Plant label recommendations please?

[TwinkleToesStrikesAgain]

I have been using those bog standard white plastic plant labels and writing on them with a Sharpie. Trouble is you have to submerge the writing under the soil otherwise it fades. So seeds I plant at the beginning of the year are anonymous by May-June time as I often forget to sink them, or don't push them in far enough. I've tried one of those clay pencils and it didn't work any better.

So I'm looking for recommendations for labels and pen that last please

Thank you

I got some big wooden lolly sticks, but need to write on with biro or the ink just runs and fades. They will rot, but have lasted a season are cheap, so easy to replace, and are biodegradable.

I'd thought about cutting aluminium drink cans up, and using a skewer to indent the writing, so it won't fade. But I never got round to it, expect the edges could be quite sharp.

So I'm looking for recommendations for labels and pen that last please
Following advice on here, I am using ordinary white plastic labels and ordinary pencil. It's early days so I can't vouch for longevity yet.

I was going to say, have you tried ordinary pencil? I use them for all my labels, including the cacti, where I also keep a record on the back of whether the plants has flowered or been repotted (“hmm, last repotted 10 years ago … can’t keep putting it off”). It’s the label that eventually packs up, not the writing.

And you can still rub it off to re-use the label.

Unfortunately, pencil doesn’t work on label cut from yogurt pots.

The ultimate in durability is thin metal. Write using any sharp object - it’s the impression in the metal that gives the information. Oh for the days of metal toothpaste tubes! You can buy metal tags, but they’re too thick to “engrave”

Yoghurt pots cut into strips and a sharpie pen. Should last a year. Even the shop bought labels become brittle in time and illegible.

The Works do giant lolly sticks, for crafts. I buy these as they are easy to write on in large letters and don’t disintegrate as quickly.

Found this youtuber, the last hack at 11.41