Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
ken_adrian

around the patio -- part 1

in an effort to get excited about posting pix... here we go ...

no photo editor.. so some are a bit washed out.. balancing brightness would have made all the difference ...

tags are names AS BOUGHT ... not excited about going to the database to correct names ...

enjoy

ken

p. banksiana Wisconsin

per tag above

maja [#26]

balsemae Nana

mugo Valley cushion

Comments (16)

  • outback63 Dennison
    10 years ago

    Hey...great you are out of the winter doldrums

    I think I am going to the aluminum tags, 5th photo down, you write the names on.

    I am not liking to cluttered look of the stand alone tags. A sea of green, yellow and blue is all I want to see.

    Thanks for the photos. Great looking cultivars.

    Dave

  • clement_2006
    10 years ago

    balsemae Nana = Abies balsamea "Nana"
    Clement

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    yes clement.. i suggested i was not being anal retentive and opening the dB to confirm the spellings...

    do you have any comments otherwise???

    dave .. National Tag link below .... i suggest you find a pattern.. putting them all ... say.. for e.g. on the north side.. at belt level.. somewhere consistent ... or perhaps.. the left as you face it from the path ... etc .... on tiny ... i put them on the trunk ... and bury them in the mulch .... the thin wire will NOT girdle the plant ... unless some idiot tries to rip it out.. instead of just letting the plant incorporate it ....

    when i started.. i didnt do that.. and after a few years. would spend hours.. looking for the darn things.. lol ...

    when i burn dead ones.. all that is left.. is the tag ... cant seem to get the pyre hot enough to burn aluminum.. lol .... though i can melt glass ...

    ken

    Here is a link that might be useful: link

  • ritmatt
    10 years ago

    Looking good, Ken. Thanks for sharing.

    I think you have some sort of vermin hanging out in that last one! ;)

  • sluice
    10 years ago

    The Wisconsin looks great!

  • maple_grove_gw
    10 years ago

    Nice banksianas! Am looking forward to part 2.

    Also, thanks for the link on the labels...I am thinking of moving in this direction also, as I've been uncertain about getting started with the stand alone tags for fear they might be a distraction.

    As repayment for this information, let me provide the link below. I recently purchased this battery-powered sprayer from HD and have been very happy with it. For about the price of a regular 1 gal sprayer, this one's battery powered and eliminates the need for pumping. Great for time-consuming application of Round-Up. It even comes with the batteries, and if you buy a gallon of 41% glyphosphate concentrate at the same time you qualify for free shipping. Just got one and have been very happy with it, and I thought you might be interested.

    Alex

    Here is a link that might be useful: Battery-powered sprayer

  • gardener365
    10 years ago

    Beautiful 'Wisconsin' Ken. How old? What size to start?
    I thank you for that link. I called them and #2729 has a 25.00 minimum order (that's 500 tags! awesome.) I had been paying 17 dollars from Gemplers for 100. I had the lady measure them and they're 3 3/4" x 3/4". That's pretty ideal. I bought a wheel of vinyl coated wire that grocery stores use and use that instead of the spindly wire that comes with all brands of aluminum tags. Spool of Wire: Vinyl Coated


    I put all my tags on the south and southwest side of each specimen. Pick a side you like.

    Alex, can you control the rate of speed the liquid leaves the sprayer with extreme accuracy? Some things are so tiny that only a 'drip' is what I want; a drip also is necessary for no over-splash onto my conifers such as when shooting weeds underneath them.

    Dax

  • maple_grove_gw
    10 years ago

    Flow rate? Not really, choices there are +1, 0, an -1...it does let you suck the fluid back up from the wand into the sprayer to prevent unwanted drips when you're done using it. The wand has the usual spray to stream control. The performance is very similar to your typical inexpensive 1 or 2 gallon sprayer, the only difference is no pumping, and I thought it was cool that the price point was the same. I used it for taking out of patch of grass where I wanted to enlarge a bed and it it seemed like it saved a good bit of time.

    For finer applications like what you're describing Dax, I picked up one of these (see link below) though I haven't had a chance to use it yet and can't comment on its performance.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Weed Blaster

  • gardener365
    10 years ago

    Thanks Alex.

    I talked to National Tag and asked for samples...
    Compared to what I have been using and will continue using,
    the tags from National are paper thin. I mean 1/10 the thickness of the aluminum tags I buy in a box of 100 from Gemplers.

    I thought many of you might like to know this prior to purchasing. If you're looking for a tag that won't bend due to wind alone, buy from Gemplers.

    Best regards,

    Dax

    Here is a link that might be useful: Gemplers 100 aluminum tags

  • sc77 (6b MA)
    10 years ago

    These look like the same brand as the ones sold at Gemplers, but a bit cheaper, especially if you are buying in bulk.

    I only needed 100 to start so I got them on Ebay, but tough to beat $9 bucks a box or less for 1000+.. Might depend on location too, for my location they are still a great deal even with shipping.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Amekron MPRESS-O-TAGS

  • monkeytreeboy15
    10 years ago

    Everything is looking great, Ken.

    I like it when you join in with posting pictures! The effort is appreciated.

    -Sam

  • gardener365
    10 years ago

    SC77: That's what I'm using.

    Here's the 1" x 3 5/8" Aluminum Write on Tag by Amekron

    Dax

  • ricksample
    10 years ago

    Dax - Do you have a picture of your Gempler tags with vinyl wire? I'm on the fence about switching...

    The supporting view of switching would be that I would spend less time with my Brothers Labeler. It takes forever punching in each letter. Plus during heavy snow storms/wind, some of the stand alone labels move around and you have to fix them in the spring.

    The opposing view would be that I don't need to see the names on the tags, but would like a clear view for my visitors. I can walk past and name every plant in my collection... no need to even look at the tag. However, when we have company walk around the yard it would be nice for them to see the names because lets face it... grafted conifers have pretty cool names. You don't want them to just think it's another pine or spruce. Plus in 10+ years I would love to have everything piece of my yard landscaped and would love to give tours to groups. I'm not sure the groups would want to kneel down at the trunk to see the names... where as the stand a lone tags are visible a 5' height.

  • gardener365
    10 years ago

    They'll want to kneel down. People like to touch plants, etc-, those on garden tours do anyway. And, it won't be very long until you know every plant in your garden. I don't need to look at a single tag, here, ever. Never have had to.

    Everyone has their preference but for me I cannot imagine anything but a write-on-label. Every couple years you'll have to untwist and bring them forward to the exterior of the plant. I happen to like them because (I) don't notice them, and, they last forever. I'm accustomed to them also from having visited arboreta, so maybe that's where I gained a liking for them.

    Amekron Aluminum Tags With Vinyl Twist Tie

    Amekron Aluminum Tags With Vinyl Twist Tie

    Amekron Aluminum Tags With Vinyl Twist Tie

    Amekron Aluminum Tags With Vinyl Twist Tie

    Amekron Aluminum Tags With Vinyl Twist Tie

    Amekron Aluminum Tags With Vinyl Twist Tie

    Dax

  • barbaraincalif
    10 years ago

    While the subject is on hanging labels: since my handwriting is horrendous I did a hybrid by making machine labels and putting them on a a hanging tag. The large font makes it easier for us old folks to read too!

    Barbara

  • alley_cat_gw_7b
    10 years ago

    Thanks Rick,Dax and Barbara.......sharing good thoughts and ideas...lots of food for thought, The more you collect and grow the more you need a good tracking system.
    Last week i visited a nice garden and asked the owner about a couple cultivars and he kept saying......I forget ! Ive got it written down inside the house somewhere.
    `AL