Best pens for plant labels.

[toomuchlikemyusername]

Hello
I hope this isn't a daft question...but what type of pens are best for writing on plant labels.
I've tried felt-tips (blurred, wiped off and/or faded very quickly), biro (really hard to get it to write properly) and pencil (variable based on which pencil and which label). Is there a 'go-to' pen type which writes easily, doesn't smudge, fade, wipe off?

I tend to use a combination of wooden, plastic and slate labels.
Thank you so much

I use a pencil and press quite hard when I write. It seems to work.
When I need to re-use the label, it takes a magic eraser to get it off.

I use the plastic labels, because I already had them.

Any permanent marker (see amazon for the tip size you want) and have an alcohol spray/wipe to hand to clean them off :)

I’ve got a really old garden pencil that was my dads and is amazing.

Thank you all. Much appreciated.
I am keen to keep reusing the plastic labels until they can be used no more so the marker with alcohol spray sounds like a good combo.

And along the way I will endeavour to find the perfect pencil - and then guard it fiercely (or more likely, lose it in the mess of the shed!)

I use pencil (on plain white plastic labels). It seems counterintuitive but it's more permanent than permanent ink!
The softer the pencil the better.

Will look to see what HB my pencil is. Think it was his dad’s.Looking online I wonder if it’s pure graphite .I’m using up a stock of old plastic labels left by my dad. I keep finding them with his lovely writing on in his pencil.😰

I cut up milk bottles and use a sharpie. I grow a lot of veg and I'm able to use the same labels year after year.

Yup, I also use a sharpie and cut up milk bottles for labels.

I use the bottom of the bottle with toilet tube pots to get my seedlings started and cut the top of the bottle into label strips.

This is a perpetual struggle - there was another thread about this quite recently.

I mostly use plastic labels and a Sharpie, but even Sharpie fades after a while. Professional gardener friends always recommend a pencil. Nail varnish remover will clean labels for reuse.

I’ve never found a pen which works well on my slate labels.

Sharpie!