Process and apparatus for providing durable plant tags for horticultural organization

1. A method of making a durable plant tag on a substrate for use in identifying different plant types that grow well together in a same geographic location, the method comprising:

obtaining a plant type data set for a plurality of plant types;

obtaining a location based temperature data set;

obtaining a location based precipitation data set;

assembling a tag file including a first plant guide number derived from the plant type data set, the temperature data set, and the precipitation data set, the first plant guide number being a numerical value indicative of at least one of temperature requirements and watering requirements for at least one the plurality of plant types;

printing the tag file on the substrate;

including an electronic data element to the durable plant tag;

programming the electronic data element with a unique number representing a first plant type;

accessing the unique number;

delivering a first set of information associated with the unique number;

embedding a second set of information in the first set of information;

wherein the second set of information includes information related to at least a second plant type having the same first plant guide number as the first plant type; and,

wherein the first plant type and the second plant type are different plant types that grow well together in the same geographic location.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of printing further comprises the step of printing the tag file on a substrate chosen from the group of polyethylene sheet and polyvinylchloride sheet.

3. In a computer system including a server connected to a plastic tag printer, a method of making and using a durable plant tag comprising:

obtaining, by the server, a location based temperature data set;

obtaining, by the server, a location based precipitation data set;

identifying, by the server, a plant type;

identifying, by the server, a plant location;

deriving, by the server, a target temperature based on a comparison of the plant location to the temperature data set;

deriving, by the server, a target precipitation based on a comparison of the plant location to the precipitation data set;

entering, by the server, the target temperature into a temperature light relationship equation particular to the plant type to derive a light requirement;

entering, by the server, the target precipitation into a precipitation water relationship equation particular to the plant type to derive a water requirement;

encoding, by the server, the light requirement and the water requirement into a plant guide number; and,

printing, by the plastic tag printer, the plantguide number on a durable substrate to make the durable plant tag;

wherein the entering the target temperature further comprises entering the target temperature into the equation:

L ( T )= L 0 e −λT

where L(T) is the light intensity corresponding to the target temperature T for each geographic location,

L 0 is a light intensity;

T is the target temperature; and

λ is an exponential decay constant.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

physically attaching the durable plant tag so made to a plant of the plant type.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the entering the target temperature further comprises using a λ of between about 1.3 and about 3.7.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

locating a fertilizer type based on a correlation table of a set of fertilizer types for the plant type and the plant location; and,

printing the fertilizer type on the durable substrate to make the durable plant tag.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

providing a location based information table related to the plant type;

deriving a target information from the information table based on the plant location;

printing the target information on the durable substrate to make the durable plant tag.

8. The method of claim 3 further comprising: deriving a graphic code unique to the plant type;

printing the graphic code on the durable substrate; and,

using the graphic code to electronically access information about the plant type.

9. The method of claim 3 wherein the system includes a tag encoder, connected to the server, and a user device, the method further comprising the steps of:

programming, by the tag encoder, an electronic tag with an electronic code unique to the plant type;

fixing the electronic tag to the durable plant tag;

transmitting, by the user device, a signal to the electronic tag;

receiving, by the user device, the electronic code in response to the signal; sending, by the user device, of the electronic code, to the server; and,

providing, by the server, a set of information related to the plant type, to the user device, upon receipt of the electronic code.

10. In a computer system including a server connected to a plastic tag printer, a method of making and using a durable plant tag comprising:

obtaining, by the server, a location based temperature data set;

obtaining, by the server, a location based precipitation data set;

identifying by the server, a plant type:

identifying, by the server, a plant location;

deriving, by the server, a target temperature based on a comparison of the plant location to the temperature data set;

deriving, by the server, a target precipitation based on a comparison of the plant location to the precipitation data set;

entering, by the server, the target temperature into a temperature light relationship equation particular to the plant type to derive a light requirement;

entering, by the server, the target precipitation into a precipitation water relationship equation particular to the plant type to derive a water requirement;

encoding, by the server, the light requirement and the water requirement into a plant guide number; and

printing, by the plastic tag printer, the plant guide number on a durable substrate to make the durable plant tag;

wherein the entering the target precipitation further comprises entering the target precipitation into the equation:

W ( R )= W 0 e −λR

where W 0 =a recommended watering level;

R=the target precipitation; and,

λ=an exponential decay constant.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of entering the target precipitation further comprises using a λ of between about 0.3 and about 1.7.