Luster Leaf Rapiclip 6-Inch Garden Plant Labels
The best advice I can give someone who is starting seeds for the first time is to a.) keep detailed records so you can make adjustments the following year, and b.) label all your seedlings, especially if you are growing more than one variety. It will be harder than you think to remember what’s what once you start potting up seedlings and moving them out to the garden.
I rely on these labels to keep dozens of standard “1020” greenhouse trays in order starting in mid-February and continuing throughout the growing season with my succession plantings that extend into fall. With 72 cells per tray, my market garden operation would be total chaos without the sense of order that these garden labels provide.
These are the ideal size if you plan on using the vented plastic greenhouse domes on your trays because the labels stick up enough over mature seedlings, yet there is still plenty of clearance at the top.
Each label has a rough side and a smooth side. I use a soft “HB” drawing pencil on the rough side to write the variety, the date I planted the seed, and the number of rows I used in the tray. A standard #2 pencil also writes well on either side, but I prefer the bolder print, especially if the label will be used outside.
I have used Sharpies in the past to write on the smooth side, but it’s a little more work to get rid of the writing to re-use them. Use the abrasive side of a scrubbing sponge and some water to make a slurry paste with some Barkeeper’s Friend or Comet to remove the permanent marker.
I have used these Luster Leaf Rapiclip labels for various growing cycles under almost constant LED lighting with no degradation of the plastic. I have used cheaper labels in the past that were too thin and cracked after just one growing season. You can expect to get several seasons out of these in the garden if you bring them in over winter.