Planting a Tree This Fall? Give It a Name That Lasts

Fall is a good time to plant a tree. The soil is still warm, and the roots have all winter to settle in before spring.

But a few years from now, will anyone remember what kind of tree it was? Or who it was planted for? The nursery tag usually blows off by the first spring. A good tag keeps the name with the tree.

1. Write down the name the day you plant

Write the common name and the botanical name, plus the variety if it has one. For example: Fragrant Sumac, Rhus aromatica. If the tree honors someone, add their name and the year.

2. Pick a tag that holds up outdoors

Our Tree & Shrub Tags are made from impact-resistant acrylic that is UV stable and made for outdoors. They come in 2 sizes and 11 colors, in a Bundle of 10:

• 1-1/8″ x 3-3/4″: $9.50 for a Bundle of 10
• 1-3/4″ x 3-1/2″: $11.00 for a Bundle of 10

Write on them with a paint pen, or use a Brother label.

3. Hang it loosely

Each tag has a hole. Hang it from a sturdy lower branch with a loose loop, or set it on a post beside the trunk. Never wrap wire tight around a branch or trunk. Check the loop each spring as the tree grows.

4. For a special tree, go engraved

A tree planted for a new grandchild, a wedding or a loved one deserves a name that won’t wear off. We engrave custom labels on outdoor acrylic in 4 sizes and 17 colors. Up to 3 lines of text are included. Prices start at $2.85 per label, and the bigger 3″ x 4″ and 2″ x 6″ labels are $5.75. You send us the words, and we email you a proof to check before we engrave.

Choose holes to hang the label from one of our stainless steel Designer Series posts, or choose an adhesive back to put it on a Kincaid marker.

5. Labeling the shrubs too?

The same tags work on shrubs and young fruit trees. And while you’re out there, mark your perennials before they disappear. Here’s how to label perennials before winter.

A gift idea

Know someone who just planted a tree, or loves their garden? Gnorman, our garden gnome, says a Kincaid gift certificate is always the right size. They come in $10, $25, $50 and $100.

Kincaid Plant Markers is a family business in Savannah, Missouri, making plant markers in the USA since 2006.