What's your labeling system?

I currently write on the pots with paint markers since most of my figs are in pots.

For my trees or grafts, I do the following.

When I initially graft trees, I write the variety on the scion with a garden marker as I prep the scion (label, cut, wrap with parafilm. I don't make labels at the time of the graft anymore because its a lot of work to keep to make all the tags (usually 2 grafts per variety) and to keep them sorted with the scions. Sometimes grafts fail and it's more trash I need to get rid of. It's also faster to have a tray of grafts already prepped scions and I can just go out there and graft without labeling anything.

I will use labels after the grafts succeed. I've used PVC tree labels from amazon but those are junk. They break after 1 year in the sun.
I just recently ordered polyethene tree tags, supposedly they are the softer ones from nurseries that should last years.

I also have the embossed tree tags from amazon that I use for main trees or major grafts that will produce fruit. But these take time to make indoors. I emboss them with a pen at my desk and color them in with a paint marker so they are legible. Its really hard to read when it's only embossed. I'll label both sides and use a longer metal wire than the one included with the tags. I'll put it on the tree and do a figure 8 with the wire so there's extra slack but is taken up, sort of like an electrical service loop. As the branch grows, I don't have to worry about it girdling the tree until it gets really big, the figure 8 should release and give it some slack.

I've considered machine labeling via brother label printers but they seem like more work. I have too many grafts and trees to label all of them using a machine.
 

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Fishinjunky said:
I'm going to use these and keep a list of what each number is

Nubered Steel Tags

Aluminum wire

Amazon.com: Aluminum Craft Wire, 33 Feet Bendable for Jewelry Making, Sculpting, Floral, Wreath, Crafting, Wire Wrapping, Beading Wire, Christmas Ornaments (Black, 18 Gauge)

Shop krastmon at the Amazon Arts, Crafts & Sewing store. Free Shipping on eligible items. Save on everyday low prices.
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Well, if someone steals your fig trees, they won't know what any of them are. 😆
 
I’m not sure I’d like having to look up the trees every time to know what they were. I guess over time you might remember some but if many trees I couldn’t do it. Maybe as a second form of identification.
 
Fishinjunky said:
I'm going to use these and keep a list of what each number is

Nubered Steel Tags

Aluminum wire

Amazon.com: Aluminum Craft Wire, 33 Feet Bendable for Jewelry Making, Sculpting, Floral, Wreath, Crafting, Wire Wrapping, Beading Wire, Christmas Ornaments (Black, 18 Gauge)

Shop krastmon at the Amazon Arts, Crafts & Sewing store. Free Shipping on eligible items. Save on everyday low prices.
a.co
Click to expand...
Youtuber chili chump does this with his chili plants. But he uses numbered QR labels that he scans. It didn't make sense for my case as I don't have hundreds of new pepper plants each year. I find it a hassle to take my phone out during gardening.
 
Beabchasingizz said:
Youtuber chili chump does this with his chili plants. But he uses numbered QR labels that he scans. It didn't make sense for my case as I don't have hundreds of new pepper plants each year. I find it a hassle to take my phone out during gardening.
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If anyone is interested in putting QR codes on their fig tree label/name tags, I have a friend that is setting up his business and he told me that he can do the QR codes with a laser. He should be opened in a month or two. I will post a link once it's all ready to go because he will be able to do all kinds of label/name tags. He is a retired army buddy of mine.
 
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