Tracking Seed Planting Question

Hello All,

Wanted to see how everyone tracks the planting dates of their seeds. Anyone use Excel? Do you like to list your plants and then right the dates in as you plant successively?

I do.

It's my first year so perhaps computerized would make more sense in the long run but I just use paper and colorful pens. I couldn't afford to buy everything this year so I'm using those little window sill green houses. i make a grid using word to mach the greenhouses then print out. I using a magic marker to mark the sides of my house A,B,C,D. In each box in the grid I write in one color the plant, another color date planted, third, day it germinated. I keep it on the fridge for easy access and check it every day after school.

In the past for regular gardening I made a map of rows and filled them in with pertinent information. For my SFG probably will make a grid on paper and fill the squares in with the variety, date , days to harvest, brand etc. Since each square ft will only be one type plant that should work well.

Compooters too fancy for my level of book lurnin'.

I actually don't know Excel at all. But, I doubt I would take the time if I did. For me, it's paper and pen. I buy a big desktop calendar and lay it on top of my dog's kennel. I make a note of the high and low temps for the day. I also make a note of significant gardening I do.

For instance, if I plant seeds inside, I note when. When I transplant them outside, I note it on the calendar. When I harvest, I note it.

When March turns to April, I flip the page instead of tearing it off. That way I have something to look back on when the season is done.

I like to have control of my gardening so I use pen and notebook paper.
I keep a 3-ring notebook handy and have a page for each week during growing season with notes of dates I should start certain seeds indoors, outdoor sowing, starting fall crops, charts, even plans for my coldframe

One section are cutouts of the seeds from the seed catalogs of seeds I'm using in my garden with information about that particular cultivar so I can check maturing dates and anything else instructive as needed.

From there I make note of what I actually do, how many, what varieties sown, when I transplant to larger pots, when I start them hardening off.

I also have designated one page for each of my garden boxes with a grid.
I enter what I plan to grow in Box #1, then Box #2, etc and this year I am even adding what succession crop I follow up with after harvesting my early starters (cabbage, broccoli, this years garlic harvest). You get the idea.

I use the GardenSupply gardening plan for my initial setup and make changes as I go until the actual planting outdoors.

Having the notebook makes it especially easy to make any changes.

I carry a handy small notebook in my shirt pocket so I can note what I planted where in the garden, daily temps, amt of rainfall, what I harvested that day. Some of those notes I might add to my garden notebook and box grids to keep track.

I love the written word and I guess I'm from the old school. Computers still scare me. I like having things handy in black and white and not capable of being entirely lost if my computer fizzes out.

Works for me.

I like the advice so far and computers are meant to crash and software is just further cause of aggravation. Gardening is meant to be fun done the old fashioned way. Computers is how I made my living for 20 years but don't get any recognition in my gardening except for research and seed ordering. For those things they are invaluable.

Seems like everybody wants to talk about how, before they talk about what. I think we need to have more feedback from multi-year gardeners to hear what information they consider worthwhile to keep track of from year to year, along the line of what QB posted.

Boffer,

I need all of the wisdom I can get, so I would love to get it from the proverbial 'Horse's Mouth'!

Loving your idea.

Betty

While this is my first year, I have started a spreadsheet in Excel that looks like a mini-database. I work in IT, so this is the only way my brain works.

I designate all my boxes with a one or two letter code such as "A", "B", "DW" (driveway area), etc. I then number the beds one through however many squares I have in the bed (16 for the standard size box.) Next column is a season designator (Sp, Su, Fa, Wi). After that are columns for plant type and specific cultivar along with planting density. Next is day planted, transplant size if applicable, planned days to germination, germination date, planned days to harvest, along with several other days / dates columns. Last column is for notes. Still working on the final form, but so far it is working for me.

quiltbea wrote:I like to have control of my gardening so I use pen and notebook paper.
I keep a 3-ring notebook handy and have a page for each week during growing season with notes of dates I should start certain seeds indoors, outdoor sowing, starting fall crops, charts, even plans for my coldframe

One section are cutouts of the seeds from the seed catalogs of seeds I'm using in my garden with information about that particular cultivar so I can check maturing dates and anything else instructive as needed.

From there I make note of what I actually do, how many, what varieties sown, when I transplant to larger pots, when I start them hardening off.

I also have designated one page for each of my garden boxes with a grid.
I enter what I plan to grow in Box #1, then Box #2, etc and this year I am even adding what succession crop I follow up with after harvesting my early starters (cabbage, broccoli, this years garlic harvest). You get the idea.

I use the GardenSupply gardening plan for my initial setup and make changes as I go until the actual planting outdoors.

Having the notebook makes it especially easy to make any changes.

I carry a handy small notebook in my shirt pocket so I can note what I planted where in the garden, daily temps, amt of rainfall, what I harvested that day. Some of those notes I might add to my garden notebook and box grids to keep track.

I love the written word and I guess I'm from the old school. Computers still scare me. I like having things handy in black and white and not capable of being entirely lost if my computer fizzes out.

Works for me.

I like what you are doing - especially the weekly journal aspect of it. I may have to incorporate some of it.

I have an online one I use at PlanGarden, I like it, I use it, but that's just me.

I also have a notebook in my garden box, the box that goes with me outside on the porch or garden area, it has plant markers, scissors, popsickle sticks, measuring tape, gloves, and anything else I might need like a small container of cinnamon for ants.

I also have (yep over kill) a 3 ring binder, with things I have printed out, or torn out of magazines (I will not keep a whole magazine or book-even cook book for 1 or two articles), a calendar I printed out and scribble on, and just a few other things I wanted handy.

I will use my notepad in my box to scribble on and since my plant markers and sharpies are in my box, I can mark the new plants/seeds and make a note of where they went, and then transfer to my 3 ring binder where I have my boxes gridded out on paper. I'll also transfer any thing noteable or what I did to my calendar.

Once or twice a week I put what I think I may want to keep in my online garden, it also has a log.

After having more than one computer crash, and kids spilling things on my papers, I personally just wanted more than one place to keep my notes, the online one is their problem, yes they could have server problems and lose it all, but then I have it in my 3 ring binder.

This is just what works for me, write as little or as much as you want. I keep track of the weather, it's just something I like to do. As for doing things the old fashion way-that's up to the person doing it, I personally like computers. Thomas Jefferson kept several journals, he even knew how much feed an animal consumed and how much dung they gave back in return, and how long it took to transfer that dung to the garden-this man was detailed. He also used an inkwell and quill, and used candles and lanterns, now to me that's old fashioned.

SFG Ipod app; $1.99 - changing my life....

bettyd_z7_va wrote:Boffer,

I need all of the wisdom I can get, so I would love to get it from the proverbial 'Horse's Mouth'!

Loving your idea.

Betty

You picked the wrong end of the horse! I didn't list anything because when we've talked about this subject in the past, I seem to step on the toes of folks who are in to data collecting.

Each year, our gardening preferences evolve, partly to allow us to stay in our own unique comfort zone. I guess I could say my style is that of a minimalist, but the truth is, I'm lazy. lol Each year I get a little more settled into an overall routine that suits me, and I repeat it each year. I don't keep many notes.

I put a plant marker in every square: what, when, days to harvest, an occasional note.
I write notes on the seed packages; this works for me because I keep seed packages near the gardens year round on a convenient shelf.
The few notes I write during the season to remember for next year, don't fill up a hand written page.

Since I'm not commercial, or in a greenhouse with controllable environments, or growing acreage size quantities, there's just not much info from last year that helps me this year. Outdoor weather variables preclude making comparisons from one year to the next in my opinion. I think outdoor comparison tests have to be done side by side in the same growing season.

Ironically, the SFG method makes copious note taking even more irrelevant, IMO. Each square gets compost added at different times and rates. Each batch of 5 way compost that I make is a little different than the last. It doesn't take long before the makeup of the MM is a little different in every square in every box. For growing purposes it doesn't matter at all. But it would make a difference if you were trying to do comparison tests.

Just remember: I'm a minimalist lazy.

Seriously, check that Ipod app out, you all will be amazed.....

What's it called yosoy? I searched sfg and square foot gardening and I only found a free one called garden tracker. It that it?

That is indeed the name of the app, but he somehow paid $1.99 for it - maybe its a trial?

Just bought it. Apparently, there is a free version but when you try to make your beds larger than 2x2 it tells you that you have to upgrade for $1.99. Worth it! Thanks!

Glendale-gardener wrote:Just bought it. Apparently, there is a free version but when you try to make your beds larger than 2x2 it tells you that you have to upgrade for $1.99. Worth it! Thanks!

Nothing for Android yet? To think, even 5 years ago, most of us would not be thinking "apps" to track this, lol.

I am somewhere "in between" the use a computer group, and use a pencil group.

I printed out this book, followed the easy instructions, and I have a guide based on MY FROST DATE.

When I looked at it on Sat. morning, it tells me what I should be planting for the week in a couple of handy ways:

- What to Start Indoors (list of plants to plant this week - ex. Squash)
- What to Transplant (list included broccoli)
- What to Plant outdoors (list included peas, head lettuce)

I am taking notes as to what I actually get in the ground, and will adjust next year.
Check it out...
http://littlehouseinthesuburbs.com/2009/01/free-download-2009-spring-garden.html

boffer pretty much covered it for me. i use paper and pencil and all i record are what i planted, the date i planted, the date things first sprout, the date i plant them out (if they were started inside). i record the date of first harvest, and i weigh everything because i want to prove to my parents that i can so do it, nah-nah-nah-nah-nah-nah.

however, i do use each year's notes for the next year, because i am trying to stretch the seasons here each year until i reach 12 months, so when i look back and see that last year i planted X on such date, i can attempt to push that a week earlier, or if i see that last harvest was on such date i can attempt to extend that by another week. it also helps me plan my successions a little better.

but my notes are very casual--i made a chart which is on my romesticity blog--and sometimes i make notes on the margins or on the back. i'm not planning on publishing a white paper so this is good enough for me.

Inca Heat wrote:

Glendale-gardener wrote:Just bought it. Apparently, there is a free version but when you try to make your beds larger than 2x2 it tells you that you have to upgrade for $1.99. Worth it! Thanks!

Nothing for Android yet? To think, even 5 years ago, most of us would not be thinking "apps" to track this, lol.

What's an 'app'?





just kidding

camprn wrote:

Inca Heat wrote:

Glendale-gardener wrote:Just bought it. Apparently, there is a free version but when you try to make your beds larger than 2x2 it tells you that you have to upgrade for $1.99. Worth it! Thanks!

Nothing for Android yet? To think, even 5 years ago, most of us would not be thinking "apps" to track this, lol.

What's an 'app'?
just kidding

Hah, I'm not, wouldn't know one if it bit me.

boffer wrote:

camprn wrote:

Inca Heat wrote:

Glendale-gardener wrote:Just bought it. Apparently, there is a free version but when you try to make your beds larger than 2x2 it tells you that you have to upgrade for $1.99. Worth it! Thanks!

Nothing for Android yet? To think, even 5 years ago, most of us would not be thinking "apps" to track this, lol.

What's an 'app'?
just kidding

Hah, I'm not, wouldn't know one if it bit me.

LOL, I know what they are but I dont think I have ever used one... but I do carry a pocket knife

Inca Heat wrote:

Glendale-gardener wrote:Just bought it. Apparently, there is a free version but when you try to make your beds larger than 2x2 it tells you that you have to upgrade for $1.99. Worth it! Thanks!

Nothing for Android yet? To think, even 5 years ago, most of us would not be thinking "apps" to track this, lol.

Android App is called Garden Squared.