Talkback: Sowing seeds

Posts

• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  March 2009

  I made a similar template for myself using Excel, a bit fiddly, but it is specific to my location and from past experience. I separated each month into 4 weeks, and split each line in 2 (as sometimes you can still sow later crops, whilst the first lot have been planted out for successional harvesting). It looked something like the back of the colour codes you find on the back of some seed packets. More importantly, you can also learn when the harvest will be finished, so that you can plan the second crop for that area of ground, just by looking down the chart; eg. I plant out my leeks, usually after the overwintering broad beans have finished. Another good thing with the excel programme is that you can also use the grid like cells to plan the layout.
  
  I hope the above makes sense, it's easier to see than to describe. It also makes the dark nights fly by, when I keep looking at my seed packets longing for spring

  0
• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  March 2009

  Hi - my system is pretty simple if a little less high tech - I have a notebook a friend gave me with a diary section, and other pages and pockets for sketches and so on. Each day after I've been in the garden, I scribble down what I've done, what I've sowed and where. It's easy to refer back to then. Every year is different anyway, weather and so on, so sowing and harvesting times and germination can vary a lot. Personally, I just let things get on with it in their own time! I'm in Dublin and we've just had a lovely week of weather,the garden is ablaze with bulbs and everything in the coldframe has really started to come on.
  
  For seeds, I have a tiny chest of drawers I got in IKEA for very little. It has nine drawers, so I allot a drawer per month and that keeps things organised. http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/80073304

  0
• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  March 2009

  I like the idea of those little drawers for the seeds, I can never seems to keep them organised. I too have used Excel, drawing grids and trying to keep track of everything. Since it's my first year having a serious attempt at growing my own veg Excel will allow me to keep track of where I've planted what and I can add comments to each cell on success or otherwise as I go along. I must admit, whenever I'm not in the garden I keep opening it up and tinkering with it, noting when things have germinated, when seeds have sprouted and when I've planted out in the garden or greenhouse, planning the next weeks activities etc. Loving every minute of it.

  0
• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  March 2009

  Ive planted my onions an carrots both in large planter boxes which have polly tunnels over them and ime keeping my fingers crossed. I hav'nt planted my dustbins and pots with potatos although like yours Jane they're there waiting with chits on. Do you just leave all the chits on if your holding back from planting or not? I am waiting til next month before planting beetroot in another large veg planter.But I have planted cabbage seed indoors hopefully by the time they're ready to go out the worst of the weather will have gone. Happy growing season everyone.

  0
• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  March 2009

  cant wait i couldnt decide last month between veg or flowers so i bought them both planting them out this month

  0
• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  March 2009

  i am on an allotment but no one cumes there is a 30ft polly tunnel i have it to my self i have done cuttings and veg and flowers it is grate but it wood be beter if sume one was ther to.

  0
• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  March 2009

  Glad I read this as I have just finished revamping a large raised border and was about to start planting (I think a symptom of a week of wonderful weather!). I will restrain myself and focus instead on the seeds for my windowsill and those hardy enough to survive my little plastic unheated greenhouse.

  0
• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  March 2009

  Hi trickyhicky,
  here's one: http://www.hmk.on.ca/images/detail.doc
  I'm looking for the same thing, this is all I've come upw with so far...
  Happy growing, Minikraut

  0
• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  March 2009

  Oops, of course I was going to say something on "not sowing early", but I was carried away.
  I've only had a garden for the past two years, no previous experience in my life (I'm German, you see, the majority of us live in rented flats/appartments). I checked a few mags, bought some seeds, couldn't wait - off I went into the garden at the first show of spring, chuck left, chuck right, water, done. Needless to say, the results were nothing to brag about. I still had results for the radishes and other fool-proof plants, and I didn't feel too bad about the bits that had literally never seen the light of day.
  This year, I did a lot more planning and bought seeds early enough to start germinating them indoors on the many sunny window sills our house offers. Inspecting them every day (before and after work), pricking out, wondering about the right soil mix, labelling everything! ... And now - oh my, they are my babies! How will I know when the time has come to put them out there?
  Minikraut

  0
• Gardeners' World Web User Posts: 17,147

  March 2009

  You'll know when the time is right. It'll be when the the days are consistently warmer, the nights aren't freezing and the wind has dropped! So we're talking sometime mid to late next month really to be on the safe side, depending on where you live, of course.
  make sure you harden off plants thoroughly before planting them out as we can still get cold nights in April, May, June...
  I love all this stuff about planning notes and so on - you all sound terribly organised! I'm more of a photocopied plan of the plot with blank beds and a folder of seed packets to be sown kind of person if I'm honest.

  0