Nurseries, greenhouses, garden centers and other businesses of the same nature must deal with different environmental conditions than that of common stores. As they rely on weather conditions, these seasonal businesses must maximize their operations by choosing the most efficient tools. Here is my list of the four essential tools for horticultural companies.
1. SourceTAG
Type: software
SourceTAG is a gem for gardeners. This online labelling software allows you to design labels, tags, signs and banners from an extensive database of horticultural images, texts and photos in high definition or from your own files, making it easy to create your label and print right away or save for later. This program is so efficient that I’ll write a blog post about it in April.
2. VP495 by VIP Color
Type: As opposed to the VP485 model, the VP495 printer uses pigmented ink, which is more resistant to water and UV rays. In addition to its professional quality finish, labels printed with the VP495 can tolerate an entire season of outdoor use. As it’s an on-demand printer, you can print labels, banners or displays all on the same machine.
3. B-SX4/B-SX5 by TOSHIBA TEC
Type: thermal printer
Certain thermal printers are ideal for standard barcode label printing. As for the B-SX printer series, it performs particularly well with thicker materials, such as plastic or polyethylene, which are often used in horticulture. Its “near edge” thermal print head gets worn down less quickly than a “flat head” print head does when in contact with rigid materials. In addition, its solid case is extremely resistant to environments where humidity and dust are common.
4. Specialized labels
Type: media
When we think of horticulture, humidity, dust and wind often come to mind. This is why the material used for the media must be resistant and adapted to those conditions. For example, to identify potted plants, better opt for plastic tags on which thermal transfer printing (ideally on a B-SX!) won’t fade. Loop labels will be hard-wearing if they’re made of polyethylene. Similarly, self adhesive labels for pots, soil bags or other products should be made with a strong, permanent adhesive which will make the label resistant to water and dust.
