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| Computers and gardening |
Prior to 'Computers' the most common method of keeping records of sowing or planting dates was to keep diaries, ledgers & notebooks.
This worked well, but after a number of years, the system could become rather unwieldy, i.e. to such an extent that finding 'past results' could become a task in its self
"I know I have been there, and done it! "
Now at the press of a button this type of information is available in an instant.
For example; when keeping a 'Diary' in a 'data base format', the information can be readily filtered out.
Similarly, by keeping bedding layouts & cropping plans etc. in 'spread sheet format', one can keep a record of crop rotation.
Cultivation details can be detailed to suit your personal preferences;
Examples;
Diary; sowing and growing details could be listed as follows;
Date Year Week No. Genus 14/01 2008 2 General Sorted out plants in greenhouse 14/1 2008 2 General Switched on hotbed & propagator 15/1 2008 2 Sweet Pea Sowed 6 each of The Doctor,Royal Wedding,Princess Elizabeth,Beaujolais,Noel Sutton,Blue Danube 19/1 2008 2 Sweet Pea Royal Wedding,Princess Eliz,Beaujolais,germinated (4) 29/1 2008 5 Sweet Pea Pricked out 6 Beaujolais,2 Princess Eliz,1Blue Danube,4 The Doctor,3 Noel Sutton,1 R/wedding 29/1 2008 5 Lobelia Sowed Crystal Palace & Mrs Clibram 3/2 2008 5 Lobelia Lobelia Crystal Palace germinated (5) 4/3 2008 6 Lobelia Lobelia Mrs Clibram germinated (6) n.b. Column titles can be detailed to suit your needs
In future years you can filter out any of the genus individually and all your past dealings with that genus will appear on one page.
This allows you to plan in future years if you want to continue as you did in the past or make adjustments based on the knowledge available.
Planning;
Plot layout;
Plan what you require graphically by means of spreadsheets, each column representing a ‘Bed’ and each line a 'row' see here;
A chart similar to this allows you to count how many of each type/variety of plant you will have to grow on, or buy to meet your needs.
As mentioned above; by saving these charts, you will be able to plan succeeding years 'crop rotation.'
Stock required & sowing order;
At the start of each season make a daily / weekly reference sheet by tabulating all the varieties of seed you plan on growing that season.
Then add the quantities you require. see plot layout above
Add your sowing dates then sort them into the order of sowing by highlighting the 'sow' column then click on Tools>Sort>choose ascending and all information will appear in the order you wish to sow in. see here;
As the year progresses make comments on the reference sheet indicating any changes you wish to make in future.
In this way you can keep up with ‘new varieties’ and seasonal changes and how they affect you.
Conclusion;
One great advantage with this procedure is, you can plan available greenhouse & cold frame space much better.
As many of you will have experienced, plants can take up a lot of space in a greenhouse or cold frame when hardening off, so by removing ‘excesses’ the issue can be less of a problem.
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