I love to start plants from seeds, like my beautiful zinnias from last year. The butterflies loved them!

When I start my own seeds, I usually start a zillion different varieties. I can typically recognize the plants when they get their true leaves(second set), but until then I need a way to see what I planted and when I planted. With some vegetables like tomatoes, the plants will look the same for weeks. If I really want my ‘Super Sweet 100’ cherry tomatoes to be planted near my back porch, how will I tell them apart from my ‘Mortgage Lifter’ tomatoes when it’s time to transplant?

Although there are many pretty labels available for purchase, I don’t typically need to keep the labels forever, I just need to know what seeds are coming up, what may need to be replanted, and when I sowed the seeds.

I’ve tried popsicle sticks; they’ve gotten moldy and tend to deteriorate quickly. Last year I tried making my own from milk jugs; the permanent marker faded into nothingness.

Earlier this year, when I began to feel spring fever and wanted to start some seeds, I thought about the label dilemma again.

How could I label a zillion plants without paying for a zillion labels that I would only use for a little while?

Enter the lowly styrofoam cup!

To make some simple labels you only need a styrofoam cup, scissors, and a ballpoint pen. You could even reuse your coffee cup from work this morning, the plants won’t mind. 🙂

Cut the cup from the rim to close to the bottom.

Cut around the bottom to separate the labels.

Ta-da! Now you have lots of labels with very little time or money invested. Now you can write the name of the plant (there’s plenty of room for long names) and the date sowed.

So if you too are suffering from a touch of spring fever, you can get those seeds out and start making labels. Here in zone 8b, you should start vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants ASAP. It’s also a good time to start some flowers if you haven’t already done so. I love having marigolds in with my vegetables.

I will be posting about how to start seeds soon. If you want to get your supplies ready here’s what you will need: pots or plastic plant cells(pictured above), seed starting mix, seeds, and of course labels!

How do you label your little seedlings?