Since I am new to collecting seeds and have found it to be really enjoyable. I am looking so forward to next years garden which brings me to my question. Any tips on how to mark my garden so I can keep everything straight for collecting seeds next fall. I am going to be working on my flower beds all winter getting ready for the spring. I have been so blessed to have everyone sharing their seeds with me.
thanks Alice
Alice - N. Alabama - Zone 7
If you are referring to marking your plants? I use white plastic cutlery & write the names of the plants on there with permanent marker. I have used popsicle sticks in the past for this & you can buy markers also
I use plastic window blind slats. You can cut them to what ever length you need and if you use pencil you can reuse them too. I look for cheap shades at yard sales.
Lynne
I have had problems with the permanent magic marker wearing off. I use Sharpie. Any suggestion of one that would work better. I have been looking for a grease pencil but haven't been able to find one.
I have some broken plastic window blinds in my storage shed, I have a hard time throwing anything away that I think I might have a use for. Now I have a use for those. I can go ahead and cut them up and have them ready for spring. Thanks for all the great ideas.
I ran labels out on a sheet of Avery white labels (80 to a pay) in bold print and then just stuck them on the little cuttings of the mini blind shade (made a point at one end to push into the soil of my cup) last year and it worked wonderfully as long as a kid doesn't walk in and start gathering your mini blind plant markers. LOL I was thinking you could put a piece of clear packing tape over that and maybe preserve the label, just a thought. I watered all my seedlings from the bottom so didn't have to worry about washing the labels off and once planted in the ground, stick the marker in and then make you a map of the flower bed with what is where in case they get pulled out, blew away or faded off.
-Deloris
I love the idea of making a map of my garden. Since I am going to totally rework my existing flower beds and plan on adding a couple of more making a map would be really easy. I can't wait until spring. Alice
Alice what a great post and replies.
Maybe some polyurathane or clear nail polish on the markers would make them last. Love the markers ideas.
Deloris that is a great idea about the map. Alice you can start now and draw your garden and rearrange it a few times and this way when you go to plant there will be a place for everything. That is such a good idea.
I had an idea about starting seeds in egg cartons. They reminded me of peat pots and could be cut and planted without disturbing the seeds.
The only problem is programming DH not to throw them away as he thinks of them as garbage.LOL Not the plastic ones but the paper ones.
For seed collecting and drying I put them in labeled lunch bags and hang them on an inside line.
Janis
Janis,
I am building a new utility room onto my house and I had already planned to put in an area to work with my seeds, now I am going to add a line for hanging my seed. Starting my drawings now is a great idea, as I am prone to changing things. LOL
Alice
I have used paint pens and cut to size blinds to write the names of my garden plants :) Also used them for the pond plants, so far all names have survived. As a back up, I have used a DYMO tape both ways. I have put the name of plant, and year if I grew it from seed, OR, just started letters or numbers, put them on blinds or plastic knives , then I write down in my garden book the number or letter I have given the plant. I do this in the fall with gallon milk cartons, (for winter sowing) I just stick the information on the inside of the jug.
Patricia
I use white plastic spoons and a china marker/grease pencil which I get at office or school supply stores. They seem to last better than most markers and don't fade...I also will put the name on both sides of the spoon so if one does come off you have a back up. If for any reason the flower does not survive it is realy easy to take an erasure and erase the name and reuse that spoon. Everyone laughs and "how well my spoons grow:" since you see them everywhere.
For storing seeds, I make little paper trays out of "junk mail" (cut one 8 1/2 x 11 sheet into 4 pieces and make little corners and tape or staple to make a little tray. I save all the "return" envelopes you get in junk mail and use them to store the seeds in once they are dried. Just write the names on the envelope (usually the back side of the envelope is clean) and then I file them in little shoe box type plastic storage buckets.
Patricia I'm going to try your organized method for sowing the seeds in the jugs. Otherwise I may get overwhelmed and not have a clue what to do.
The markers are all good ideas also.
And charting the yard will be a good winter project.
It's in infancy and I'd like to stop digging things up and have a place for everything.LOL
But I will always have a hole for that plant out of nowhere. LOL
I have wet spots where i dig a trench and put my new plants in this depression until they can be planted. Some have been so happy I had to leave them where they were.
More good ideas.
I dry my seeds in lunch bags strung up but haven't gotten to the next step too easily.
I was putting them in small manila envelopes.
I love the idea of reusing the junk mail.
Is a grease pencil the same as a no. two?
I'll also have to get some spoons from the store.
I've heard the term grease pencil all my life. Not exactly sure what is meant by the term but it is not a #2
A grease pencil is a wax pencil one of it's uses is to write on china. I had to look it up, LOL
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