Permanent tree labels

[b116757]

Well I contacted a friend of a friend that has a laser engraving machine. He estimated $2-3 a block to etch granite block tree labels. I’m going to drop off a couple this afternoon to see how they turn out and if he still feels he can do it for that price. If they are the bomb diggity I’ll have quite a number made to bury in front of each tree.

 

[Apple Junkie]

I made these from aluminum squares I bought at Home Depot. I have a set of metal dies with letters and numbers (Young Brother 3/16”). I cut the aluminum into squares and stamp the variety, rootstock, and date planted. Cheap and effective. Just something to consider.

 

[b116757]

I have aluminum ones similar to that now.

 

[b116757]

 

[b116757]

the red granite didn’t turn out to bad

 

[b116757]

Going to try some porcelain tile and glass tile next. I think if black or very dark brown porcelain tile shows almost white lettering that maybe the winner. Only have to have them laser etched and lay them on the ground in front of each tree no digging involved and can mow right over them. I’m needing about 65 of them maybe 100. My buddy is standing by his $2 a tile/block price so couple hundred $ for the etching seems pretty reasonable for some nice tree labels.

 

[H20fwler]

That is impressive, in the big picture of what it costs to protect and grow a fruit tree the price for that isn’t bad at all.

 

[b116757]

 

[b116757]

Black porcelain tile and glass subway tile.

I’m really leaning towards the 4”x12”subway tile. But the black porcelain isn’t bad at all.

 

[cavey]

Going to try some porcelain tile and glass tile next. I think if black or very dark brown porcelain tile shows almost white lettering that maybe the winner. Only have to have them laser etched and lay them on the ground in front of each tree no digging involved and can mow right over them. I’m needing about 65 of them maybe 100. My buddy is standing by his $2 a tile/block price so couple hundred $ for the etching seems pretty reasonable for some nice tree labels.

Saw your post earlier about trying and was going to tell you it would work

View attachment 38434

I was going to tell you it would work, I had something like that done with marble tiles - only It was for a girlfriend at the time, kind of a love poem thingy ... worked out well as far as the etching, was a pain due to some quarts in the rock that would reflex the laser but overall turned out equally nice. Guess I should have done a better job on the poem - shes long gone.

I have not done it yet but secondary to the tags I think I will just pour some 1 or 2 inch cement in board forms with the name scratched into the wet cement - make a bunch of brick sized sections and leave them on the ground near the trunks. Just another idea.

 

[Tree Spud]

I have 160 apple trees planted and another 65 coming this spring. With this many trees, I have to have a tagging system that is simple to use, but also very durable.

The problem is that most tags have limited space for details. I am now going to a 2 tag approach, the primary will be a numbered round brass tag. I can then create a excel tree log file and maintain info for each tree and log a lot more info such as nursery source, root stock, etc.. I can also update info log with observations over time.



I will also have tags that show each tree's identity on each cage. Also going to heavier wire than comes with the tags.

 

[PoorSand]

Thanks for posting the information about the 1-1/4" brass tags. I've been using aluminum tags with cardboard inside. I have no complaints about them, but I realize that my trees are likely to live longer than those aluminum tags (and me too) last. So I decided to get started upgrading them, stamping a batch each winter, and installing them during the following pruning season. I went with the Waxaw 1-1/4" brass tag that is not pre-numbered, just because the pre-numbered ones don't fit with the system I use in my record keeping.

 

[WTNUT]

I cut mine out of flat coil stock and then wrote the variety, rootstock, date planted and maturity date for the apple on mine. I know the sharpie will not last forever, so I keep a log of all trees at the farm that anyone can use to figure which tree is which.


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[Jordan Selsor]

I get the vinyl siding sample chips. They are super thick an durable. Approx 3x4 inches. Write on them with a pencil an will last a long time. I have 5 year old tags that look like I just wrote on them yesterday.

 

[b116757]

I just checked with my laser guy he thought he may get to my subway tiles this weekend

 

[b116757]

Just got them back from my laser guy this isn’t quite all of them I still need to bring another box of tiles over to him.

 

[Angus 1895]

I plan on using cattle ear tags and a permanent livestock marker for the cages