Label marker pens

[dexterdoglancashire]

Does anyone have a really good pen that they can recommend? I've found that the "permanent ink" ones I've got are fading in the sun! Going to be interesting when I plant stuff....and there was me being really good this year labelling everying correctly!
Bernie aka Dexterdog

[Shortie]

Hi DDL... I've found the best thing so far has been a CD Marker Pen, plus as the nib is small, you can squeeze quite a lot of writing on

[dexterdoglancashire]

Hi Shortie - what colour was it? Ive been using a red one but I think thats the one that has been fading in the sun!
Bernie aka Dexterdog

[Shortie]

Mine's black. Maybe it is the red pigment.... Red does fade fastest

..... I remember when I was little and my Mum used to buyour school shirts in Tescos.. the label name was 'School Days' and the letters were in alternate red and blue. After a few washes the red letters would completely fad away and leave the label saying 'Shody'

That's when I first realised Red doesn't have much staying power

[dexterdoglancashire]

Thanks for the tip Shortie - you are obviously much younger than me! Will give a black pen a try! Thanks!
Bernie aka Dextedog

[Alison]

There's another thread somewhere which recommends using china clay pencils (I think), could be worth a search.

[jacob marley]

the pencil marker that stands the test of time is a chinagraph i have a black one at the moment but youcan get blue ones as well the i have at the moment is called royal soveriegn CHINAGRAPH for film plastics china glass etchope this helps

[nick the grief]

I use an ordinary pencil ( the cheapo ones are the best it seems) or if your feeling posh a 2B - you want a soft lead.

[yoanbob]

china graphs are great, they are a bit like crayon, so you can wipe clean for the following year, but they will stay put even in the dishwasher, (they are made for marking china in the food industry) you "sharpen" them like a charcoal pencil so they last for years, most art suppliers should be able to get them for you. the marks stay put and you can reuse your markers, brilliant

[Percy T]

I to had a problem with label pens, used an ordinary biro which washed clean as I watered my seedling, I have found a CD writing pen which seems to be doing ok at the mo

[Two_Sheds]

I've used several different 'permanent' pens over the years; they all fade. I am now using a good old pencil!

[Snadger]

I use an ordinary pencil ( the cheapo ones are the best it seems) or if your feeling posh a 2B - you want a soft lead.

Morning Glory problems again?

[shirlthegirl43]

I use a regular HB pencil. Use strange codes for all the buckets and seed trays - S1, S2 etc for spuds, V1 and so for vegetables, C1... for cucumbers, M1 for melons T1... for tomatoes. I write all the codes in a book so I have dates of sowing, appearance etc to refer to next year - also the labels can be re-used next year without alteration. OH laughed last week when I brought out 2 labels from last year - both labelled V8 - we both have Rover SD1 V8 cars!

[Snadger]

If you use the white disposable plastic cups as plantpots you don't need labels! Just write name of plant on side of cup with a felt tip pen!

[Alison]

That's all very well Snadger but I want to either reuse my pots every year to reduce waste or use biodegradeable paper pots so no good for me!