Allotments 4 All
General => News => Topic started by: PeterVV on December 31, 2010, 14:20:17
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I am determined to keep a diary this year, so tht I can learn from my mistakes/successes, so can anyone recommend one?
Also , all my seeds are filling up old washing powder gel tab containers, no ideal. Anyone suggest something better?
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Hiya, PeterVV, I've commandeered one of my oh's old tool boxes for my seeds, plus one or 2 empty chocolate tins, well, you have to use them up somehow ;D
my diary is just a journal, trouble is, I start every year with good intentions then, when it gets busy time, I run out of steam
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High PeteVv,
Welcome and here is what I have used to good effect.
ICE CREAM tubs, 4ltr, and 2ltr tubs are a plenty in my house.
They have been topped up with large and small seed in paper bags so as they stay fresh.
Also as manicscousers said, old biscuit and sweet tins are good too.
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I've got mine in plastic storage containers..they are cheap too.
Latest model cost me £4.99 and it is big (unfortunatly not big enough anymore)..but they do come in all sizes..I've got couple of shoe box-sized ones too..but you will need the lidded type..
Between bundles of packets I squeeze in some silicone sachets to keep moisture level to minimum. Often you get them from shops for free ;)..as they only throw them away..
This is mine:
[attachment=1]
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I have seen some which you can buy which have dividers for each month of the year, that is a good idea, would be nice to knock something up like that witout having to buy one.
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Someone like me who sow bit of anything and everything now and then..those month deviders have never been practical. I used to have one but I got fustrated as there is always seeds that 'belong' to almost every month..like radishes..salads.. ::) You just end up having to remember to move them about so you don't forget to sow them ::) ;D
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I keep seeds in old biscuit tins. It helps to include some dessicant, as the drier they are, the longer they last. Keep them in a cool place if possible.
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For a diary I make a notes in Outlook calendar - I use a pc regularly so it makes sense for me. Plus if you are really sad you can export the diary into excel to then sort and order your notes and check up on what date you sowed etc
right, I'll go and get my coat now .........................................................
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I keep my seeds in an old shoebox with cardboard "Dividers" labelled for each month. Seeds that I should be sowing successionally I just move into the next month when I have made that month's sowing. Where I have several varieties of one thing eg cabbages, I clip them together with a mini bulldog clip, so I dont lose them or forget I have them.
For a diary I use an A4 looseleaf file, so I can add pages as I need to. For each month, I usually have a plan of the plot, a list of what I've sown, planted, and harvested, what jobs I've done and notes. At the back of the diary I have a more detailed record of what I've grown that year.
Sometimes I think it would be a good idea to have it on the computer, but I like to be able to grab the diary if I want to look at it quickly, without having to wait for the computer to warm up. I can also take the diary or a relevant page out with me, and I wouldn't want to take the computer to the allotment!
KittyKatt
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I have a selection of old margarine tubs, ice cream containers and biscuit tins. They stack on top of each other fairly neatly and are airtight, plus it's recycling!
For a planner, I've got a notebook with squared paper (then can easily draw plans of the beds with rows of stuff marked on). No months as such - I just write the month at the top of the page then a quick note of what I sowed/planted/picked, what came up/died etc and anything else useful. It's more a record of what happened than a planner, but looking back on previous years tells me roughly what to do or not to do.
It works for me!
Happy New Year by the way ;D
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I keep my seeds in an old shoebox with cardboard "Dividers" labelled for each month. Seeds that I should be sowing successionally I just move into the next month when I have made that month's sowing. Where I have several varieties of one thing eg cabbages, I clip them together with a mini bulldog clip, so I dont lose them or forget I have them.
For a diary I use an A4 looseleaf file, so I can add pages as I need to. For each month, I usually have a plan of the plot, a list of what I've sown, planted, and harvested, what jobs I've done and notes. At the back of the diary I have a more detailed record of what I've grown that year.
Sometimes I think it would be a good idea to have it on the computer, but I like to be able to grab the diary if I want to look at it quickly, without having to wait for the computer to warm up. I can also take the diary or a relevant page out with me, and I wouldn't want to take the computer to the allotment!
KittyKatt
I wish I was as organised as you!
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As said biscuit tins, choclate tins, icecream tubs, pringle tubes, gravey tubs etc.
Diarys in the £1 shop are the ones I use and yes they are handy to keep track and look back to previous years.
;D ;D ;D
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I keep mine in Yorkshire tea tins. They stack and they are just the right height for a seed packet. I organise them by their first sowing date then put the "finished " ones to the back. I have quite a few - one for each grouping of seeds. So I have one tin for each area of my crop rotation as well as one for herbs and one for flowers. Each tin is labelled with Dymotape which is quite durable.
I use tins to keep out the rodents. My first year all my saved seeds were gone when I came back in January!!
Oh forgot about the diary. Someone gave me " the Dodo book of garden cuttings" which is quite fun although it's ring-bound so I'm not sure how durable it will be. My problem is that I'm not consistent at entering stuff in it. Usually when I leave my plot it's because I have just realised I should have left an hour ago so there's no time for writing up what I've done and when I get home I'm too busy or too tired! Anyway I have 2 other systems - an old notebook that I keep by my bedside to jot down things from time to time and an app on my phone called "things" where I can make to do lists. I tend to plan on a monthly basis so today I'll be doing a list for January. Since it's on my phone it goes with me most places.
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I keep my seeds in a couple of quality street sweet tins. If anyone uses plastic please dont put a lid on them as the seeds can sweat and go off. As to a diary I use a exercise book.
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I use a cd box for the small pakets and plastic storage boxes for the
larger ones
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Kev, £1 for a diary (the last of the big spenders), I got mine for 99p. ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I keep my seeds in plastic tubs (like large tupperware) that I got from the local pound shop (its called Captain Bargain!). Keeps the seeds nice and dry.
Well, for a diary I can recommend my online VGA Live! of course. It includes a diary/journal as well as comprehensive record keeping of your plots/beds/plants, etc. As its online you can even update it during from work ;) See my signature for link.
But I better not mention it as it would be blatant advertising :o
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I keep my seeds in plastic tubs (like large tupperware) that I got from the local pound shop (its called Captain Bargain!). Keeps the seeds nice and dry.
Well, for a diary I can recommend my online VGA Live! of course. It includes a diary/journal as well as comprehensive record keeping of your plots/beds/plants, etc. As its online you can even update it during from work ;) See my signature for link.
But I better not mention it as it would be blatant advertising :o
Yes your VGA looks good, nice little money spinner no doubt...
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It was a pressie Borlotti so I never paid anything really. :P ;D ;D ;D
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I am determined to keep a diary this year, so tht I can learn from my mistakes/successes, so can anyone recommend one?
Also , all my seeds are filling up old washing powder gel tab containers, no ideal. Anyone suggest something better?
Diary for the garden could be any hardback notebook. I would recommend binding it in plastic exercise book covering (the type that sticks to the book). I have been known to forget mine in the garden or in the greenhouse and covered it withstands a bit of dew (but not a downpour). My seeds are in boxes inside a filing cabinet. My beans are in hobby type of 'little suitcase type' boxes with compartments. This sort of thing:
http://www.completeheli.com/Hobby-Container-Storage-Box-Medium-18-Bin?sessid=7b57684rghcq6isahvupsak5d4
Lidl sell these quite cheaply occasionally.
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A diary can be any sort of notebook, one that will fit in the pocket with a pencil so that notes can be made with grubby fingers for later copying out either on to the computer or into a decent hard back book.
I think there is a way of doing it on spread sheets so that you can cross reference too. Years since I did the course, but there is something in my mind about it. Google have good facilities for storing information on their e-mail. You can't loose it then because where ever you are you can go on any computer and check it out.
For seeds
Some one gave me a container which was used for floppy disc storage. It will only take small seed packets. I have also used shoe boxes.
I wonder if those things you can hang in a wardrobe with pockets in to put shoes away would work, suspended in the shed If there is spare wall space
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=shoe+tidy&tag=mh0a9-21&index=garden&hvadid=23827495&ref=pd_sl_7w5icyfo93_e
That is the sort of thing I mean.
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I have a small 4 drawer filing cabinet I use for storing all my serds, then use an expanding box file to put that years seeds in 'sow by month' order. I have found keeping a sowing diary helpful if you keep it up to date with comments, for example reminders to self that sowing tomato seeds too early when I don't have a heated greenhouse is not a good idea! But the varying annual weather plays such an important part I'm not sure it is always useful in the end really! :-\
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Well, my mother gave me a page a day diary a few days ago, as she had two given her for christmas.So thats the diary sorted.
I also had a shaving kit thingy which came ina leather look bag which looks waterproof and has a handle, so I may use that for my seeds... ;)