These DIY plant markers are the longest lasting option I have found. They are completely weather-resistant and will last year-round outdoors indefinitely.
Also see Best (Cheap & Easy) DIY Tags for Indoor Seedlings for other options.
Plant Tags that Last for Years
If you are looking for a durable, reliable plant marker and label system for outdoor plants, this is it,
By using fade-proof, waterproof, outdoor labels on stainless-steel markers, you are creating a plant tagging system that really lasts.
I’ve had mine outdoors for years—in cold Canadian winters and hot summers—and they still look exactly how they did when I made them.
Be sure to read the notes below to ensure you choose the right labels and plant markers and apply them correctly.
Permanent Plant Labels
Supplies and Instructions
Plant Markers
- Look for 10-gauge stainless steel plant markers. They are available in a variety of styles and sizes (10″, 15″, 20″ heights).
Zinc markers are not as durable but an affordable alternative. - Check the plate size. I like 1 1/8″ x 3.5″ which allows lots of room for your plant labels.
Label Maker
The labels are made using a Brother P Touch Label Maker with Brother Laminated Tape (waterproof, fade-proof, outdoor use). Mine was around $40 and is still going strong after all these years.
If your budget allows it, you may also want a newer model like this Brother P Touch D460BTVP (Amazon) that allows you create the labels on your computer and send them to the printer through a USB or Bluetooth connection.
Labels
Be sure to get the right labels (tapes) for your specific label maker. I have only tested Brother PT brand labels in my Brother label maker. I do not know if other brands work as effectively.
They should be listed as fade-proof and waterproof and suitable for outdoors.
For Brother PT machines, the tapes are genuine Brother TZe tapes.
Brother has a tape selection guide here: What tape can I use?
The come in a variety of sizes and colors for background and text. Be sure whatever you choose is compatible with your model.
If properly applied (see below), they will last for years.
Depending on the settings you choose, you can print up to 3 lines of text on one label.
Alternately, if you want a plant label printer like they use at plant nurseries, there are also options like .
Preparation & Adhesion
To ensure proper adhesion:
1. Clean the plates of the plant markers with methyl hydrate and allow to dry. This will remove any grease or residue on the markers.
Methyl hydrate (also known as Methanol – see Wikipedia) is commonly found in the paint section of stores and used as a paint thinner or glass cleaner. Mine cost $3.69.
2. Apply the labels as directed making sure your fingers do not touch the sticky backing of the label or the cleaned marker plate. Grease and oil are the enemy of good adhesion.
Other Options
If you don’t want to use a label maker, these are some other options. Nothing lasts as long as the labels, but you should still get many years out of them.
Marking Pens
If you’d rather handwrite the tags, use oil-based paint pens (also marketed as “garden markers”) on plastic. They are available in all sorts of colors and tip sizes although you may prefer a basic black one like this. If oil-based, they will not fade in the sun (ever) or come off in four-season weather. Check the product details: some say “paint pen” but are water-based which will not hold up outdoors.
Soft Metal Tags
Created with:
- Pen tip and paint pen
These metal tags are popular with some gardeners. Made from soft metals like aluminum (see them here at Amazon), you can take a pen tip and emboss the plant name into the surface.
If you want the tag visible from a distance, follow up by tracing the letters with a dark paint pen as well.
Black Metal Tags
Created with:
- White paint pen
Start with these black metal plant markers. Mine came with a nice white paint pen but colorful paint pens would work nicely too.
If you use paint pens (not other water-based marking pens), these markers should last outdoors for many years.
Choices And Considerations
- Stainless steel plant markers come in various sizes, heights, and orientations. Think about how tall you want the garden markers and which way you want the plates to face. I like to be able to read the labels without having to bend over.
- Choose a plant marker plate size that will accommodate the information you want to do display on it.
- Decide whether you want to use botanical names or common names or both.
- Label makers allow you to choose different fonts and font sizes, plus upper and lower case, and a variety of signs and symbols.
- Label maker tapes come in various text and back ground colors. This allows for some clever coding. For instance, different plant groups like perennials, annuals, herbs, and so on could each have their own color scheme.
While not the most artful plant markers like these ones, these are definitely long-lasting even through Canadian winters.
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛