I'm toying with the idea of keeping a spreadsheet listing various criteria from year to year; variety, date sown, date germinated, germination % etc
Just wondering if anyone else does this, what sort of info do you keep, and how you use the info from year to year?
Go for it.
Its apparently very useful.
I try every year, but my natural disorganised tendency soon puts a stop to it ;D
I'm not organised enough to do it, but some on here will be able to tell you everything from years ago including the temps and ph of the soil.
Neil
Quote from: gp.girl on May 08, 2010, 19:16:01
Go for it.
Its apparently very useful.
I try every year, but my natural disorganised tendency soon puts a stop to it ;D
Sounds like me. I try I really do.
I have been keeping a diary since 1986 then in 2003 I transferred all the data on to spread sheets.
This formed the basis for my website.
Last year I started keeping a pictorial diary as I thought this would be more beneficial than the written diary based on the old adage.........a picture paints a thousand words!
Incidently I still kept on keeping my 'text' diary.
There are now around ten thousand entries in that! which with a click on the mouse I can extract specific information on say one genus showing what I did over the last 24 years.
Already I am finding my 'pictorial diary' a great boon e.g.
I sowed all my seeds this year as per my diaries and recently from experience I was thinking my stuff is not doing as well as in previous years, so I had a look at my pictorial diary.
Sure enough it is telling/showing me that the season is about three weeks behind last year so now I am not so concerned.
This is how I keep my records; http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Computers%20and%20gardening/Computers%20and%20gardening.htm (http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Computers%20and%20gardening/Computers%20and%20gardening.htm)
Run the mouse over the text to highlight links to other planning techniques I use.
I find this works quite well for me so I would guess that anyone that is more I.T. literate than I am can improve on this format.
ps. I have addressed the subject in a bit more detail on the 'my website revision' I am working on at the moment.
Anyone who uses my website will see that it was last edited in 2005 I have now adjusted my figures (slightly) to cater for any so called weather changes/ global warming that has supposedly taken place!
Which incidently I have found indicated that things in general have been about a week earlier over the last few years!
Then what happens?
We go back to the 'ice age' this year!
:-\ 8) :( aaaaaaah the vagueries of gardening in the UK ;D
Tee Gee, I love your website, however I would like to know if you would consider doing something like a computer scheduler so people like me get a notice on the pc to get of my lazy bum and go plant x or clean the g/h. Then when I cant get online for days I wont have to worry.
Tee Gee that is extremely helpful..thanks loads..that is the sorta thing I was lokking for :)
I use my blog - when I remember to update it. Nothing like TeeGee's though.
Any form of diary/records so you can look back at previous years becomes a great help, especially when the weather doesn't behave as it did the year before.
Looks like another week until I can get my french beans in the ground.
I keep a dairy to record day to day events on the plot, all the little jobs done and any new methods tried. I also keep a record of people I met down the plot and any news etc I`m not a busy body but being on the committee I like to keep a eye out for any problems that may be around.
As to my planting etc, I keep a spread sheet record of all my sowing giving details of number of rows soil conditions germination harvesting any problems etc, also I keep a record of costs and any profits made - I charge myself shop prices to work out how much savings I make on my food bill, Last year I made a saving of £1085.00. This year I am hoping to make more as I have planted a lot more soft fruit (Strawberries Redcurrants and Raspberries) which are expensive in the shops
Dear Maiden98
I have recently put together 'Home Grown Live!' which is a website running a system that might just fit the bill. It was put together with the help of several people from this forum. You can record everything you do in your garden/allotment and you can upload your pics too of your plots/beds/crops. The record keeping keeps track year after year of all your sowings, bed treatments, etc (as well as a crop rotation checker). It also includes a day-by-day Journal to record all your thoughts, etc.
Its here: http://www.thevga.co.uk/hgonline/index.cgi
As I have had a really good evening with a bottle (or two) of Shiraz you (or anybody else who reads this) can have a free account for 1 year to try it out (its normally £20 per year).
Just send me a PM and I will set up an account for you. Offer closes sunday 9th May 1pm though - as I will have probably sobered up by then ;)
Quote from: GodfreyRob on May 09, 2010, 01:45:21
Dear Maiden98
I have recently put together 'Home Grown Live!' which is a website running a system that might just fit the bill. It was put together with the help of several people from this forum. You can record everything you do in your garden/allotment and you can upload your pics too of your plots/beds/crops. The record keeping keeps track year after year of all your sowings, bed treatments, etc (as well as a crop rotation checker). It also includes a day-by-day Journal to record all your thoughts, etc.
Its here: http://www.thevga.co.uk/hgonline/index.cgi
As I have had a really good evening with a bottle (or two) of Shiraz you (or anybody else who reads this) can have a free account for 1 year to try it out (its normally £20 per year).
Just send me a PM and I will set up an account for you. Offer closes sunday 9th May 1pm though - as I will have probably sobered up by then ;)
Tried to PM you but your inbox is full :P
I have tried to PM you too but it is still saying inbox is full! A very popular offer you have given!
Please sign me up it sounds great!
Gina
Quote from: GodfreyRob on May 09, 2010, 01:45:21
Dear Maiden98
I have recently put together 'Home Grown Live!' which is a website running a system that might just fit the bill. It was put together with the help of several people from this forum. You can record everything you do in your garden/allotment and you can upload your pics too of your plots/beds/crops. The record keeping keeps track year after year of all your sowings, bed treatments, etc (as well as a crop rotation checker). It also includes a day-by-day Journal to record all your thoughts, etc.
Its here: http://www.thevga.co.uk/hgonline/index.cgi
As I have had a really good evening with a bottle (or two) of Shiraz you (or anybody else who reads this) can have a free account for 1 year to try it out (its normally £20 per year).
Just send me a PM and I will set up an account for you. Offer closes sunday 9th May 1pm though - as I will have probably sobered up by then ;)
Quote from: GodfreyRob on May 09, 2010, 01:45:21
Dear Maiden98
I have recently put together 'Home Grown Live!' which is a website running a system that might just fit the bill. It was put together with the help of several people from this forum. You can record everything you do in your garden/allotment and you can upload your pics too of your plots/beds/crops. The record keeping keeps track year after year of all your sowings, bed treatments, etc (as well as a crop rotation checker). It also includes a day-by-day Journal to record all your thoughts, etc.
Its here: http://www.thevga.co.uk/hgonline/index.cgi
As I have had a really good evening with a bottle (or two) of Shiraz you (or anybody else who reads this) can have a free account for 1 year to try it out (its normally £20 per year).
Just send me a PM and I will set up an account for you. Offer closes sunday 9th May 1pm though - as I will have probably sobered up by then ;)
This is typical of me - just tried to send a pm and can't beucase inbox is full.
If your generous offer is still open, please join me up ;D
Looks like Rob is suffering from mail overload ...
I wouldn't mind giving it a go if the offer is still open..
Rob your inbox is still full. :(
But if your offer is still open I'd like to try it too.... :D
Many thanks,
MP
Apologies, I had no idea my box was full (obviously I really enjoyed my wine last night). I have cleared it now.
Please PM me now and up to 2pm - if you miss this but have already posted on this thread I will sign you up anyway.
Actually I have got a totallly undeserved clear head this morning - no justice is there?
I've sent you a PM.