept the lid on snuggly, and it still works fine.

We use wood shims (buy them in packs) and then write on them w/ Sharpies pens. They're permanent ink, cheap and last a couple of years, at least.

I used juice can lids and sharpies but the marker wore off, and the lids eventually rusted. Very frustrating. The Green House uses the old tried and true grease pens. They NEVER fade or wear away.

Oddly enough, I found PENCIL on miniblinds to last through even a Canadian winter.

Angela

I bought a Brother Label Maker at an office supply store. Not very expensive considering the hundreds of name tags I ran through it. I used to use those alluminum labels attached to two wires that stick in the ground. If I didn't crimp the label section on with pliers, they fell off and walked away, I guess. Then I seemed to be always kicking or stepping on them. So I bought some copper strips from Lee Valley. They come with a copper wire which you can wind around a stem or attach to a metal staple. So far the combination is working good. It sounds like I am going over the top on this but I was so tired of losing my plant labels. Marie

Has anyone tried the ear-marker pens to label water plants? Would it last? Would it be toxic? I need to label a large number of waterlilies, but the marker obviously shouldn't disappear or kill fish. Any ideas? Thanks!

How about polyclay that I see a lot on the Carol Duvall crafting show on HGTV. You bake it in the oven on low for a half hour. Could press names into pieces of clay for permanent markers