Topic: plot planning software

[Gordon]

Hi All

I Was wondering if their is a piece of software available to help you plan your plots and keep a record of where you planted things the previous season.

Thanks Gordon

[Rhubarb Thrasher]

I use Brain 1.0, which isn't very reliable, so I also use the Utility PencilAndPaper 3.1.

I'm more interested in finding software that will do all the digging. i've always used Me 1.0, but it's hopelessly outdated and crashes all the time.

Maybe these would be of help ?

http://www.theliquidateher.com/garden-windows.html

http://www.keirg.freeserve.co.uk/diary/tech/calendar.htm
http://www.keirg.freeserve.co.uk/diary/tech/jobcldr.htm
http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/
http://www.e-gnome.com/Veg_Calendar.asp

http://www.thevga.co.uk/new/welcome.cgi

[glow777]

Hi All

I Was wondering if their is a piece of software available to help you plan your plots and keep a record of where you planted things the previous season.

Thanks Gordon

a spreadsheet is all you need

[supersprout]

LOL@RT

well, I trialled several computer-based planting and sowing guides last year ::)
For sowing, planting and harvesting notes, I use a spreadsheet. The fancy software was just too time-consuming! :-[ :P
For crop rotation, something very basic?

Taking a tip from jennym, I bought several offcuts of 2" x 12" batten each about 18" long, and wrote in veg family names e.g. 'Autumn Onion', 'Squash', 'Leek', 'Roots', 'Spuds', 'Beans', 'Salads', 'Toms' etc. in permanent marker.
I bash the appropriate peg(s) in at the end of each bed when it's planted up, and replace it when the next crop is planted.
That way the peg always shows the current crop, or the last crop, so I don't plant in the same place twice and can pick the best bed for the next crop :)
Little labels for varieties within the families when I'm running trials :)

[gary]

I don't have any software but I have used "word" to  plan my plot and am going to take it from there.

I have a rectangular plot "word worksheet"

I am using raised beds "Insert table (1 row 1 column) per raised bed"

To run along side that I have an excel doc that tells me (hopefully if works to plan) what is in  which bed and where I bought it from.

May not help but could e-mail a copy of mine.

Gary

[cornykev]

 ;) Gordan I'd go with the glow. ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[euronerd]

I just use a vector drawing package, (Don't laugh supersprout) or the vector part of any bitmap editor. They usually handle layers, so you can have a layer for every month (or whatever period you choose), and text, so you can draw boxes representing your beds, then write in them what's where etc. They seem ideally suited for this kind of work. The trouble with ready-made packages, so I've heard, is that you can never emulate exactly, your own plot. As for Word, I find it's just too bloated and slow to be of much use for anything these days. There are some free downloads of vector graphics programs available. I can post some links if you're interested.
Below is the basic template I start with every year (with embellishments), and like gary, a text editor runs alongside it with the diary and detailed notes.

Geoff.

[euronerd]

Sorreeee - screwed up the page formatting with that  ::)

admin here,

Hope you don't mind, resized the picture!

[Merry Tiller]

http://www.wys-systems.demon.co.uk/plotcrop/

Never tried it though

[kt.]

The brain as previously stated is as good as any. Pen & paper too. Alternatively you could copy what your neighbours are doing if it seems to work for them. Just ask them first if there are any downsides to the formations & rotations they plant. ;)

[saddad]

Those are Big Row Markers Supersprout..... or did you mean 1/2" timber!!!!
 ;D

[growmore]

I usally use the digi cam .Stand back start at bottom of plot and take pics 3 or 4 usually covers the plot ... Then  keep em on puter and backed  up on a cd ...
Saves a lot of typing I fiind ...

[supersprout]

Those are Big Row Markers Supersprout..... or did you mean 1/2" timber!!!!
 ;D

erm yep dad, half-inch! :P ;)

[Melbourne12]

I go along with the other advice here - Word and Excel more than cater for your needs.  I must admit that I use Visio to do some fancy diagrams, but that's just icing on the cake.

In a rush of enthusiasm, I've bought two specialist software programs.  Geoff Hamilton's 3D Garden Designer and The Vegetable Gardener's Almanac.  Great fun, both of them, but ultimately more trouble than they're worth.  I abandoned both of them as regular means of monitoring progress and planning the next set of crops.

[Curryandchips]

Thinking of myself as a person who works in a methodical manner (don't laugh ...), and been involved in design at a professional level, I endorse the comments re excel and pencil and paper. I make a list on excel, with additional columns for planting times (week numbers helps for sorting), cropping times, and comments etc.

I think a couple of members made planting calculators available, perhaps try the files section ...

[jennym]

Those are Big Row Markers Supersprout..... or did you mean 1/2" timber!!!!
 ;D

erm yep dad, half-inch! :P ;)

Found the pic! like this:

[supersprout]

That's them jenny, one of the best tips ever! ;D ;D ;D

[Barnowl]

People might not realise you can sort spreadsheet data by columns: e.g. if your columns include variety, bed, year, you could sort the data to show what's in which beds this year (sort by year then bed) or what has been in a particular bed over several years (sort by bed then year).

Mind you I thought the Vegetable Gardeners Alamanac software looked pretty good and have been on the verge of buying it.

[Curryandchips]

That's them jenny, one of the best tips ever! ;D ;D ;D

I do similar, using remnants of wood out of our machine shop which otherwise end up in the skip. I cut them about 9 inches long and after using them as markers, they can be reused as kindling ...

[saddad]

I'll have to knock some of those markers up before the big open day in June!
 ::)