Plant ID Tags

[Allen Repashy]

Here is a question for the Nursery Men out there. I am interested in trying to find a used or new if affordable.... printer that prints the plastic plant stakes that go in a pot. I saw one Randy had up at San Marcos Growers but I wasn't interested in it at the time. It looked like it was a custom printer setup that ran of a PC. The plant stakes were attached in a roll and he could just look up a plant and run off some stakes....

Now that I am starting to do a little propagation, I can see that something will be a necessary tool....

Anyone have any experience with these systems?

Allen

[William Ross]

Gardenware Labels, Labeling software for Garden Centers and Nurseries

[Tim Harvey]

Most of the places I've seen that print their own labels use thermal transfer printers akin to these:
http://www.djv-selco.com/toshiba.html

Not cheap, but they last a long time. They use custom software and a database for label content. There's a little time required to get all the info in there.

T

[Matt Maggio]

While working for another nursery a couple years ago we used an OnSyte thermal printer. I Don't remember if it was refurbished or purchased new, but the machine was somewhat touchy. The label spool would occasionally come out of alignment or the timing would be helter skelter. Nevertheless, we appreciated having it for our purposes. We even had on-site- NPI - service for both the machine and software.

As Tim rightly points out, I would consider the expense. Even a refurbished one starts to make economic sense only when your plants start numbering in the thousands and/or you're marketing plants for retail. Otherwise, as many wholesale nurseries follow, a master label for each block/flat is usually adequate... then there is the professional appearance side of things.

I wouldn't mind renting a label fairy in preparation for the next show and sale!... my penmanship stinks.


c14.htmOnSyte (Wide TEC) - WestHort

Matt

[Sarmis Luters]

Hi,

Can anyone share any Plant Label Source that will do custom orders of labels with print one side of the tag?

Preferably in Southern California?

I recall many of my plants from places such as "Cactus Ranchito", Singer's Growing Things", "Grigsby's", "Loehman"s", and more had
plastic labels with their name on one side.

Thanks,

sarmis luters
redondo beach, ca

[madabouteu]

Sarmis, Gardenware - mentioned in the first reply - will do that custom printing.

I bought the Gardenware software for the local Master Gardener Association; we have an annual plant sale and print out about 10,000 labels. The basic software comes with a database pre-loaded with about 7500 species and cultivars; unfortunately, few of these are succulents! However, adding new entries is quick and easy, and they have very good customer support. I recommend these people highly. They are located in Washington State or Oregon, I forget which. The labels print out on a regular laser printer and are supposed to last a minimum of 3 years in sun and weather - a claim that seems to be accurate.

[halibut]

Economy label TXP with Taggit Pro software. If you are going to only use one size label you can go with the TEC. The software can do anything you want, auto date stamps, database, barcodes, etc. For work it's great and user friendly, for the collection I still use a pencil.
Later

[Matt Maggio]

Well, I was about to recommend Woodland Creek Labels out of Oregon, but just noticed that they no longer offer printed labels... only blanks! That was my number one company for printed labels... now I'm all eyes and ears as well.

MM