Wrap Around Plant Labels or Ring Tags

In a previous article, I discussed how to make plant label stakes from window blinds. These are easily made and serve their purpose especially with seedlings, young and small plants or "dish garden" plants.

Yet these plant label stakes may not be appropriate for bigger plants. At times, they may not be sufficient in some situations. And this is where wrap around or ring tags may be better used.

Disadvantages of Staked Plant Labels

1. Waste of label material
   
   When used as staked labels, a part of the marker is buried in the soil or ground and therefore unseen. It could've been used otherwise as labeling material.
   
   
2. Can get dislodged
   
   Especially with hanging garden pots, I've witnessed birds scratch the soil out and with it, the staked labels. This usually happens when the soil is dry and birds, notably sparrows, dig the soil during their dust baths. When multiple labels get scratched out, they fall to the ground and it's almost impossible to put them back where they came from.
   
   
3. Misplaced when repotting
   
   When plants become bigger and outgrow the container they're in, they need to be repotted. What somtimes happens is, in the course of repotting, the labels get misplaced or "disappear" when they get buried in soil or potting medium.
   
   
4. Gets overlooked when looking at tall plants
   
   Since staked labels are down in the soil, there is a tendency to not notice them at all especially with taller plants. Or when there are plenty of surrounding plants beside it, you may have to push aside some foliage to find the label down below.
   
   

How to Make the Wrap Around Plant Labels or Ring Tags

Materials

• PVC Window Blinds Pieces. Here, I am using the labels I made in this article.
  
  
• Insulated thin Wires. As an alternative you may also use twist ties or twistees. Cut them into 2.5" or 3" lengths.
  
  

Tools

• One Hole Puncher. These may be bought cheaply from a stationery, crafts or school and office supplies store. A hole that's 1/8" diameter is big enough.
  
  
• Scissors. For cutting the pvc window blinds pieces to size.
  
  
• Small Long-Nosed Pliers. For bending and forming the ends of the twist ties.
  
  
• Pencil
  
  
• Ruler
  
  

Procedure

1. Take the window blinds pieces and divide one into three. Each of the three pieces will measure roughly 1.25" long and 0.5" wide.
   
   
   
   
   
2. Cut each of the measured pieces.
   
   
   
   
   
3. Cut the square corners of each of the plant tag pieces.
   
   
   
   
   
4. Position one end of the plant tag in the one-hole puncher as shown below.
   
   
   
   
   
5. Punch a hole so the plant tag would look like the one blow.
   
   
   
   
   
6. Insert the end of one insulated thin wire into the hole.
   
   
   
   
   
7. With a pair of long-nosed pliers, bend both ends of the the thin wire.
   
   
   
   
   
8. The ends should be formed into tiny hooks as shown below.
   
   
   
   
   
9. Engage the two hooks with one another.
   
   
   
   
   
10. This will create a wrap-around tie for the ring tag.
    
    
    
    
    
11. Write on the ring tag. A pencil writes easily on the ring tag.
    
    
    
    
    
12. To use, simply wrap around the thin wire around a branch and hook the ends together.
    
    
    
    
    
13. Here's a ring tag applied to a branch of an Adenium obesum.
    
    
    
    
    
14. Ring tags may be stored together as shown below, just like in a key ring.