I have had my plot for 5 years now and it has got more and more organised. This year I have got a little plan which I modify on the pc whenever I plant anything so I don't need to put tags everywhere. I go over there and forget what is where, and I just take my little plan out and say "oh yes, that's where the salsify is!"
Never planted salsify this is my first year, tried scorzonera and it tasted lovely but the root was so long under the ground I only every seemed to dig a foot of it up and the rest stayed under, in fact some is sprouting again. Apparently salsify is similar but smaller, anyway will see!
Have also decided to take one photo from the back of the plot under my little orchard and one from the front looking towards the orchard. If I do this once a month this year I have a sort of plan to look back on for growth etc. It's a bit bare at the moment, although have planted loads of seeds. The onions I planted back in October and well up so are the parsnips from last year. And I have just eaten the last of the leeks and have masses more in my conservatory waiting to go in!
Ooh it is so exciting at this time of year! Let's see if I can get a photo on here now, Linda
Good photos, you are organised using your computer, I find taking photos helpful but still resort to pen and paper for planning.... ;D
It just seems so easy planting something then writing it on the tatty plan I take across with me in my pocket and typing it in when I get home. That way I keep track, I kept losing handwritten ones but if they look good, I keep them.
I have just looked at pics of my plot in full swing last year, didn't take many of the full plot, just parts so this year should be interesting at one a month. But here are two, one from my compost pile in the middle of the plot over the courgettes towards my orchard and one through my neighbours sweet peas onto the front of my plot.
It's definitely going to be more organised this year! Linda
I have now got 1044 photographs, sorted into 149 folders and subfolders. They have all been taken over the last 13 months since I started my allotment.
I even take pictures of each label as I plant seeds, it is amazing how many disappear, and how much you forget.
My intention is to build a comprehensive web site that is much bigger than any book could manage and I scour A4A for hints and tips.
http://www.allaboutliverpool.com/allaboutallotments2_my_allotment_in_liverpool.html
We have a lot of photos and OH is trying to do a regular month by month record...
::)
My site is always updated with new photos and i post a lot of them here.
Take a look if you want. (logo below)
wow, allaboutliverpool your plot is so neat!!!! It looks great.
Lin - et al - DO, after all that, BACK THEM UP??
That's always a sensible precaution. I put mine on a large-capacity flash card; one day I'll have to start archiving them on DVD, and hope the medium lasts!
Wow Lin, that's a great plot.
I, however am rubbish at plans and pics. :( I do take pics, but they live in the camera forever. The worst thing about having vast capacity on the digi.cam.
My plans are all on bits of paper, once beautiful Alan Titch style creations, now covered in scribble and adjustments.
The one on the pc i never have time to update as i did it on publisher not excel and every time i try to change something it has a fit. :-\
Oh well, next year i'll be more organised... 8)
I take pics each time I sow - since the camera dates each photo it means I can update the spreadsheet at my leisure.
Well some programs aren't that hot when it comes to plans Emmy, I use Illustrator, but then I am a graphic designer so I have an advantage there. And I have a separate 300gb hard drive attached to my pc, so whatever work I do, or photos I take, I drag them onto there as a backup at the end of each day, so well organised, nothing gets lost (famous last words).
Have looked at all your links, you are all really organised and your plots look so neat compared to mine, but all I care about is producing all my own food, and being a veggie, I eat EVERYTHING I grow!
Went down my plot in Urmston today and a very, very nice man, Ian had left me a big bag of dahlia rootings... he is a professional grower and his flowers are wonderful... so I now have them on the front of my plot... we have to have a 3' wide strip of flowers at the front... I usually just have flowering bushes, easier! But am looking forward to some lovely flowers if they all take!
And Arthur, an 86 year old absolute allotment genius had left me a small apple tree to add to the two I already have, must ask him tomorrow what type it is.. oh they are a lovely lot on my plot! Linda