An HOA client wants to tag some of their trees so residents can know what they are looking at (as done at arboreta). Wonder what are your thoughts out there on the best way to do this. Aluminum/brass tags nailed to trunk... 4x4 posts in ground engraved w/wood burner... what else?

Reply to post by Ed Milhous, on February 19, 2000 at 08:51:31:

MATERIALS. Brass is attractive and durable but offers little contrast between background and letters.

Some years ago it was suggested we use black anodized aluminum and the engraved letters would stand out as silver. The sun bleached out the anodizing within a year... ineffective.

Best results I've had are engraved plastic plates with a dark surface color and white substrate.

ATTACHMENT. I think the tag attached to a little signpost on a stake placed in the ground in front of the tree is the most elegant, does the least damage and requires no adjusting as the tree groes. BUT, no good for public places as they get stolen; no good in turf as they will get mowed or if moved by the mowing crew it won't go back; not visible under snow cover. It remain the best method for small or shrubby matreial or vines.

One method of direct attachment is to pre-drill nail holes in the trunk lined up with holes in the plate. Put the nails through the plate, slip little coil springs behind the plate over the nails, set the nails just deep enough in the holes to be stable. The plate stands off the tree by the unsunk nail depth, the springs keep the plate from rattling around and compress as the nails grow. You'll get some number of years between installations... if you forget the tree will overgrown the plate. One problem is you might need custom made conical coil springs.

Another method (Wayne Cahilly tells me they use it at the NYBG) is to mount the plate to a softwood backer or plaque. A nail or screw goes through the softwood (but not the plate) and into the tree, also left standing off the tree to allow growth space behind. If you forget or don't keep up with your replacement schedule, as the tree grows it will push against the back of the plaque, pulling the screws right through the softwood. It will just fall off to the ground with no damage to the tree.

In public locations the tags need to be high enough to make theft and vandalism difficult.

Scott

Reply to post by Scott Cullen, on February 19, 2000 at 08:51:31:

How does that plastic hold up?
This site has an over-abundance of squirrels, who chew everything in sight, especially in lean years. I don't think 20% of the tree tags I've installed are still in place... they do sprout legs.
I like the brass... wonder if some material could be poured into etched grooves of lettering to provide contrast?
I also like the posts set in the ground, but agree that mowing crews would hate 'em. On the other hand, might provide rational for mulching around trees. (Until this winter, snow here would rarely have been an issue!)

Reply to post by Ed Milhous, on February 19, 2000 at 08:51:31:

Ed, here is the trick to doing these tree labels.
First...if you can use a label that hangs...try an AM Leonard catalog.
If you can secure to the tree...here is your trick: Use brass, with the names, id #, etc, letter-punched on to the tag.
Then, using a small, appropriately-sixed spring slid over a stainless steel screw, you push the screw through a hole in the tag. Put the spring over the screw,
then screw the screw part ways into the tree. Remember dont drive it in too far...as the tree grows, you can back out the screw a turn or two, the spring keeps the tag away from the expanding bark.
Good Luck.

Reply to post by Ed Milhous, on February 19, 2000 at 11:15:53:

Plastic in my experience holds up pretty well, certainly past the replacement period resulting from tree growth. That just considers weathering of course not squirrels. Affixing the plasting to a wooden plaque... either on a stake or on the tree... would present not thin chewable edge. I have seen brass plaques that seem to have paint in the letters.

Reply to post by Ed Milhous, on February 19, 2000 at 08:51:31:

Most botanical gardens will gladly make tag for cost of materials.

Reply to post by Ed Milhous, on February 19, 2000 at 11:15:53:

The plastic will hold up with a wood backer provided the plastic is UV resistant. Little more expensive but we found that the standard plastic shattered in the cold and bleached in the sun. UV resistant plastic seems to be resistant to both and the rodents aren't as fond of it.

We use aluminum screws, 3.5 inches long and wood blocks 1/2 inch thick (painted to match the plastic color). We pre-drill holes through the wood and countersink for heads, then the wood block is attached to the tree with two screws, just firmly enough to stay put, then the plastic label applied to the wood block with double-stick tape. The result is a nice looking istallation that stands about 2.5" out from the tree, with no screw heads showing.

They last for us in the landscape a maximum of 10 years but tree growth usually pushes them off first.

Hope this is helpful

Wayne