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Allotment Stuff => The Basics => Topic started by: kitten on November 25, 2006, 11:06:11

Title: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: kitten on November 25, 2006, 11:06:11: Hi all, as you probably know i'm just about to take on an allotment for the first time ( ;D ) and i'm just wondering if we should start keeping notes of what veggies/varieties we grow & what results we get etc? I am planning on making a month by month calendar so we know when we're meant to sow/plant/harvest each crop (hoping to keep it in our 'shed') but wasn't sure if any other type of notes might help? Thanks in advance for any advice! kitten x
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: Merry Tiller on November 25, 2006, 11:15:34: Yes, I keep a diary of when I do everything really, along with sketches, very useful it is too
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: wahaj on November 25, 2006, 11:20:59: i'd love to be that organised. but most of the time i don't even label the seeds i sow in pots and sometimes forget what they are lol. it took me three months to realised i'd sown dianthus. and that was only when it started to flower lol.

i've also tried making a chart for each month....like what i'll be sowing that month, what should be flowering that month and what other jobs i'll need to do that month. But i got bored of it really easily. i just end up looking at a piece of paper that means nothing to me really lol.

Everyone works differently and i have a very visual way of figuring things out. so unless i see it in front of me....or a mock up....it means nothing to me. Where as some people can work things out in their heads....or write it down etc.
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: caroline7758 on November 25, 2006, 11:29:45: I always intend to, but often forget. And since just about all my plant labels disappear, I often can't remember what's where.
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: SMP1704 on November 25, 2006, 11:57:55: This year was my first with a lottie and so started out with the best of intentions - bought a notebook and made notes of all sowings and planting outs but then May arrived, the Horsetail shot up with a vengence and I still had to work!! so the notepad has not had an entry since end of April 06.

I'll start again this year, but I know what my successes and failures have been e.g. the bean poles have been moved from their unproductive and dry patch by the trees, I won't bother with Minipops again and I'll sow the spinach in the shady part of the plot and I'll sow 3 times as many Sweetcorn.

Having read that, it looks as though the notebook isn't going to be very well used.
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: Rosyred on November 25, 2006, 12:28:10: Got a note book with most notes and also started a blog so I suppose yes I do.
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: supersprout on November 25, 2006, 12:29:17: Quote from: Merry Tiller on November 25, 2006, 11:15:34
Yes, I keep a diary of when I do everything really, along with sketches, very useful it is too

Snap.
And a spreadsheet.
Don't worry if the notebook isn't complete - some notes are better than no notes!
;D
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: kt. on November 25, 2006, 13:01:15: never done one yet. Just done my first diagram for crop rotation next year. Stored it on my PC. Will see how well I stick to it (best intentions). Do you still need to keep a diary if you use diagrams of crop rotation? Dont know anyone who has used one yet so all advice much appreciated. ::)
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: Merry Tiller on November 25, 2006, 13:13:40: Quote
Do you still need to keep a diary if you use diagrams of crop rotation? Dont know anyone who has used one yet so all advice much appreciated.

Yes

I use an RHS gardeners 5 year diary
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: delaney on November 25, 2006, 13:24:06: i don't keep a diary but i do keep the seed packets in 2 stacks one pile is will buy again(good cropper,taste etc) the other to remind me never to buy again(rubbish taste or bad cropper)
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: tim on November 25, 2006, 13:48:44: KEEP! But start BIG.

This is our 4th. NOT a good example of what can be done, but too late to chamge!!

DON'T rely on the computer - even if you back-up.
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: kitten on November 25, 2006, 14:29:46: Wow, impressive tim! Are you basically noting what you've planted, harvested etc per week/entry? And I guess you are saying whether you've planted seed or plantlings? Anyway, great inspiration, thanks!
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: redimp on November 26, 2006, 16:46:26: Do I keep notes? (http://allotmentsnstuff.forumup.co.uk/images/smiles/Trilly-77-24.gif) (http://allotmentsnstuff.forumup.co.uk/index.php?mforum=allotmentsnstuff) I wish!!!!
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: saddad on November 26, 2006, 16:56:29: Only of the seeds we bought... :-[
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: cornykev on November 26, 2006, 19:02:33: 8) Today I bought a diary so I will be keeping notes next year. (yer right). I hope I keep recording but I've got a memory like a sieve. ??? ??? ??? ???
What was I talking about ?
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: daisymay on November 27, 2006, 13:20:25: we have a "gardening log book"

was a present from some friends last christmas. is really good - has lots of different slots and plastic inserts for keeping labels and photos etc.... in it. As well as different types of paper - graph paper for charts etc...

We kept it up religiously until about June when the wedding took over (as well as the bindweed!)

But the info we did keep is really useful, so will def. try again next year!
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: kitten on November 27, 2006, 17:29:14: That sounds right up my street daisymay, any ideas where your brilliant friends got it from? (So i can put one on my christmas list ;) ). Thanks for the advice everyone, kitten x
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: Barnowl on November 27, 2006, 18:37:18: Don't rely on labels - they always wash off - I'm a first year but speaking from experience :(
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: sally_cinnamon on November 28, 2006, 14:09:16: Quote from: kitten on November 27, 2006, 17:29:14
That sounds right up my street daisymay, any ideas where your brilliant friends got it from? (So i can put one on my christmas list ;) ). Thanks for the advice everyone, kitten x

Paperchase do a gorgeous one, here's a link to a pic...

http://www.paperchase.co.uk/index.php?f=itemdetl.php&p=412706 (http://www.paperchase.co.uk/index.php?f=itemdetl.php&p=412706)

They do mail order, but they are also sold in all sorts of stores (the paperchase website has a store locator) like Borders Book shop. They do a lovely ones for recipes too. I was going to buy the gardening one but wondered whether I would use it fully (lots of pockets and graph paper and different sections!) cos I'm too disorganised!
Think next year I will try to keep some notes as my memory is also awful and I'm sure even a few jotted down notes will be better than none.

;D
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: LesH on November 28, 2006, 22:16:02: Hi All, I take notes as i plant, with pen and paper, then transfer to the computor when I get home. I have records going back to '93.
This is what my records look like.

Cabbage, Stonehead F1   Kings   planted 03/04 seedbed planted out 23/05, cut 22/7
Leek,    Musselburgh   Kings   planted 03/04 seedbed planted 27/06/06, planted out 27/06, dug 14/11
Radish            planted 04/04, failure
Lettuce, Fortune   Suttons planted 04/04, 16/05 cut 12/06, good
Lettuce, Tom Thumb   Suttons planted 04/04, 16/05 cut 12/06, good
Parsnip, Tender & True   Kings   planted 15/04, 16/05 two rows, lousy germination, dug 14/11
Spring onion Ishikura   Mr F   planted 15/04, pulled 01/07 ,
Beetroot, Boltardy   Kings   planted 15/04, pulled 23/06, good, some 2lbs
Lettuce, Suzan      Kings    planted 15/04 OK
Lettuce, mixed Leaves   Mr F   planted 15/04 OK one left for seed
French bean      Own    in trays 20/04, planted out 07/05, picked 02/07, excellent
Runner Beans      Own   in trays 20/04, planted out 09/05, picked 09/07, excellent
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: amy_a on November 30, 2006, 22:17:14: This is all really helpful to me as I'm just starting out.

I had already thought about some sort of journal or diary so I remember what worked well for next year. Think I'll be battling with my partner though as he will want to do lots of spreadsheets and computer stuff. I suppose if we do both we've got back up. think the gardening log book will be appearing on my Christmas list also.
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: tim on December 01, 2006, 16:47:32: Just noticed that I was lifting Celeriac in April. Good old days!!
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: steveuk on December 01, 2006, 17:24:05: Think being new i need to start notes, so will now i seen some ideas, thanks
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: tim on December 01, 2006, 18:06:59: The strange thing - I've found - is that year on year,without referring to the diary, you find that you're sowing/planting within 4 days or so of 'normal'!!
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: davee52uk on December 01, 2006, 18:14:00: I have kept spreadsheets and even wrote a Java program which set up mini database of details; but in the end just couldn't be bothered to fill in the details.

So I tend to make the same mistakes every year. Anyway as I got greenhouse last year all sowing dates have completly changed........
Title: Re: Do you keep notes each year?
Post by: Kea on December 01, 2006, 18:36:57: I've only just started last October. I have an A4 folder with lined and squared paper. I have plans of where I've planted and what I've planted. Planting dates are on my family organiser calender and I need to transfer them. i don't have any harvest dates. I'm still harvesting my Autumn Raspberries though.