How do you keep your tags/labels from fading in the sun?

[greenthumbnails]

I am constantly having to rewrite in black permanent marker the name of the plants on the plastic tags because the sun keeps fading it away.  I am pretty sure its the sun because only one tag did not fade and that was because there were so many lily pads covering the surface of the water in the container pond that I don't think the sun got down to the pot the lily was in. 

Is everyone using permanent marker?  Has anyone tried pencil instead and does it stay on for longer? 

[turtlemike]

I make my own tags out of aluminum cans. I cut them whatever size I want and write on them with a pen, pressing down hard so it embosses the letters into the tag. If it ever gets to dirty to read, like it's stuck in a pot and covered in algae then you can scrape it with a knife. or you can make a rubbing with a piece of paper and a crayon or pencil.

[Kat]

Write the name on both the top & bottom of the tag.  The bottom part goes into the soil & protect the name from fading.  You can also use 2 tags & sandwich the writing together. 

Mike, that is also a great idea.

[emm]

I tag my waterlilies much the same way that Kat does - use a black Sharpie to write with and push the tag all the way into the soil at the edge of the pot with just a little bit sticking up that I can grab on to.  For tags I use cut up plastic yogurt or ice cream containers.

For my tree and shrub seedlings I use pencil on plastic labels.  It does not wash off or fade away in the sun.  Would work in the water too but you'd have to rub off the algae to read the label.

I've also used aluminum labels that I emboss with a pen or pencil for permanent tree tags.  Some of these tags get chewed up by squirrels so they are not as permanent as hoped!  These are commercially available tags, not ones cut from cans that could have sharp edges that could hurt a squirrel's mouth (or cut a pond liner).

emm

[LeeAnne151]

Ordinary pencil does work on white plastic tags. The sun doesn't fade it. It isn't as dark and easy to read as a Sharpie but it stays on.

I had no idea and marked fifty pots of daffodils with a sharpie two years ago, then when spring came all the labels were blank....

[goldenangel]

Have you tried a paint pen?  That is what I use and it was well. 

[marla]

I use  a "rub a dub" laundry marker and as Kat says mark it on both ends and both sides, the part in the soil stays good so you can read it.

[greenthumbnails]

Have you tried a paint pen?  That is what I use and it was well. 

No idea what a "paint pen" is...now I am curious.  What is it?
Thought pencil would stay on better than perm marker, but didn't think about the algae making it hard to read...

[Ky Kim]

I still like my colored zip ties.  They never fade, just have to jot them down in a book.  When you run out of colors just mix them.

Pink= Rhonda Kay
Yellow= Albert greenburg

pink+yellow= key largo

Just take something sharp and poke a whole, I zip mine to about 1/2 dollar size and cut off the remainder. 

[Jerry]

A paint pen is like a marker but uses enamle paint.  A good art suppy store will carry it

[turtlemike]

Good idea Kim.  I've thought along those lines myself.