Planning/Diary

[Mudandspud]

After taking on my first allotment, planting shallots, garlic and rhubarb, bought some seeds ready for next year and reading up on various growing guides im wandering how you all diarise "what to do and when?"

I can just see myself getting so confused when Ive got a fully planted plot.

[Bren In Pots]

I've got a journal that I jot down sowing, planting out and harvest times, than each year I do a drawing of the beds and what's in them its nothing fancy but it helps with crop rotation.

[Tripmeup]

use a gardening book or magazine for the first year...You will find that you pick it up quickly as you go along and won't need it then...Important not to stress or worry about dates though, its supposed to be enjoyable...Also regardless of what the books or mags say, you also need to factor in the weather conditions at the time and vary dates depending on same..

[crannman]

got a simple note pad put down date planted what they are and how good they got on

[andy_j]

I have a large wall planner and use different coloured permanant markers for different crops

[Veggielot]

I always plan what I am going to plant, when and where including successional planting. Having said that I rarely follow the plan as the time I have available never seems enough to do everything I wanted or I change my mind but it gives me some structure/starting point.

I think planning is useful as it makes you think about what you want to grow and looking through seed catalogues can encourage you to try something different. The other advantage is that it gives you something to do in the winter

[Mudandspud]

Thanks all for your advice and ideas. Im blogging my allotment as I go along so I can see my progress (if any!) but now have a few ideas fom you guys on how to plan etc

[johnjohn]

After taking on my first allotment, planting shallots, garlic and rhubarb, bought some seeds ready for next year and reading up on various growing guides im wandering how you all diarise "what to do and when?"

I can just see myself getting so confused when Ive got a fully planted plot.

Hi Mudandspud, heres a link to an older thread that you might be interested in, Samurailord has an excel document that has sowing times as well as planting times which I think you might find useful and theres also a link to the Gardeners Almanac provided by alldigging.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...dar_69843.html

[marcofez]

I use an diary to help me with whats,what! Usually bought from the pound shop. Various sizes to suit your needs!

[Two_Sheds]

how you all diarise "what to do and when?"

1) I keep all my seeds in a concertina file, marked into months. If a seed is to be sown in Feb, then it goes in the Feb holder. It can then be moved into March and then April, if you want successional sowing.



2) I don't count really my plants, I just sow as much as I can becaues I give any spares away to friends and school (I know roughly how many of each thing I need: if I use one onion per week in the kitchen, I need to grow at least 52 onions, plus maybe 20% more to allow for failures).

3) I always have things waiting in the wings for when a space becomes free on the allotment. I don't wait until I have a gap, then think I must sow something ~ have things ready and waiting, in modules or 3" pots




You'll get the hang of it after a couple of seasons, and you won't need to plan it so much

[Mudandspud]

Hi Mudandspud, heres a link to an older thread that you might be interested in, Samurailord has an excel document that has sowing times as well as planting times which I think you might find useful and theres also a link to the Gardeners Almanac provided by alldigging.

http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...dar_69843.html

Thank you....I will take a look

[Mudandspud]

1) I keep all my seeds in a concertina file, marked into months. If a seed is to be sown in Feb, then it goes in the Feb holder. It can then be moved into March and then April, if you want successional sowing.



2) I don't count really my plants, I just sow as much as I can becaues I give any spares away to friends and school (I know roughly how many of each thing I need: if I use one onion per week in the kitchen, I need to grow at least 52 onions, plus maybe 20% more to allow for failures).

3) I always have things waiting in the wings for when a space becomes free on the allotment. I don't wait until I have a gap, then think I must sow something ~ have things ready and waiting, in modules or 3" pots




You'll get the hang of it after a couple of seasons, and you won't need to plan it so much

Great idea to use the concertina file. Thank you for sharing your tips x

[Vince G]

Hi mudandspud, Had a nose at your blog and saw you bought douce provence peas. If you've not done so already, these can go in before winter, mine are in now. Mice like the seeds and will dig them up, so I tend to sow in modules and transplant when an inch or so high. Bit of a faff, but more seeds tend to survive that way.

[marcofez]

1) I keep all my seeds in a concertina file, marked into months. If a seed is to be sown in Feb, then it goes in the Feb holder. It can then be moved into March and then April, if you want successional sowing.



2) I don't count really my plants, I just sow as much as I can becaues I give any spares away to friends and school (I know roughly how many of each thing I need: if I use one onion per week in the kitchen, I need to grow at least 52 onions, plus maybe 20% more to allow for failures).

3) I always have things waiting in the wings for when a space becomes free on the allotment. I don't wait until I have a gap, then think I must sow something ~ have things ready and waiting, in modules or 3" pots




You'll get the hang of it after a couple of seasons, and you won't need to plan it so much

Great ideas, which I hope to use as well. Thanks Two Sheds

[TrialAndError]

I'm trying this one this year because I get totally confused even about approximate dates.

Create your own vegetable growing calendar - GardenFocused

It doesn't have all the veg but the main ones are there. It also shows a crop rotation plan based on the veg you select.