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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Marking supplies

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  • From: Pat Meadows <pat AT meadows.pair.com>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Marking supplies
  • Date: Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:13:22 -0500

On Thu, 5 Feb 2009 08:33:52 -0700, you wrote:


>Also for UV proof markers that last the entire season, use the Sharpie
>INDUSTRIAL markers. I just got a 3-pack at the office supply store - way
>cheaper there than the seed catalogs. There's nothing worse than labeling
>all the rows or flats with something that fades!

Thanks, Marcy. I now have two markers to try: the industrial markers, and
the paint pens someone else suggested a little while ago.

I too use mini-blinds for plant labels. I think each mini-blind will make
several hundred labels, maybe even a thousand. Cheap. Easy.

I do a whole lot of my gardening in SWCs (the so-called, but misnamed,
Self-Watering Containers) and I number the SWCs for record-keeping
purposes. So maybe I'll use paint pens on containers for writing large,
and the markers for the plant labels.

SWC info for those who may be interested:

www.meadows.pair.com/swcreport.html .

I know a market farmer who uses SWCs (not *only* SWCs, of course, but he
uses them.) He uses them mostly for plants from which he wishes to save
seed, and therefore needs to isolate.

I've grown many many vegetables in containers, both traditional and SWCs,
and, after two seasons of using SWCs, I will NEVER again grow vegetables in
traditional, non-SWC containers. The difference in how well the veggies
grow in SWCs is amazing.

On the other hand, many herbs which like a drier environment than SWCs, and
fail to thrive in SWCs. (Basil is fine in them, however.)

Because we make our own SWCs, their cost is very moderate - you can make a
very large one for about $5 and sometimes less. Making an SWC out of an
18-gallon Rubbermaid-style storage tub takes my husband about 10 minutes.
So it's not much work either.

Sometimes you can get large containers for free: we just got a bunch of
free 5-gallon buckets from a local sandwich shop; they had been used to
ship pickles. They smell to high heaven, of course, but will be fine for
making into SWCs. Doughnut shops often have them too; they are used to
ship the glaze and icings. We got a few buckets free this week from the
local supermarket bakery department.

Cheers,
Pat
--
In Pennsylvania's Northern Tier, northeastern USA.
Website: www.meadows.pair.com/articleindex.html

What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide
what kind of difference you want to make. - Jane Goodall




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