So I've read how these work on plastic for in the garden and can be read throughout the season.

Well.

Three weeks or so ago these were bright pink letters.

So much for that tip.

Close up in hand they can sometimes be ciphered, but only sometimes.

This one said "Chives" but I can barely see it in certain light, and the camera didn't pick it up.

Even playing hue and saturation, it shows the part that I wiped off before writing...but no markings. Even though I can barely see it. So don't believe that CSI bs It says
C
H
I
V
E
S
but only at very certain angles.

Grease pencil works well for me on wood paint stirrers and popsicle sticks (I get the quart paint sticks at Home Depot for very cheap)!

Recycled vinyl Venetian blind slats-Holy ones you can hang from the plants as they get bigger and you add mulch to the base of the plants lest we forget.
Treasure map of the garden doesn't hurt either.

Another vote for the grease pencil for writing on Venetian blind slats. The writing lasts and lasts. One mini-blind makes a big pile of ID markers. Hmmm, I'm almost out. Gee, I think there's one blind in the back room that needs replacing.....

Those were venetian blind slats!! lol

unless I screwed something up...I picked those up years ago...there were so many that I cut some out and threw away the rest. Unless I'm nuts and that is some other pile of plastic I had stored with the garden stuff.

Welllllll, could it be the pink writing? Good old black grease pencil seems to work all season for me.

probably need made in USA china markers
I can barely read these, need full sun and play with the angles. Took me forever to make out "parsley" on one. But Rosemary was easy, it was angled away from the sun. (for the month i mean)

Now the ones on black plastic trays, that weren't seeing sun, I can read them of course. And the black plastic trays that did see sun in the green house, hard to read but not as hard as this white.

We like colors for different plant ID.
https://www.listo.com/

Seconding the Listo mechanical grease pencils that @Kurt recommended. As insurance, I'll always do one side in regular graphite pencil, too. For me, the white will last all season on black pots in full sun. Unless its really hot and I rub it off.

Same here,found the mini lotto pencils(free)are made to last forever to ensure proper ticket reading and duration.

mini lotto pencils...hmm. Florida lotto or national type? I haven't bought a lottery ticket...ever? We have a dang groundhog for the lottery mascot here. Gus, the second most famous groundhog in Pennsylvania. (no seriously that was their slogan for years )

Does anyone have experience with Paint Pens Paint Markers - Black Permanent Markers?

Amazon product B0BFL7SQ5Q

I have read of people, mostly contractors, raving about how great they are, but never seen one myself.

JRinPA wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2024 11:11 am I have read of people, mostly contractors, raving about how great they are, but never seen one myself.

They're hard to find in stores. You used to be able to reach into a box and buy just one or two. Now they come packed in a box of 10 or so, at least at Staples where I finally found them hiding down on a bottom shelf near the regular pens and pencils. Considering how fast (not) I use them, I might have a lifetime supply on hand.

zeuspaul wrote: ↑Thu Jun 13, 2024 2:14 am Does anyone have experience with Paint Pens Paint Markers - Black Permanent Markers?

Amazon product B0BFL7SQ5Q

I use https://www.amazon.com/Sharpie-Paint-Ma ... 28&sr=8-40orange paint pens on dark blue aluminum mini blind slats. They fade to whitish by the end of the season but are still readable. I write on my black pots with them, too. I tested several colors and stuck with this one because it wipes off with rubbing alcohol when I'm done with them so labels and pots can be re-used.

An Edding marker always works for me ...

I use plastic tags and a label maker with water-resistant label tape. I am thrilled. My tags come out after the season muddy and after being washed are still in perfect condition. I wish I could figure out pictures on this site. I would post one if I could.

@Stitchingmom , go to full editor and preview, find the attachment button and add file

Whwoz wrote: ↑Sat Jun 15, 2024 11:30 pm @Stitchingmom , go to full editor and preview, find the attachment button and add file

You can also go to the full editor and preview and drag and drop your image.

My tried-and-true method for the garden is sharpie marker on blue painters' tape. I put little tabs on the tomato cages, big enough to double over so the tape sticks to itself. I marked all 50 or so plants in a short time. Regular masking tape will degrade in the sun in a week or two, but the blue tape stays readable all summer and is sometimes still on the cages (though faded) a year or two later.

I end up marking the seedlings three times: pencil on plastic tag for starts, then I make a garden map once I plant them, and then the blue tape for the garden. I've used grease pencil on plastic tags, but pencil is easier to erase when I want to reuse the labels. If I wait too long to clean old labels, grease pencil leaves some pigment iirc.