Why Petals Uses Off-The-Shelf Plant Labels And NFC Stickers
Monday, 7th April 2025
When you first see Petals' smart plant labels, you might notice something: they look a lot like ordinary plant labels and NFC/RFID stickers. It's true - and it's a deliberate choice. While it might seem "cheap" compared to something fully custom-moulded, there's a lot of thought behind it. After a lot of testing and real-world use, we found this is simply the best way to deliver a product that's affordable, reliable, and effective for gardeners. Here's why:
By using high-quality off-the-shelf labels and encoding them with Petals' smart technology, we keep costs down. That means you can tag your entire garden without breaking the bank. Making it affordable is vital: Petals was designed for passionate gardeners, not just for professionals or tech enthusiasts.
Right now, investing in that level of production would mean much higher prices for you, the user. Instead, we've chosen to keep things practical and affordable. Every decision is based on what works best for gardeners today, without compromising the future development of Petals.
Rain, frost, blazing sun, and stormy weather - the labels survived it all. They stayed readable, the NFC technology kept working, and the plastic didn't crack, warp, or fade. After two summers and two winters, our garden's original labels are still going strong. This isn't theory. We know it works because we put it to the test ourselves.
When you buy a Petals smart plant label, you're not just getting a plastic tag; you're buying into a complete system that covers everything from permanent storage of your plant's data, growth history, and photos, to instant access simply by tapping your phone against a label. You don't need to worry about DIY coding, losing files, or compatibility issues. It all just works, straight out of the box.
To make things even more flexible and cost-effective, we also offer raw Petals-encoded NFC stickers. These give you the option to place the technology onto any existing pot, label, or surface you choose - combining Petals' smart features with your own gardening style.
• Standard Spiked Plant Labels: Ideal for herbaceous plants, vegetable gardens, and flowerbeds. Simply push them into the soil.
• Large Tie-Style Labels: Perfect for trees, shrubs, and larger plants. These tie securely onto branches or stems without causing damage.
• Raw Petals-Encoded NFC Stickers: For total flexibility. Attach them to any existing label, pot, or marker you already use.
Each smart label acts as a gateway to a secure online plant profile. There's no app to download, no complicated setup to worry about - just tap, record, and grow.
1. Keeping Labels Affordable
In any garden, one plant label quickly turns into ten, twenty, or even hundreds. Gardeners don't need one or two - they need a lot. If each label cost several pounds, creating a digital garden would quickly become an expensive hobby.By using high-quality off-the-shelf labels and encoding them with Petals' smart technology, we keep costs down. That means you can tag your entire garden without breaking the bank. Making it affordable is vital: Petals was designed for passionate gardeners, not just for professionals or tech enthusiasts.
2. Why We Aren't Making Bespoke Labels (Yet)
One day, we would love to manufacture our own fully bespoke Petals labels, designed from scratch to integrate technology even more seamlessly. But as a startup, we face the reality of minimum production volumes. Custom manufacturing only becomes cost-effective at huge quantities - tens of thousands of units.Right now, investing in that level of production would mean much higher prices for you, the user. Instead, we've chosen to keep things practical and affordable. Every decision is based on what works best for gardeners today, without compromising the future development of Petals.
3. Proven Durability from Two Years of Testing
These aren't untested materials. Long before we launched Petals to the public, we used these exact labels in our own garden - for more than two years through all seasons. As well as some test gardens belonging to friends and family.Rain, frost, blazing sun, and stormy weather - the labels survived it all. They stayed readable, the NFC technology kept working, and the plastic didn't crack, warp, or fade. After two summers and two winters, our garden's original labels are still going strong. This isn't theory. We know it works because we put it to the test ourselves.
4. High-Quality, Weatherproof Components
Even though we use off-the-shelf labels, we're extremely selective about the ones we choose. All our smart plant labels are made from non-toxic, waterproof plastic, which is safe to use around edible plants and fully resistant to moisture. The labels are carefully manufactured with smooth edges to avoid damaging delicate plants - and to protect gardeners' hands and gloves while working. We also insist on anti-aging and UV-resistant materials to ensure that labels won't become brittle or discoloured after long exposure to the sun. Everything is chosen to survive real-world gardening conditions.Couldn't I Just Make My Own Labels?
It's a fair question - and technically, yes, you could buy blank NFC stickers or labels yourself. But there's a catch: without being encoded by us, they won't work with the Petals platform.When you buy a Petals smart plant label, you're not just getting a plastic tag; you're buying into a complete system that covers everything from permanent storage of your plant's data, growth history, and photos, to instant access simply by tapping your phone against a label. You don't need to worry about DIY coding, losing files, or compatibility issues. It all just works, straight out of the box.
To make things even more flexible and cost-effective, we also offer raw Petals-encoded NFC stickers. These give you the option to place the technology onto any existing pot, label, or surface you choose - combining Petals' smart features with your own gardening style.
The Types of Smart Labels We Offer
We know every garden - and every plant - is different. That's why Petals offers a few different options to suit different needs:• Standard Spiked Plant Labels: Ideal for herbaceous plants, vegetable gardens, and flowerbeds. Simply push them into the soil.
• Large Tie-Style Labels: Perfect for trees, shrubs, and larger plants. These tie securely onto branches or stems without causing damage.
• Raw Petals-Encoded NFC Stickers: For total flexibility. Attach them to any existing label, pot, or marker you already use.
How Petals Works
Petals is your garden's digital memory. It's a simple, powerful way to document, track, and celebrate the story of every plant you grow. Using it couldn't be easier. You simply tap your smartphone against a Petals smart label to activate it. From there, you can instantly add plant details, care notes, photos, purchase memories, and more to your digital garden. Over time, you can track growth, monitor care needs, and - if you choose - share your garden's progress with a passionate gardening community online.Each smart label acts as a gateway to a secure online plant profile. There's no app to download, no complicated setup to worry about - just tap, record, and grow.