1. Forum News
    NEW SOFTWARE & SERVER IS COMING!
    Please click on the link below to get the most up to date information: CLICK HERE

Plant labels

Discussion in 'General Gardening Discussion' started by GreenFingeredPete, Feb 17, 2026.

  1. GreenFingeredPete

    GreenFingeredPete Gardener

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2025
    Messages:
    318
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Apprentice Gardener
    Location:
    Bexleyheath
    Ratings:
    +307
    This might be in the wrong thread. But is life too short to clean old labels?
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • AnniD

      AnniD Super Gardener

      Joined:
      Mar 13, 2024
      Messages:
      855
      Gender:
      Female
      Location:
      Gloucestershire
      Ratings:
      +1,846
      I always clean my old labels @GreenFingeredPete. I donate plants to charity sales etc, so after I've used them for myself I scrub them off and then rewrite over the top. As long as the old description has faded enough and the new one is legible, that'll do for me :smile:.

      I have been known to put them in the cutlery tray in the dishwasher and that seems to work well. Just don't tell my OH :biggrin:.

      Glad you got the patio etc sorted @Kevin Cowans . They can be a deathtrap.
       
      • Like Like x 1
      • Agree Agree x 1
      • Funny Funny x 1
      • CarolineL

        CarolineL Total Gardener

        Joined:
        Jun 12, 2016
        Messages:
        3,083
        Gender:
        Female
        Occupation:
        Retired Software engineer
        Location:
        Rural Carmarthenshire
        Ratings:
        +7,751
        I only clean labels if they look reasonably robust - lots of them degrade within a couple of years. It can be instructive to see what I've killed repeatedly!
         
        • Funny Funny x 2
        • pete

          pete Growing a bit of this and a bit of that....

          Joined:
          Jan 9, 2005
          Messages:
          58,003
          Gender:
          Male
          Occupation:
          Retired
          Location:
          Mid Kent
          Ratings:
          +114,992
          I've not yet found anything that works permanently on a label so I dont have to clean them in order to reuse.
          Plastic labels do go brittle after a year or two.
           
          • Agree Agree x 4
          • Like Like x 1
          • AnniD

            AnniD Super Gardener

            Joined:
            Mar 13, 2024
            Messages:
            855
            Gender:
            Female
            Location:
            Gloucestershire
            Ratings:
            +1,846
            I have tried using those wooden ones but found that they just rot off in a comparatively short time.
             
            • Agree Agree x 1
            • NigelJ

              NigelJ Total Gardener

              Joined:
              Jan 31, 2012
              Messages:
              9,973
              Gender:
              Male
              Occupation:
              Mad Scientist
              Location:
              Paignton Devon
              Ratings:
              +31,196
              Some I clean in a plastic take away box, squirt of bleach, warm water, lid on and a few days later clean labels.
              A soft pencil works is pretty much indelible.
               
              • Like Like x 1
              • Agree Agree x 1
              • Informative Informative x 1
              • CanadianLori

                CanadianLori Battle Axe

                Joined:
                Sep 20, 2015
                Messages:
                11,168
                Gender:
                Female
                Occupation:
                Battle Axe
                Location:
                Oakville, Ontario, Canada Zone 5A
                Ratings:
                +38,452
                I save labels that come with bought plants. Some I reuse if I harvest seds for the next year.

                Otherwise, plastc stake, label maker.
                20260218_151705.jpg
                 
              • Adam I

                Adam I Super Gardener

                Joined:
                Nov 22, 2023
                Messages:
                722
                Gender:
                Male
                Occupation:
                Hijinks
                Location:
                Hampshire
                Ratings:
                +1,108
                i just sharpee on a stick
                 
                • Like Like x 2
                • Michael Hewett

                  Michael Hewett Total Gardener

                  Joined:
                  Mar 13, 2016
                  Messages:
                  6,454
                  Gender:
                  Male
                  Occupation:
                  Retired
                  Location:
                  Hilly Carmarthenshire, South West Wales
                  Ratings:
                  +24,661
                  I clean them if they haven't gone brittle with age. It saves money.
                   
                  • Like Like x 1
                  • shiney

                    shiney President, Grumpy Old Men's Club Staff Member

                    Joined:
                    Jul 3, 2006
                    Messages:
                    68,458
                    Gender:
                    Male
                    Occupation:
                    Retired - Last Century!!!
                    Location:
                    Herts/Essex border. Zone 8b
                    Ratings:
                    +137,203
                    We do the same. People are always returning our pots and labels (at our request) as we used to sell between one and two thousand pots a year.
                     
                  • GreenFingeredPete

                    GreenFingeredPete Gardener

                    Joined:
                    Feb 6, 2025
                    Messages:
                    318
                    Gender:
                    Male
                    Occupation:
                    Apprentice Gardener
                    Location:
                    Bexleyheath
                    Ratings:
                    +307
                    I have ordered in the past different coloured labels, to put a unique a system of organisation in.

                    The only problem is the next year I forget what system I put in, complete disorganisation.
                     
                    • Funny Funny x 3
                    • Informative Informative x 1
                    • Thevictorian

                      Thevictorian Total Gardener

                      Joined:
                      Mar 14, 2024
                      Messages:
                      1,192
                      Location:
                      Norfolk
                      Ratings:
                      +2,413
                      I just write on the pot and add a date. When we donate to the charity plant sale we use cut up milk bottles.
                       
                      • Like Like x 1
                      • Philippa

                        Philippa Gardener

                        Joined:
                        Aug 3, 2019
                        Messages:
                        1,656
                        Location:
                        West Somerset
                        Ratings:
                        +3,362
                        I also use the coloured labels as no need to write on them if you make a note of which colour applies to which plant.
                        NB don't lose your notebook :biggrin:
                         
                        • Like Like x 1
                        • Funny Funny x 1
                        • Informative Informative x 1
                        • Selleri

                          Selleri Koala

                          Joined:
                          Mar 1, 2009
                          Messages:
                          3,291
                          Location:
                          North Tyneside
                          Ratings:
                          +10,804
                          I'm notoriously bad at labelling.

                          My best effort is masking tape on the pot and a scribble with a permanent marker. That works a treat, and the solution lasts so well that when I re-use the pot I find it very instructive that something I thought was a forced Hyacinth in fact must be a Jalapeno Gourmet. :biggrin:

                          I did buy some black sturdy, professional looking ones and have used them outdoors as my young plantlets get moved around a bit. Very chic, and Mr Blackbird likes them too. He piles them neatly when pulling them out. :)
                           
                          • Funny Funny x 4
                          • Like Like x 1
                          • kindredspirit

                            kindredspirit Gardening around a big Puddle. :)

                            Joined:
                            Nov 21, 2009
                            Messages:
                            3,752
                            Gender:
                            Male
                            Occupation:
                            Retired.
                            Location:
                            www.coolwatergarden.com
                            Ratings:
                            +4,760
                            Apparently, the best non-fade plant label markers are Cattle Tag Markers.
                            I haven't tried them yet, as I use a Brother Labelling Machine.
                            No-Fade Ink Marker • Datamars Livestock
                            You can also get Edding Airline Markers, which are also supposed to be good as well.
                             
                            • Informative Informative x 1
                            Loading...

                            Share This Page

                            1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
                              By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
                              Dismiss Notice