Getting organised for sowing

[alldigging]

I had an idea of getting an A4 diary and organising when I would be sowing my seeds. However I've just cracked open the suitcase I use to store my seeds in and suddenly think it might not be such a good idea.

Lots of seeds are sow between March and July..
So:
Would I write a list of them at the start of March, April, May, June and July...
That'd make sense for things I can sow successionally, but for things like courgettes I spose I know to sow them towards the end of April to make sure they're not put out too soon.

Or I could just use it to write down when I've actually sown seeds?

Or?
I don't know. My brain is swimming with ideas and I'm not sure that any of them are helpful at the moment!

[Kristen]

I use a spreadsheet and then I can sort it alphabetically, same order as the seed packets in my tin, to enter Sow / Plant / Harvest dates and so on, and then sort by Sow Date for an action calendar. I make duplicate rows for successional sowing reminders.

[rustylady]

I use a 12 pocket accordion folder to store seeds - each pocket labelled by month. Easy to find seeds to sow that month, and if you have any left move the packets into the next pocket. Use your diary to record sowings, weather conditions and harvests

[alldigging]

I think my major problem for using an accordian folder is the one I have is quite small. I spose if I whittled down to the seeds I'm actually going to sow then it'd be more managable...
Currently I have getting on for 300 different veg seeds.
32 different types of tomatoes.

Limiting the number in my plan has to be my first stage I think.

[Thelma Sanders]

It's end of March to beginning of May, that I have the problem with - those months are just overflowing with packets of seed - but there's not really much going on in the other sections lol

I know some packets will move along for successional sowings, but right now, it just doesn't look right!

[Bigmallly]

I think my major problem for using an accordian folder is the one I have is quite small.

If you have 3 March & 3 April, the rest will have loads of room especially Sept-Dec.

[rustylady]

Currently I have getting on for 300 different veg seeds.
32 different types of tomatoes.

Limiting the number in my plan has to be my first stage I think.

Do you really need that many tomatoes?

[alldigging]

Do you really need that many tomatoes?

No!
This is the bit I am struggling with, how to decide which ones to grow.

I know I want to grow sungold but then I have space in the greenhouse for some too.

[Kristen]

how to decide which ones to grow.

I know I want to grow sungold but then I have space in the greenhouse for some too.

I grew 2x of each variety one year, and then we had a taste test to see which ones we liked. To maximise the test (given it was under glass, and space was limited compared to outside) I didn't grow any of my regulars that year. It was also interesting to see which ones ripened / when. For example the Beefsteak were so late ripening I decided I didn't want to grow them because of the length of time they, unproductively!, hogged greenhouse space.

[rustylady]

No!
This is the bit I am struggling with, how to decide which ones to grow.

I know I want to grow sungold but then I have space in the greenhouse for some too.

Which varieties do you have seed for?

[alldigging]

superb
heinz
venus
pedro H
golden konign
tigerella
golden cherry
sungold *** def these
grande f1
black cherry
black plum
green zebra
green sausage
lucciola
red cherry
ace 55
black krim
rainbow gold
bbc
St pierre
Maskota
Rainbow blend ***These are lovely
garden pearl
gardners delight
blaconi
moneymaker
outdoor girl
san marzano
dolmio
ailsa craigh
marmand
Sweet baby
Sweet Million

(Spellings my own bad typing if they're wrong)

[alldigging]

I don't want to grow these this year:

green zebra
green sausage

And Nic would appreciate a nice normal red tomato.

[Spunky]

I've got a 2015 calendar and on the 1st of each month I've written down everything I can sow that month then at the back I've done a chart with every month and the seeds listed alphabetically which shows me how much of each to sow per month because I can see how many months I will be successionally sowing that seed
........ If that makes any sense

[Spunky]

Jesus is that all tomatoes!

[Veggielot]

I used an A5 page a day diary last year to keep a record of things to do/done, what was planted weather etc. It worked quite well but didn't need all the space. Was bought a 7 day/2 pages this Christmas so will try that. The drawback was that having worked out what I was going to plant tended to start sowing to early evev though I had it all written down.