Durable Plastic Plant Tags for Harsh Climates

[@EnlightenmentGarden]

A viewer asked whether ASA plant tags are safe for the garden. The shop owners confirmed their tags (and ASA in general) are printed at 500 degrees F. The item is then cooled and hardened. It would take an extremely high temperature to alter, melt, or cause toxins to leak from the plastic once hardened. So only if temps exceed 200 degrees F could there be any issues as ASA is stable up to that temperature. In contrast, "food grade safe" filaments break down at 180 degrees. If in doubt, you can stick with tags that have no direct contact with the soil.

[@baldyeti]

Those are slick! Great find, and appreciate the share!

[@madebymorelandkc]

These look great in your garden!! Thank you for letting us be a part of it! We are excited to see how these hold up for you, as they have been doing well for us in the summer heat of Kansas!

[@EnlightenmentGarden]

Thanks so much!

[@KhawarShafi]

For which fig varieties you use shade nets? Which trees make good and bad neighbors for figs in terms of ellelopathy when trying to take advantage of their shade? Off topic question from new subscriber. Tags look 👍

[@EnlightenmentGarden]

Thanks! The shade structures are only for my young subtropical trees that can't tolerate full direct sun like mango, starfruit, jaboticaba, imbe, etc. All my fig trees are planted in full sun but given their mature size do shade themselves to a degree with dense foliage. I don't have any fig trees under the shade of other trees. They grow vigorously in our climate and put on about 10' growth every year. I prune them heavily in winter to manage growth.

[@TheTinkerersWife]

Those are both great options. One thing I was wondering about is how do you keep the black tags from getting blown off or otherwise lifted off the stakes? Is the curl enough to stop that from happening?

[@EnlightenmentGarden]

So far, my experience is the curl is exaggerated just enough to keep them in place. You have to angle it just right to remove them. If that changes during the monsoons, I can pinch the P a little tighter with pliers and seat the tag by feeding it from the bottom of the stake and then up and over the P

[@chrisrose6216]

Oh man! Just yesterday I wrote all the names out on the plant tags that you showed to not use and put them out in the yard/garden. I am in Phoenix area also. Looks like I'll have to replace them next year with something like you suggested. Let us know how they hold up.

[@EnlightenmentGarden]

Those glossy black markers last a little longer if they never get wet but with my microsprinklers that just isn't practical and they rust out big time. The zinc name plates with the grease marker don't rust but the writing does fade after 3-4 years. I'll definitely do an update in a year or 2 to show how these perform.

[@montypalmer4556]

Piles of custom labels for plants that died doesn't sound so great to me. I make labels from aluminum soda cans cut with scissors and labeled with Artline UV resistant Garden Markers. A bit less pain when my plant dies in the HARSH Arizona climate. Hurray for recycling!

[@EnlightenmentGarden]

Thanks for sharing a green alternative. Agreed; these are not worth the investment for plants that you expect will soon die and if aesthetics are not important.

[@xeso92]

Food grade I hope

[@EnlightenmentGarden]

How is "food grade" relevant to plant signs? Food grade is important when food is in direct contact with a material but that is not the case here. The plant stakes are in contact with the soil but are stable and don't leach anything harmful into the soil.

[@xeso92]

@@EnlightenmentGarden you are putting plastic in a container you are growing food in; in extreme temperatures. No need to get defensive, especially when I just today gave your channel some credit on a popular forum .. we are the generation of microplastics, cutting down makes sense IMO

[@xeso92]

@@EnlightenmentGarden yeah I know we use food grade containers but adding extra plastic just doesn’t really register in 2024. Anyway im not a troll, I actually follow and share your videos a lot. Just looking out

[@EnlightenmentGarden]

@xeso92 Sorry if I came off defensive. I was not attacking your statement but just stating my understanding of the stability of ASA. I understand your reluctance to support the use of plastic. ASA or plastics in general are not a green solution. Nor are all of the rusted-out metal ones that fall apart every few years or the plastic labels plant nurseries use. For sure this is not a product for everyone. It's just one I like and am sharing in case it helps others. Your point about reducing plastics is valid! Admittedly, I use a lot of it. It's hard not to in the world we live in. My containers are made out of plastic also. I tried fabric pots but they dry out too fast. Irrigation tubing and just about everything contains plastics. I appreciate you sharing your views and concerns.

[@xeso92]

@@EnlightenmentGarden me and my partner love sitting down to watch your videos, didnt mean to jump the gun or anything. Your input is valued, I just wanted to help give some insight; microplastics are scary. They say each of us has a plastic spoon worth of nanoplastics floating in our brain. People in specialized fields, like scientists. Anyway you were the first person to accurately articulate what a Pink Guava tastes like, keep doing your thing! TropicalFruitForum is a cool place you should come check out, lots of varied scions from an awesome community