Two days to decide..........

[bario1]

VC, seems like you're experienced enough, (no offence!) to have the basic intuition as to what needs sowed/transplanted/harvested when - the weather is never going to be the same two years running, so why not ditch the notebooks, spreadsheets etc? Then you'd have more time to concentrate on more of your weird and wonderful growing experiments....

[lottie dolly]

I to start off with good intentions,writing down what i sowed and when ext,2017 i will not bother,the weather often dictates,plus it does become a chore in it's self to think,to write up things,preciouse time taken away from more growing

[Jungle Jane]

I like planning what I'm doing on paper,I use a notebook & do a page for each month showing the seeds to sow,it's mainly just February-September,then tick them off as I sow them. In last years book theres a list of the previous years sowing dates. After that I've drawn plans of my beds & what's planted where. I also wrote down where I planted each tomato variety,labels wash away so I kept it in my book to keep track of where all the different varieties were. Then I've got a page with some companian planting plans for broccoli & then a page that says- sowed peas 7th April 2016 harvested first lot 2nd July,then some maths & 86 days from sowing to harvest,I don't know why that's there? Potatoes & a few other seed sowing dates go on my calendar for exact dates to work things out for successional sowings. If I didn't plan I might forget something & it doesn't take long to do.

[Bren In Pots]

Last year I used a simple notebook I kept in the greenhouse (in a plastic box with a pencil - so it stays dry) and wrote down what I've sown and when, as I wrote out the labels.

The notebook got quite grubby, but writing the labels (pencil in hand) was enough of a reminder for me to actually make notes.

Thats what I do Thelma only difference mines a A5 ring binder. same file has a few drawings for crop rotation but thats as much note taking I do.

[Alison]

I have a spreadsheet, don't see the the point in planning / recording things if you can't easily search things. Was a bit of a pain to set up the first year but now only takes a few minutes every time I sow etc and is very useful.

[mothhawk]

If I had a massive garden or allotment, I'd write a diary to keep track. But I don't sow enough seeds to need to plan when to do it. I sow when the weather feels right and I'm happy if and when they come up. Ditto planting out and flowering/fruiting. I harvest when they are ready, the weather changes too much from year to year to be guided by previous years.

[jacks10]

I tried blogging my chillis back November when I got my grow lights but stopped early this month. I got a gardeners diary for christmas so will be recording stuff like germination and when watered and maybe height?

I start with good intentions but don't last long

[Small pumpkin]

I use a page a day diary. It's the one thing I always ask Santa for. This year I got a lovely one



I like to note what I sow, when I sow & germination. Also anything I've been really impressed with or disappointed. But very rarely look back at previous years because as others have said the weather is never the same year to year and I never record what that's doing.
So basically I do it because I enjoy it, it's of very little use to man nor beast.

[Florence Fennel]

Can't you use the "What I did today" Threads on here?

[veggiechicken]

^^^ No way - that would raise my post count - and I'm trying to keep it below 50,000 this year

[JanieB]

I've run my life with a diary and a notebook since I was 15. I still use the same system. My diary (now on a tablet) records appointments, meetings, reminders to do things etc. The notebook records information such as room sizes, garden bed sizes, birthdates (not days since I got a granddaughters age wrong one year), addresses, and other general often needed info. The important and still needed info gets transferred to the next notebook when the one before is full. I keep all the diaries and notebooks and they are interesting to look back on occasionally.

As I am about to embark on the first growing year since my neighbour decided to be a NFH, last night I put all my seed packets etc on to a spreadsheet together with their suggested sowing months. I have 8 packets in front of me for sowing in the next fortnight. 5 tomatoes, 3 strawberries and an aubergine.

I will need a greenhouse sometime in the next 3 months.

If this looks as if I'm organised my children would disagree. I'm probably one of the most disorganised, untidy people they know, but I start off with good intentions.

[Alison]

As I am about to embark on the first growing year since my neighbour decided to be a NFH.....

Bleeding acronyms - NFH?

[Elfeda]

^^^ No way - that would raise my post count - and I'm trying to keep it below 50,000 this year

you mean the year 2016, am I right VC

[veggiechicken]

Well spotted, Elfeda

[mothhawk]

Bleeding acronyms - NFH?

neighbour from hell?