Anyone use Smart Gardener?

**sfg4uKim** 6/9/2012, 7:59 am

Someone on the SFG Facebook page suggested the SMART GARDENER web site and I wanted to see if anyone has used it.

If so, what is your opinion about it? It looks pretty easy and well suited as a companion to SFG.

Thanks,
Kim

floyd1440 6/9/2012, 8:45 am

No..never heard of it before but I think I will give it a try. I used excel for both my planting schedule and another spread sheet for my garden layout.

Looks like this site does both!!!

Shocked

memart1 6/9/2012, 9:20 am

I just took a look at it. It looks pretty good, but I did notice that it used 4 squares for one tomato plant. I do think it can be useful though, and I'm going to play with it a bit before I decide.

floyd1440 6/9/2012, 9:39 am

memart1 wrote:I just took a look at it. It looks pretty good, but I did notice that it used 4 squares for one tomato plant. I do think it can be useful though, and I'm going to play with it a bit before I decide.

I will check it out but perhaps the 4 squares is for a bush tomato........

floyd1440 6/9/2012, 5:36 pm

Well I tried it and after two plants it say it wants money to continue..maybe I am doing something wrong here...

Evil or Very Mad

memart1 6/9/2012, 5:49 pm

I played with it a little and put about 30 plants in my plan and didn't see anything like that. All I had were ads from some seed companies, but I did not order from anyone.

floyd1440 6/9/2012, 6:08 pm

memart1 wrote:I played with it a little and put about 30 plants in my plan and didn't see anything like that. All I had were ads from some seed companies, but I did not order from anyone.

I am tech challenged and perhaps was on the site to long as it took me 45 minutes to get my first plant in my garden...still not doing it right I bet, and perhaps after so long on the site it would not let me put my third plant in..so I logged off.

Will try after dinner again.....

floyd1440 6/9/2012, 6:30 pm

If you attempt to plant an herb, then is when I have a problem. Now when i put tomatoes in it only let me put one plant in a 2x2 area, not a 1x1.

Same thing with brocolli too:shock:

memart1 6/9/2012, 6:53 pm

IK found that I could overlap the pictures, so I did that because most of my tomatoes are indeterminate and only need one square. I let two squares overlap the back of my box, then let the next one to the side overlap the first one etc.

floyd1440 6/9/2012, 7:53 pm

memart1 wrote:IK found that I could overlap the pictures, so I did that because most of my tomatoes are indeterminate and only need one square. I let two squares overlap the back of my box, then let the next one to the side overlap the first one etc.

I will give that a try..thanks

Hey memart1 did you try an herb? I went for basil and that is when things went wrong and could not add them.

Was fine with veggies though....

Anyone use Smart Gardener? 3170584802

memart1 6/9/2012, 8:02 pm

No I haven't tried any herbs. I have Beefsteak Tomatoes, Better Boy Tomatoes, Early Girl Tomatoes, Eggplant, Bell Peppers, Pole Beans, Bush Beans, Peas, Cucumbers, Cabbage, Lettuce, Beets, Carrots, Turnips, Radishes, Zucchini, Winter Squash and Rutabaga.

floyd1440 6/9/2012, 8:08 pm

I got a 4x8 SFG and have 2 pole beans and 6 tomatoes on the edge so it is giving me fits..

Let me knwo how an herb goes..just try one as you can delete it to see if it is something I amdoing wrongs

Thanks

CapeCoddess 6/9/2012, 8:33 pm

I just tried it.
The page that lists my veggies - it looks like it's saying I had 14 different planted but all that should be left are chard, kale, peas & radishes. The red harvest bars are way to the left of todays date for all the others. I think it doesn't realize how cold it's been here and how happy everything else is.

I didn't see any tomatoes or cucs or pole beans on my choices, unless I missed them somehow. So I have none in my virtual garden. Sad

Thank goodness there are some in the real garden!

I guess I'll get my first 'to do' list in the email some day? Is that how it work?
CC

memart1 6/9/2012, 11:43 pm

Yes, when I tried to plant an herb this program said I needed an add-on which was available for a small fee.

floyd1440 6/10/2012, 7:36 am

memart1 wrote:Yes, when I tried to plant an herb this program said I needed an add-on which was available for a small fee.

Before I put any money into this thing, I am having trouble with my tomatoes, cukes, and brocolli as they required more than 1 square foot and am now currently out of space as I only have 64 square feet and without planting everything I am over 76 square feet.

I may have to look at my garden plan and make the garden bigger???

**RoOsTeR** 6/10/2012, 9:28 am

There are several garden planners out there. Here's another that's not too bad:

http://www.gardeners.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Gardeners-Site/default/Page-KGPJS

Daniel9999 6/10/2012, 9:55 am

I used this one from Kitchen Gardeners International this year....

http://gardenplanner.kgi.org/gardenplanner/gardenplanner.html#

I like it so far because it has a SFG gardening mode, has planting reminders and frost dates for your area, and has tools for succession planting and crop rotation.

**RoOsTeR** 6/10/2012, 9:59 am

Daniel9999 wrote:I used this one from Kitchen Gardeners International this year....

http://gardenplanner.kgi.org/gardenplanner/gardenplanner.html#

I like it so far because it has a SFG gardening mode, has planting reminders and frost dates for your area, and has tools for succession planting and crop rotation.

That is a good one Daniel Anyone use Smart Gardener? 3170584802

I toyed around a bit with it earlier.

**rowena___.** 6/10/2012, 12:21 pm

the smart gardener planner offers a paid add-on to convert plans to SFG spacing. it is a one-time fee of $4.99. i played around with the free portion of the site and i really, really like it, and i think for someone just getting started it will be a tremendous help. but if you are an experienced gardener, i don't think it offers anything new except automation.

floyd1440 6/10/2012, 12:41 pm

rowena___. wrote:the smart gardener planner offers a paid add-on to convert plans to SFG spacing. it is a one-time fee of $4.99. i played around with the free portion of the site and i really, really like it, and i think for someone just getting started it will be a tremendous help. but if you are an experienced gardener, i don't think it offers anything new except automation.

I missed that fee of $4.99 one time. Could not get it to conform to Mel's spacings and before I had everything plnated; I ran out of space..then there was a fee for herbs.

Could you send me the link for the one time fee and does it let you convert to SFGing spec?

Thanks.

Anyone use Smart Gardener? 3170584802

**rowena___.** 6/10/2012, 12:57 pm

floyd1440 wrote:
rowena___. wrote:the smart gardener planner offers a paid add-on to convert plans to SFG spacing. it is a one-time fee of $4.99. i played around with the free portion of the site and i really, really like it, and i think for someone just getting started it will be a tremendous help. but if you are an experienced gardener, i don't think it offers anything new except automation.

I missed that fee of $4.99 one time. Could not get it to conform to Mel's spacings and before I had everything plnated; I ran out of space..then there was a fee for herbs.

Could you send me the link for the one time fee and does it let you convert to SFGing spec?

Thanks.

i can't post the link directly because the catalog is linked to the user's personal account. sign in then click the "goods" link at the top of the page. it's in the "smart add-ons catalog". there are several add-ons, all appear to be a one-time fee. the "smart squares" add-on says it will convert spacing to french intensive spacing which is what SFG spacing is based on. i might buy it myself sometime, so i can test it before referring students or clients to the service.

floyd1440 6/10/2012, 1:28 pm

I went to the good section of Smart Gardener and found the charge to conform it to our SFGing.

So I sent them an email about my concerns as if it will adapt to space required by plants that are using trellis method rather than bush growth, likr tomatoes, and also if this $4.99 also covers the planting of herbs and is it a one time price.

Will let you know what they suggest...it has some nice features for new gardeners but perhaps those with a lot of experience not much help.

I can always use advice..but not if too expensive!

SherrieLou 6/10/2012, 1:56 pm

I found that the site works really well. This is a very detailed and exhaustive program but for me... filling in that much detail took me forever and it felt kinda overwhelming :scratch: plus, I didn't like the extra charges $$$ to use SFG or enter herbs.

I enjoyed using the garden planner at Gardeners.com. http://www.gardeners.com/Kitchen-Garden-Planner/kgp_home,default,pg.html

It already had a feature for SFG in raised beds and I iked that it populates the garden with pitures of the actual veggies which I found more attractive and colorful then the planner I created in an Excel Spreadsheet. And it was free!

Just my two cents worth Wink

**RoOsTeR** 6/10/2012, 2:11 pm

SherrieLou wrote:I found that the site works really well. This is a very detailed and exhaustive program but for me... filling in that much detail took me forever and it felt kinda overwhelming :scratch: plus, I didn't like the extra charges $$$ to use SFG or enter herbs.

I enjoyed using the garden planner at Gardeners.com. http://www.gardeners.com/Kitchen-Garden-Planner/kgp_home,default,pg.html

It already had a feature for SFG in raised beds and I iked that it populates the garden with pitures of the actual veggies which I found more attractive and colorful then the planner I created in an Excel Spreadsheet. And it was free!

Just my two cents worth

Yep, that's the same one I posted above. Not to shabby and free and I agree with your .02 Very Happy

floyd1440 6/10/2012, 5:02 pm

I wrote to the Smart Gardener about the cost issues and got a reply

"
Our Smart Squares Add On does follow the SFG approach exactly, so I think this will be what you are looking for.

Yes, both Herbs ad Berries are the only additional plant groups we charge for.

Both are for a one time fee.

Once you purchase them, if you are unhappy, let me know and we will be happy to refund your money.

We have designed this to address all size gardens, so we're hoping this product will give you value.

Hope that helps and answers all your questions.

Kristee
Founder"

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