Computers and Gardening
Overview:
Prior to Computers the most common method of keeping records of sowing or planting dates was to keep diaries, ledgers and notebooks.
This worked well, but after a number of years, the system could become rather unwieldy to such an extent, that finding past results could become a task in its self.
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 bed layouts and cropping plans etc. in spread sheet format, one can keep a record of crop rotation.
Plus any further details can be noted to suit your personal preferences.
Examples;
The Diary;
The column titles and content can be designed to suit your own particular needs, then in future years you can filter out particular information, for example; details of an individual genus, or events in any given week/month.
Similarly,when studying this filtered information you can decide if the dates you carried out these tasks was to early / late and make adjustments accordingly the following year.
Date |
Year
|
Week Number |
Genus | Event |
---|---|---|---|---|
11/1 |
2020
|
2
|
Sweet Pea | Sowed 5 each of Beajolais, Blue Danube, Noel Sutton, The Doctor. |
11/1 |
2020
|
2
|
Onion | Sowed 40 Brunton, Mammoth, and Red Brunswick |
16/1 |
2020
|
3
|
Onion | Brunton & Red Brunswick germinated (5 days) |
16/1 |
2020
|
3
|
Sweet Pea | Beaujolais germinated (5 days) |
24/1 |
2020
|
4
|
Sweet Pea | Potted up 18 seeddlings into 7cm pots |
28/1 |
2020
|
4
|
Onion | Potted up 36 Red Brunswick, 32 Mammoth, and 32 Brunton. |
23/2 |
2020
|
8
|
Chrysanthemum | Took 10 NB Wedding, 5 Rose NB 5 White Margaret, 5 Gold Margaret cuttings |
26/2 |
2020
|
8
|
Tomato | Sowed 12 Alecante, 12 Moneymaker, 12 Gardener's Delight. |
26/2 |
2020
|
9
|
Chilli | Sowed 12 Fresno, 12 Bulgarian Carrot, 12 Jalapeno and 12 Habanero |
2/3 |
2020
|
9
|
Tomato | Alecante & Moneymaker germinated. (4 days) |
6/3 |
2020
|
10
|
Chilli | Jalapeno & Bulgarian Carrot germinated (8 days) |
Further details would be entred as the year progresses
|
Plot layout:
One method of planning your layouts would be to let each column represent a Bed and each line a Row as shown in the followingexample.
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 previously, by saving these charts, you will be able to plan crop rotation in future years.
Bed 1 | Bed 2 | Bed 3 | Bed 4 | Bed 5 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Peas - Onward | Calabrese-4 Chevalier | Potato-5 Rocket | Br.Sprouts-4 Maximus | Onion-8 Mammoth |
Peas - Onward | Calabrese-4 Chevalier | Potato-5 Rocket | Br.Sprouts-4 Maximus | Onion-8 Mammoth |
Peas - Onward | Calabrese-4 Chevalier | Potato-5 Rocket | Br.Sprouts-4 Maximus | Onion-8 Mammoth |
Peas - Onward | Calabrese-4 Chevalier | Potato-5 Rocket | Br.Sprouts-4 Maximus | Onion-8 Sturon |
Calabrese-4 Marathon | Potato-5 Rocket | Br.Sprouts-4 Maximus | Onion-8 Sturon | |
Runner Beans | Calabrese-4 Marathon | Potato-5 Rocket | Br.Sprouts-4 Maximus | Onion-8 Sturon |
Sweet Peas | Calabrese-4 Marathon | Potato-5 Kestrel | Leeks-8 Oarsman | 8 Red Brunswick |
Calabrese-4 Marathon | Potato-5 Kestrel | Leeks-8 Oarsman | 8 Red Brunswick | |
6 Sweet Corn | Cauliflower-4 Candid Charm | Potato-5 Kestrel | Leeks-8 Oarsman | 8 Red Brunswick |
6 Sweet Corn | Cauliflower-4 Candid Charm | Potato-5 Kestrel | Leeks-8 Oarsman | Shallot-8 Topper |
6 Sweet Corn | Cauliflower-4 Candid Charm | Potato-5 Kestrel | Leeks-8 Oarsman | Shallot-8 Topper |
6 Sweet Corn | Cauliflower-4 Candid Charm | Potato-5 Kestrel | Leeks-8 Oarsman | Shallot-8 Topper |
Contents and number of beds is subject to the size of the plot and preferences
|
Seed Sowing Plan:
At the start of each season make a daily / weekly reference sheet by tabulating all the varieties of seed you plan on sowing / growing that season.
Then add the quantities you require, as indicated in your Plot Layout.
Planning your sowing order couldn't be easier!
List all the seeds types and varieties you plan on growing.
At this stage these do not need be in any particular order.
The next stage is to determine the sowing date for each packet of seed you have or cuttings you may wish to take.
Once this information is established filter / sort it by clicking on Tools > Sort > choose Ascending, and all the information you have listed will appear in the order you wish to use them.
Genus | Variety |
Group
|
Week
|
Temp*C
|
Stock R'qud
|
Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sweet Peas | Mixed |
ha
|
2
|
18
|
20
|
|
Onion | Mammoth |
veg
|
2
|
18
|
24
|
|
Onion | Red Brunswick |
veg
|
2
|
18
|
24
|
|
Chrysanthemum | Spray Chrysant's |
hhp
|
2
|
18
|
40
|
Put Stools on Hotbed |
Tomato | Gardener's Delight |
veg
|
8
|
18
|
8
|
|
Tomato | Moneymaker |
veg
|
8
|
18
|
8
|
|
Chilli | Habanero |
veg
|
9
|
20
|
6
|
|
Chilli | Jalapeno |
veg
|
9
|
20
|
6
|
|
Calabrese | Chevalier |
veg
|
12
|
16
|
16
|
|
Calabrese | Marathon |
veg
|
12
|
16
|
16
|
|
Br Sprouts | Maximus |
veg
|
13
|
13
|
24
|
|
Cauliflower | Candid Charm |
veg
|
13
|
13
|
16
|
|
Leeks | Oarsman |
veg
|
13
|
13
|
48
|
|
Continue in this manner until you have listed all your planned sowings / cuttings
|
Conclusion:
As the year progresses make comments on the reference sheet you have copied indicating any changes you wish to make in future years.
In this way you can keep up with new varieties and seasonal changes and how they affect you.
One great advantage with planning in this manner is you can plan available greenhouse and 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.