plant label protection

[rary]

While on holiday I visited a number of gardens in one, which I think it would be the Eden Project, I noticed plant labels placed inside plastic milk cartons this kept them clean, dry and legible, plus the carton gives protection against eye injury. I believe the base was cut away with a seed packet placed inside, also a hole cut into the bottom of the handle and the cane pushed into this.
Do any grapes have any other tips on the use for milk cartons or keeping seed packets/labels clean and legible over the growing season

[Alison]

Not sure I really understand what you mean, how would a plant label cause an eye injury, can't imagine that mine could but you may be talking about a totally different type of label. Aren't milk cartons usually opaque? We have a milk man so get glass bottles so I may have remembered incorrectly but am struggling to see how you'd see through them.

[solway cropper]

I usually know what my plants are by looking at them. Different varieties get a name pencilled on a cut-out piece of old ice-cream tub and this lasts for the season. In a lifetime of gardening I've never had an eye injury from a plant label but I do put upturned pop bottles on the top of support canes after being stabbed in the forehead by a particularly nasty piece of bamboo.

[bananamelon]

i seen several good plant labels that designed not to fade or use a plastic case to keep a copy of seed packet either are inexpensive and look better then using recycled material that will do poor job.

[rary]

Not sure I really understand what you mean, how would a plant label cause an eye injury,
Aren't milk cartons usually opaque? We have a milk man so get glass bottles so I may have remembered incorrectly but am struggling to see how you'd see through them.

Alison, the bottles were on sticks about 2ft. high and personally I think all sticks, canes etc. used in the garden should have eye protection fitted to the top of them

my milk is delivered in cartons and yes you can read things through them

[Alison]

Alison, the bottles were on sticks about 2ft. high and personally I think all sticks, canes etc. used in the garden should have eye protection fitted to the top of them

Ah, I've only ever had labels that are a few inches long (generally wooden or plastic things) so no H&S issues, see what you mean if they're taller but think I'd rather remove the risk than protect against it (hierarchy of risk and all that ). I get away without protecting the top of my canes by using 8' ones, even when stuck in the ground I'd have to stand on a stepladder to poke my eye out

[Kristen]

personally I think all sticks, canes etc. used in the garden should have eye protection fitted to the top of them

Agree with that (well, 8' ones excepted!) as you can only poke your eye with a stick once so even the once has to be avoided.