Topic: record keeping

[Linnea]

I realised that I don't keep very good records of what I sow when and how much is harvested which would be useful I think in finding the best varieties for me. I've tried both paper diary and online journal but don't seem to keep them going.

do you record what you grow and how it produces? if yes how do you record it?

[gavinjconway]

I dont want to sound sarcastic but... You have tried the best method... pen and paper - if you cant keep it updated there is no hope for you to use any system as they all need updating...  ;D

[Linnea]

not sarcastic at all!
I was looking for ideas from others to see if there was a method that may work better for me, if not I'll just keep going and maybe eventually it'll become routine enough that'll it'll just be habit to note everything down

[Toshofthe Wuffingas]

Years ago I bought a tall desk diary with a large page per day. Whenever I did anything noteworthy I pencilled in an entry on that day. The following years I continued in the same book while adding the year of action to any new entry.  After a few years one could compare times of sowing and harvesting and also look ahead to be reminded of what should come next. I also put detailed receipts of big plant orders in the back to remind me what I had planted out.

That makes me look all efficient but of course I like many others don't keep it up to date like I should but the principle is sound.

[gwynnethmary]

For the last two years I've been given the "RHS Allotment Journal" as a gift.  I hope this keeps on happening, because I could end up with a unique collection of identical books on the shelves, but with very different entries.  I try to write a brief note after every visit, and there is useful content as well, such as what to do when.  Soon I'll know it all off by heart!

[cornykev]

I buy a cheapie diary after Chrimbo
Put what I sowed or pre put what I should be sowing
What I've harvested
Or any other jobs on the lottie: watering, compost bin emptying, etc
The weather and temp
I keep them behind the puter and compare them they go back to 2007
 ;D

[small]

The secret is not in how you record, but when. I have a specific time for several admin jobs, the garden diary is one - if you always, say, do your recording straight after tea, then the habit will stick. I jot harvest weights etc down on a whiteboard in my kitchen and transfer these to my diary. I am a horribly disorganised person and routines are my salvation.

[Gordonmull]

I use a combination of diary and excel spreadsheet. Diary for sowing dates, fertilization dates, how much sown etc. Spreadsheet for harvest amounts and expenses. It's easy to compare with supermarket prices with the spreadsheet and I'm enjoying seeing how much I didn't spend in Assda.

[Linnea]

thanks all.  :)
I'll keep going with the writing it down and hopefully over time it'll become routine

[gavinjconway]

As small says - make it a habit to note down the info every day and you will soon get into the habit..

[BAK]

We have a simple pro-forma which we print copies of and fill them in by hand ...

http://www.bkthisandthat.org.uk/BlankCultivationLog.pdf

[gavinjconway]

We have a simple pro-forma which we print copies of and fill them in by hand ...

http://www.bkthisandthat.org.uk/BlankCultivationLog.pdf

Looks good Bak... it's all you need.

[sunloving]

I have one of those five year diaries to put in frost and sowing dates and flowering and harvest type dates and an journal which i keep by the bed so its easy to write a page about the days gardening just before bed. Its so useful and interesting to look at previous years and the first and last frost dates are essential.

good luck with your records.
x sunloving

[Toshofthe Wuffingas]

The point I hoped to make is that if you have a single book/diary that covers several years it is easy to compare on the same page what you have done from year to year and to prompt you what is coming due to carry out.

[kt.]

I use a 5 year allotment journal.  I also have a spread sheet that has the initial plan on it but this is not updated through the year.  Though it is amended at the end of the year if things or varieties were slightly different to what I actually sowed and harvested.  But the journal is by far the best for practical record keeping

[Steve.]

I have a small dictaphone in my allotment coat pocket, every morning I walk round the plot and record little notes such as  "Monday 18th Sept, weather cool and showery", "Rhubarb will need manuring", "Beans need staking" "Planted out spring cabbage, 9 of 12" "Bring some string tomorrow" then when I get home I can either add the info to my database or put things on a to do list. Or I can leave it for a few days and do those few days all at the same time.

I found the dictaphone helps me to backdate things I need to record, not if...but when I forgot to using pen and paper.

Steve...:)

[Linnea]

Thanks for all the comments. really useful

I have a small dictaphone in my allotment coat pocket, every morning I walk round the plot and record little notes such as  "Monday 18th Sept, weather cool and showery", "Rhubarb will need manuring", "Beans need staking" "Planted out spring cabbage, 9 of 12" "Bring some string tomorrow" then when I get home I can either add the info to my database or put things on a to do list. Or I can leave it for a few days and do those few days all at the same time.

I found the dictaphone helps me to backdate things I need to record, not if...but when I forgot to using pen and paper.

Steve...:)

ooh... I really like this one. I have a dictaphone somewhere too!

[okra]

Years ago I bought a tall desk diary with a large page per day. Whenever I did anything noteworthy I pencilled in an entry on that day. The following years I continued in the same book while adding the year of action to any new entry.  After a few years one could compare times of sowing and harvesting and also look ahead to be reminded of what should come next. I also put detailed receipts of big plant orders in the back to remind me what I had planted out.

That makes me look all efficient but of course I like many others don't keep it up to date like I should but the principle is sound.

Also use a large page per day diary but also include what I harvest, the weight of the crop and it's supermarket cost. It does not take much time and at the end of the year provides an account which shows how much money you have saved on your food bill.

[peanuts]

I know i'd never keep any sort of daily 'diary' going, so i have a simpler system that works for me.  But it doesn't include any record of amounts harvested.  It is a single sheet of A4 paper, starting a new one every year.  Left hand column is a list of veg to be planted, in some detail, starting with the first in the year, and allowing several lines for eg potatoes where there are several varieties at different times.  Next column is date sown (i.e.seeds). Next column is when planted, or planted out.  Next column is when harvest starts and ends.  Final column is any comments as to how well germinated, how successful, etc.  For the last three years I've added a thin column at the left hand side indicating the ideal sowing/planting time from previous ideas, so I can see what I ought to be doing.
I manage to keep this up, as it is only one sheet of paper, and only needs filling in when I've actually done something important.  I run onto the back side as well sometimes, and also add on the back the dates we rotavated or any other useful info.

On a separate sheet of A4 I draw a diagram of the veg plot, and note down in pencil where I intend to plant things, and in biro  where I have planted things - not always the same!  Obviously I keep old sheets of both to refer back to!

[davee52uk]

I use a spreadsheet to plan out where things are going to go and soil treatments and an annual document making comments on each veg. Interestingly enough, last year had for several vegetables: "Very poor yield due to long dry spell" !

In addition I have special markers which are painted red and white poles to denote where each plot types starts and ends (beans, brassicas and roots). This also helps in Winter to show what parts to manure, lime etc.

In the future I aim to combine all details either by writing a custom made program or adapting a spreadsheet.( I work in I.T)