Labeling for Heat

[Pam]

So, because I let select friends and neighbors harvest peppers when I'm not home, I try and keep my plants labeled so they know what they're getting. Of course, I look at a plant like my Pimento De Chiero and think "hot, great with beans and for poppers". They think "Yellow jelly bean looking thingie, wonder if it's hot?"
So, I've been working on a quick reference labeling system, and I've decided to use the fine terrorist warning system that our *cough, cough* fine president thought up. You know, this one:

http://www.terror-alert.com/images/TerrorAlertChart.jpg

Colored plastic plant tags get pricey, though, so I bought a box of tongue depressors and am spray painting them the appropriate colors. I have a label maker, and I'll just stick the variety name on the painted tongue depressor, and we'll see how that holds up to sun and rain. I'm debating whether I should glue a bit of string on the tongue depressor and hang it from the plant or the small tomato cage I put over my peppers.

This is just a very general guideline, but I'm thinking I need one more color for the explosively hot stuff. See, I want people to enjoy their pepper experience, not be rudely shocked and never eat another pepper. I'm not sure what color to use though. Black, maybe, because the peppers are deadly. Hot pink spray paint is readily available, but somehow pink and peppers doesn't...um...click. Gold or silver don't either.

I could add a skull and cross bones on the printed label for the really hot stuff and just put it on a red tongue depressor, but I'm working toward a "at a glance" system and my label maker only does black and white.

Hm, maybe I could use orange label tape on a red stick?

Any suggestions?

 

[imaguitargod]

Strip the stick Red and Yellow, or red and white like a barber's pole.

 

[Pam]

Strip the stick Red and Yellow, or red and white like a barber's pole.

Oh, there's a good idea.

I wonder if I'm coordinated enough to do that without ending up red and yellow striped myself?

I guess we'll know in just a little while, huh?

 

[chilehunter]

you could also go buy some of that construction neon tape (thin plastic ribbon kinda) that they sell at menards/home depot/etc... comes in 3 colors comes in like 50 or 100 yards for something like $1- $2 per role, then you could just tie some of the tape/ribbon onto the plant itself at the top of the plant so its seen easier than a small stick in the ground.

 

[Pam]

Strip the stick Red and Yellow, or red and white like a barber's pole.

Ok, the first try didn't work so well. I spray painted the tongue depressors yellow, then wrapped them with electrical tape and sprayed them with red paint. The tape pulled off some of the yellow paint, though.

I'm going to try again, but give the tongue depressors longer to dry.

 

[Pam]

you could also go buy some of that construction neon tape (thin plastic ribbon kinda) that they sell at menards/home depot/etc... comes in 3 colors comes in like 50 or 100 yards for something like $1- $2 per role, then you could just tie some of the tape/ribbon onto the plant itself at the top of the plant so its seen easier than a small stick in the ground.

I'll have to check that out.

I had a friend who only wanted sweet peppers. Before I went on vacation, I tied little blue bows from gift wrapping ribbon on the tops of all my sweet pepper plants. It was kinda cute, but the ribbon didn't hold up much past the vacation.

 

[Cap'n Bones]

I like the skull and bones idea for the really hot peppers. If you color coordinate the labeling, check with your friends to make sure that they aren't color blind, as this is a fact of life for some, including the Cap'n.. btw, I traveled through Columbia today on 26, and the pollen in the air was unreal! At one point, drivers were turning on their headlights because the visibility was really poor. I hope yer not allergic to pollen!

 

[Pam]

btw, I traveled through Columbia today on 26, and the pollen in the air was unreal! At one point, drivers were turning on their headlights because the visibility was really poor. I hope yer not allergic to pollen!

The pine pollen has been unbelievable this year. All those trees have wild and messy sex right there in front of decent folk! I normally drive a red car, but right now it's yellowish orange from tree spooge. And no rain in the forecast until next weekend.