Autumn: Take photos of your perennials, make plant labels

taking phot of garden with phone
Photo illustration by Connie Oswald Stofko. Original photo of phone by Dries De Schepper on Unsplash

by Connie Oswald Stofko

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know where all your perennials are–now.

But what about next spring when all the plants–perennials and weeds alike– are tiny?

You can take a guess on what’s in that spot. Or you can invest some time now so that, in spring, you’re not weeding out your beloved flowers.

First, take photos of your gardens now while your perennials are still standing. See more here.

Second, label your plants.

Tip: I have used permanent marker on plant labels, but it’s not as permanent as the name suggests. A gardener suggested using a grease pencil (also known as a wax pencil or china marker). She says it stays on all through the winter.

You can also use paint on your plant labels. If you use copper plant tags, emboss the letters into the copper by pressing down with a pencil.

More on plant tags:

Third, take it to a higher level. A Cheektowaga gardener uses a three-ring photo album to organize photos of his gardens, hand-drawn maps, plant tags and notes. See more here.

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