Managing collections and labelling

[Bailey Hale]

For those of you with larger collections, I am curious, how many of you catalog your collections and what tools you use?

Specifically is there a label maker that will print on a strong and durable label stock that you like? I had a low-end TSC label printer that only printed on very thin label stock that got brittle after a season so ultimately I gave it away. I'm back to hand writing (which is really not a good option given my poor penmanship.)

I have used numbered aluminum tags like these in the past to number each pot so if the label goes missing I will have a back up resource. Does anyone else do this? Are there better tags out there? The problem is that these tags can also fall off. I used to use hog ring fasteners to attach these to the pot, but pots break and tags still go missing. I have thought about burying a numbered tag in the pot as a last resort, but this is also annoying if I have to go digging for it.

I keep a spreadsheet with all of my acquisitions, which is easy enough, but I'm looking for some fool proof ideas for labels and identification. I just hate it when I find a pot that somehow is missing a tag!

 

[big923cattleya]

It is a problem with no real solution perhaps.
I have used plastic tags for over 50 years. I have tried writing with permanent ink, permanent marker and lead pencil. Lead pencil has held up the best.
I have stayed away from wooden markers or metal tags mostly due to extra cost and I do not like the way that they look in the pot.
I have tried a few times to make notes in journals and such, but I seem to always forget to enter things.
I now use tags that have just basic info on them. Just the name of the plant, including parents and two dates, acquisition date and date of last repotting.
I repot regularly and remark as needed.

But since my orchids spend 5 months outdoors for the summer, I watch closely for chipmunks and try to keep them stealing labels!

 

[Bailey Hale]

It is a problem with no real solution perhaps.
I have used plastic tags for over 50 years. I have tried writing with permanent ink, permanent marker and lead pencil. Lead pencil has held up the best.
I have stayed away from wooden markers or metal tags mostly due to extra cost and I do not like the way that they look in the pot.
I have tried a few times to make notes in journals and such, but I seem to always forget to enter things.
I now use tags that have just basic info on them. Just the name of the plant, including parents and two dates, acquisition date and date of last repotting.
I repot regularly and remark as needed.

But since my orchids spend 5 months outdoors for the summer, I watch closely for chipmunks and try to keep them stealing labels!

I should probably switch to pencil as well. I've been using "garden markers" which seem to hold for at least 2-3 years but I imagine they have a lifespan.

We got 2 new puppies in July that made a sport of grabbing and chewing plant tags. They've finally outgrown that game, but now the local blackbirds are the problem. They are going for moss growing in some pots to make nests but they like to fling the tags out in the process. They also uprooted and tossed a very pricy 4n rungsuryianum about 10 feet from where it should have been which caused me an appropriate amount of stress until I found it 2 days later.

I am fortunate to live where the plants are outside all year, but that does make it harder to exclude the birds!

Thanks for your feedback!

 

[Tony]

Plastic tags, either printed or pencil written, hold up well enough for me, I just make a new one when they start to get brittle but most last at least 5 years for me. I use writeable aluminum tags on the tags of my most important plants as a backup. I use a ballpoint pen so that it leaves a readable impression after the ink fades.

 

[Djthomp28]

I have started double tagging everthing. I have one tag (plastic typically with pencil) that is visible at the top of the pot. Then I toss a shorter tag deeper in the pot. After a creature, probably a chipmunk, ate my TON Cattleya coccinea and ransacked an outdoor rack, I started adding the extra tag deeper into the pot. I am shocked that it took over a decade for something like this to happen, but it finally did.

Another late but helpful add was including ID numbers for each plant. Each plant is assigned an ID number in my electronic inventory, and on the tag and flowering pictures.

I went from using excel spreadsheets to OrchidWiz's database back to excel. I wish I had stuck to excel. It is basic and easy for a mid-size collection.

 

[Toadwally]

My tags are plastic. I use pencil. My outdoor frenemy is the Carolina Wren. I melt a hole in the tag for a twisty tie, and thst's helped a lot.

 

[Tony]

My tags are plastic. I use pencil. My outdoor frenemy is the Carolina Wren. I melt a hole in the tag for a twisty tie, and thst's helped a lot.

I had one nest in a bag of rockwool a few years ago

 

[Toadwally]

Love'm!

 

[kman]

Specifically is there a label maker that will print on a strong and durable label stock that you like? I had a low-end TSC label printer that only printed on very thin label stock that got brittle after a season so ultimately I gave it away. I'm back to hand writing (which is really not a good option given my poor penmanship.)

Sato makes quality tag printers. Loda Enterprise in Colorado has always been my source. Not inexpensive but they work well and are reliable, with a variety of durable tag shapes and materials.

I have kept all information in a spreadsheet, and use that as a template for printing. My project this spring is to create a more usable interface program that allows for easier data entry and updates the spreadsheet. My thought is to then be able to print a second tag that has the potting/blooming/division/etc. history each time there is such an event. Tags are not expensive in rolls of a thousand. I'll update when I get the basic coding done.

I don't have an orchid tag here on my desk, but this is a tag from one of our new Salvias that is going to trial. A tag printer makes life easy.

 

[treefrog]

This is the only thing you need!!!

These Brothers Thermo tags are indestructible! Since they don't use ink, UV do not affect them. Just stick them directly on your plastic label or on the pot.


Cheers,
Math

 

[treefrog]

I forgot to mention, the labels are glued solid, and they are impossible to remove once installed. Moreover, this particular printer can print from an excel database which is great when you already have your collection list file.
If you have extra money, I would suggest this model for the easy peel option.

 

[swamprad]

I forgot to mention, the labels are glued solid, and they are impossible to remove once installed. Moreover, this particular printer can print from an excel database which is great when you already have your collection list file.
If you have extra money, I would suggest this model for the easy peel option.
View attachment 53009

Valuable information, thank you. I have my inventory online on a Google Sheets spreadsheet and need to figure out how to print that onto sticky labels that I can affix to tags. I assume there is software included that allows you to choose which cells to print in what order on the labels, and adjust size, etc?

 

[treefrog]

Yes e

Valuable information, thank you. I have my inventory online on a Google Sheets spreadsheet and need to figure out how to print that onto sticky labels that I can affix to tags. I assume there is software included that allows you to choose which cells to print in what order on the labels, and adjust size, etc?

yes exactly, here s a screenshot of the software

 

[richgarrison]

thanx for this i was exploring label writers last week...

couple of folks in our 'local ecosystem' use label writers including the good old type into the label writer itself (rather than computer connected) Orchid Wiz has some label printing support i was going to explore as well...

 

[Bailey Hale]

I have started double tagging everthing. I have one tag (plastic typically with pencil) that is visible at the top of the pot. Then I toss a shorter tag deeper in the pot. After a creature, probably a chipmunk, ate my TON Cattleya coccinea and ransacked an outdoor rack, I started adding the extra tag deeper into the pot. I am shocked that it took over a decade for something like this to happen, but it finally did.

Another late but helpful add was including ID numbers for each plant. Each plant is assigned an ID number in my electronic inventory, and on the tag and flowering pictures.

I went from using excel spreadsheets to OrchidWiz's database back to excel. I wish I had stuck to excel. It is basic and easy for a mid-size collection.

Something told me that you would have a thorough system! I can aspire to being so organized!

 

[Bailey Hale]

Sato makes quality tag printers. Loda Enterprise in Colorado has always been my source. Not inexpensive but they work well and are reliable, with a variety of durable tag shapes and materials.

I have kept all information in a spreadsheet, and use that as a template for printing. My project this spring is to create a more usable interface program that allows for easier data entry and updates the spreadsheet. My thought is to then be able to print a second tag that has the potting/blooming/division/etc. history each time there is such an event. Tags are not expensive in rolls of a thousand. I'll update when I get the basic coding done.

I don't have an orchid tag here on my desk, but this is a tag from one of our new Salvias that is going to trial. A tag printer makes life easy.

View attachment 53005

I think this is what I need. Fred Clarke showed me his printer once and this looks like a similar tag to his. I'm in Europe now, but I'm sure I can track down something similar.

 

[Bailey Hale]

This is the only thing you need!!!
View attachment 53006
These Brothers Thermo tags are indestructible! Since they don't use ink, UV do not affect them. Just stick them directly on your plastic label or on the pot.
View attachment 53007

Cheers,
Math

I used to have a hand held label maker that did a similar tag and I hated it! I had to type each tag on little buttons and then it was impossible to remove the backing.

Of course they have a more substantial and more user friendly model that can work with a computer and spreadsheet! I've just not seen them and never set out to look for them. Very nice. I know Harold Koopowitz uses a similar approach and my tags from Harold have always lasted.

 

[kman]

I think this is what I need. Fred Clarke showed me his printer once and this looks like a similar tag to his. I'm in Europe now, but I'm sure I can track down something similar.

Tags made from these printers are the high end solution, and thus are fast, reliable, durable, long lasting and totally customizable. Sato is a Japanese company and is sold worldwide.

 

[Sky7Bear]

You'd this would be easy for a retired librarian, but I have never done it. Next time through I'll do a numbered accession list in Excel, but because of cost stick to uv stabilized plastic labels with pencil with two labels, probably the access number at the bottom of the pot. Thanks for all the ideas.