DIY Plant Tags and Markers

For whatever purpose, tags are easy to make with the Fiskars Simple Tag Maker with a built-in eyelet setter.

Anyone who has ever stuck a seed packet on a stick to mark a new row of radishes knows that paper labels will not last long in the weather, but you can extend the life of labels outdoors by laminating them with two-inch clear package tape. It's just the width of the labels.

To make an assortment of tags, you'll need a Tag Maker, medium-weight card stock, a marking pen, rubber alphabet stamps, a stamp pad, colored printer paper, scissors, light-gauge wire, and floral armature wire.

Insert a piece of cardstock into the tag maker and press down on the lever to punch out a label. You can make labels all one color, or in many colors. Each label is two inches by three, leaving you plenty of room to write the name of plants.

Insert the tag into the small slot in the front of the label maker and press on the lever again, to punch a hole. (Note that if you are going to laminate your labels, you should wait until after they are laminated to punch holes.)

Have fun with the plant names on your labels. Type the plant names on a single document page, and print them on colored paper from an office-supply shop. Leave plenty of space between names so you can cut them out easily. You can also cut out plant names (or pictures) from a seed catalog.

Use just a drop of glue to place the plant name on the label.

You could also write the names of plants on each label by hand, of course, or use a set of rubber alphabet stamps to spell plant names. Choose a contrasting ink color and let the ink dry well before laminating.

Pull off a piece of tape about seven inches long and carefully place it over the front of the label. Pick up the label and fold the tape over onto the back, where the ends will overlap slightly. Smooth the tape down with your fingers.

Using sharp Fiskars scissors, trim any excess tape around the label.

Now place the label in the small slot in the tag maker and punch a hole.

Then place a steel eyelet in the hole, set them together on the peg in the Tag Maker, and push the handle down to fasten the eyelet to the tag.

To hang your tag, wrap a piece of floral armature wire two or three times around a marking pen to make a coil.

For whatever purpose, these garden tags are easy to make with the Fiskars Simple Tag Maker with a built-in eyelet setter.