Topic: Sowing Spreadsheet

[Mrs Ava]

Yes, I know, lifes to short to stuff a pepper and all that, but how many of you keep a spread sheet of what to sow when?  A certain very kind member has sent me his to give me an idea and I wondered if this is something lots of people do.  I don't normally have a plan, just go with the flow really, hence my rotation leaves a lot to be desired, but I do seem to harvest plenty with only the occassional lows in crops - like now, no salads at the moment!!  Wasting my time, or a good investment??

[MrsKP]

I've been a good girl this year and recorded all my sowings in a diary, however have never bothered to record when they've a) germinated b) bloomed/fruited c) been harvested !  8)

So next year I'm expanding to a simple spreadsheet (by year 3 i may have a useful document)  ;D

[supersprout]

Kaypee, I've tried diaries before but never kept them up :-[
This is the first year I've kept a spreadsheet - it's been one of my best investments EJ, it helps me go with the flow and prevents panic attacks ;)

[Curryandchips]

I keep a spreadsheet, just jottings really, but it is on the computer, where A4A also happens to be ...

I sort it by planting dates, so nothing gets forgotten (normally), but I can't cope with the discipline of recording other stuff.

I do find it useful when doing my seed order ...

[calendula]

I make my own divided in to sowing dates (by month), planting out dates (by month) and also a harvesting record and an end of year summary - amazing how it changes from one year to another

overall it is just a basic plan that you can then manipulate and experiment with - some people use a filing box to separate their seeds out into a monthly basis and this is quite a good idea so when you've finished sowing beetroot, for example in March you just put the packet back into April's slot

just for a bit of fun this year I am doing a costing chart, i.e. costing each week's harvested goodies for 52 weeks and seeing it against all that is spent on seeds, feeds, jars etc and looking to see what the profit might be. I think I might be in for a shock  :o

[robkb]

I did one at the start of the year, with columns for the veg type, times for sowing, planting out and harvesting, and planting distances. This was a very good idea in theory, which unfortunately went a bit pear-shaped when I bought extra seeds on impulse and forgot to update the sheet! :-[ However, I do keep a diary for stuff to do with the allotment, which I update religiously (have to, I'd never know where I was otherwise).

Cheers,
Rob ;)

[Leonnie]

I keep one and have found it very useful to refer back to. It also helps me to remember what I did right or wrong the previous year. This year is my second of keeping it so I'm getting some useful information now and it's helped me to not make the same mistakes twice. It can be found in my blog (link below) under Gardening notes. :)

[triffid]

Wasting my time, or a good investment??

Brilliant investment!

Whether it's a tidy computer-run spreadsheet or a scruffy muddy notebook (like mine!) it's so helpful to have a note of all the stuff mentioned above. Plus things like when the soil was first workable in the year.

What I'm doing now is saving a page for scribbled reminders for next season (the results of all those moments when you think 'I wish I'd done that/ I wish I hadn't done this...)   :D

[glow777]

I use a more basic method.

I use 12 jars each labelled with a month. I put the seeds in the months jar I intend to sow. If I don't sow due to the weather or I intend to succesionally sow (lettuce etc) I move the packet on a month.

I do however record my sowing afterwards so I can check yields and produce pretty graphs that let me convince to the wife that it is worth spending all weekend weeding!

I think my biggest mistake so far has not been to record varieties. Will be paying more attention to this in coming years

[liverpoolrdbest]

There is one spreadsheet available to download on the 'allotment files' page (on homepage),

Go try it! :D

[Gadfium]

I use a (now) battered notebook, rule a few columns, and note the:

a) sowing date & variety
b) number of seeds sown (where appropriate)
c) germination date
d) number of seeds germinated (where appropriate)
e) transplant date (and number of survivors), and spacing.
f) problems encountered
g) maybe first flowers, first change in feed (tomorite)
h) harvest details
i) general notes e.g. grow this again/don't care for the taste/don't water so much next year/space closer together...


It's easy to manage, easy to flick through, and it can get shoved in a plastic bag and left in the greenhouse. It is now two years old (I started it when I began veg growing) and I find it very helpful.

I like the idea of a spreadsheet, but in practical terms feel much more comfortable with the immediacy of pencil and paper.

Wondered whether a nice big printout of the year's sowing dates might help - but glow777's jam jar method seems to slot in so well with my notepad, that this feels like the perfect solution. Thank you.

[Garden Manager]

For th first time this year I have kept a gardening diary. In it I record what I do (if anything) in the garden on a particular day, along with what the weather was and the maximum and minimum temperatures. I also not ewhat upcoming jobs I have to do. During the course of this of course i note what I sow and harvest when but little other information. In addition to this i have a 'reporters' notebook where i make notes on techniques, future plans and aide memoires for the following year, as well as a weekly list of plants in flower in the ornamental garden (OK not relevant to you lotties I guess).

For the veg plot I have a plan of the plot, on which i plan (approximately) what will go where for rotation purposes. This doesnt always work out as I often make changes when it comes to planting time, perhaps due to something not growing or some other change of growing plan. But I feel it does serve as a guide, helping me to ensure i get some sort of rotation and make the best use of the space.  That reminds me i must have a look at next years plan soon as I have some autumn/winter crops to factor in this year.

I did toy with a seed sowing plan/timetable this year, but with the way the weather wasthis spring, to soon went to pot!

As for a detailed spreadsheet, I have never felt the need, since my range of crops is not that big, and I havent a big allotment to manage, just a few beds in part of the garden!

[vee]

Last season (my first growing season) I did a spreadsheet with sowing, germination ,planting and harvesting/ flowering dates on it. I also had an A5 spiral bound diary with plastic covers from Sainsbury's which is 2 pages for each week. Every time I sowed planted etc I recorded it in the diary.

I bought an identical diary for 2006.
This year I started another spreadsheet but gave up as the diary is much easier to use and also you can put two diaries together and compare. You can also take them to bed and make plans.  ::)

I really love looking back at last years and remembering what I did, as I also make small notes about weather, or visitors, wildlife etc. It just seems more personal and immediate than a spreadsheet.

I am planning to have a whole bookshelf of matching diaries which I can look at in subsequent years...

I also have an A4 file which I use for any downloaded information eg RHS agm plants, composting info, jobs calendar from Gavins website etc. I also keep a drawing of my plot with the crop rotation marked on it.

This system works well for me.

[calendula]

if done really well with the addition of beautiful photos they could make wonderful 'hand-me downs' to children and grandchildren if they begin to show an interest in growing food/plants

[MikeB]

A reminder, there are 3 sowing and planting guides in the allotment file section, which you can download and use.  I've (I think) just uploaded a spreadsheet for sowing and planting which may be useful as a guide to anyone who wishes to make their own. (It's possible, as I had to submit the file that it requires Dans approval before it is made available, if only to confirm it is virus free)

[Mrs Ava]

I did have a look at them Mike, but being a ditzy blonde, couldn't work out how to down load them. I shall get my hero to have a looksie this evening and download for me.  ;D

Thanks for everyones feedback.  It is interesting to hear how you all keep records.  I am pants at keeping a record, I am usless at labelling and tend to just grab a handfull of packets as I am running out the door, so things frequently get missed.  This year for example, I had put all of my unusual squash to one side to sow 'later' and they are still there now,not sown!!  >:(

I think I will do a master plan on the computer, but also start carrying a notepad and have a pencil attached to try and keep on the spot notes.

[MikeB]

Confession time, I have the plan and usually follow it for a couple of months then like you it's back to the  ' seat of the pants ' gardening. Every year I promise myself that I will keep notes, they would be so handy and I do , for a couple of weeks. Next year.

[lorna]

There was a spreadsheet put on A4A by a member last year. Thinking I was clever I downloaded it and put it on my bookmarks to use this year. Great until my computer crashed and I lost all my bookmarks. Would appreciate another one to download.(please)

[mc55]

I use excel - one sheet has a plan of the plot with each of the beds and then the seed varieties are on another sheet with sowing times / harvesting etc.  I intend to keep separate sheets for each year to help me plan subsequent years (thats the plan anyway)

I started to track things like weather when I sowed seeds this season and then germination etc, but soon lost track as it got more hectic.

[Digger_07]

Try wys-systems.demon.co.uk

He has produce a database which can do a lot more than a spread sheet.  There is a downloadable example.

It take a bit of time to set up the data but once up and running you can get loads of information about your plot  ;)from it.