I wonder if you guys keep a "gardening log " I never tried but I think I am going to do it this year. Any suggestions? GB
I always take my camera when, I attend the garden. I take many pictures every day and store by date on my computer, and post if they have some interest. It only takes a few minutes to update daily. Here is my Journal. http://www.durgan.org/2008/Journal/Durgan2008/Durgan2008.html
Thank you for sharign but I think this is very complicated, and I think this is too time consuming, what do you think.
Well, if he's doing it he must like it. You might just want to keep a notebook. It's a good idea if you want to keep track of results of your efforts and similar information, rather than trying to rely on memory which can be pretty inaccurate over time.
I think is pretty important you should also add details with the weather and temperature to see if change anything from one year to another... What do you think. I am having problems believing in Global Warming...
I like Durgan's logs because they are a good teaching tool. They are well documented and help others. If this is for yourself then do it so it means something to you. I personaly can't be bothered but I do regret not having a camera (still). I would like to show off my Wisteria sometime soon :/ Liz
I keep a notebook. I record things like what I plant and when, how they did, what I liked and didn't and whether to plant it again. I also record where I plant what. It's amazing what I forget over the winter. You always think you will remember, but I find I don't. :( I also record what seeds I buy and from where and also what I want to grow in the future.
If you have a garden plot, then a journal and a mapped account will aid your planting scheme for the following season. The details of your notes are embellished by actual accounts of your plots progress or regress.. I am far too encumbered for details... so a notebook works just fine for me.
Bess be taking notes then..., start with the current temp... soil temp too if you can, rain/sunshine, daylight hours, dates for plantings/propagation, soil tilling, fertilizing... these are important gardening notes...map the site specific to tending, for future crop rotation... you get the idea... no need for an epic novel....
I've made a spreadsheet that I enter info, and using favorites, I go to weather sites, record the temps, humidity, wind, rain, and % cloud and have a chart set up to compare it to historical averages for day/month. This seems a bit excessive perhaps, but with new plants, and the motives behind my food garden, I would rather be a bit extra than too little. I'm hopping this will help me, along with my landscaping profession, to become more attuned to weather/flora/fauna general synergy patterns and be more proactive. Perhaps it will also help me keep in mind the water, mulching, and additive needs. (As opposed to just blithely standing in the rain and watering since it's Sunday.)
I wonder when is a good time to start planting here in Pennsylvania, I always get it wrong, my tomatoes always do well and my pumpkins. But I want suggestions, also should I check the moon for my log?.
Durgan, I really like the information you post in your journal. The entry about placing and removing posts I found interesting. I have most always used a post pounder but am always on the lookout for a new idea to remove posts. Yours is good. No toolbox should be without a pair of vice-grips (or duct tape!). In the past I have used a car jack (ladder jack), but it tips easily. I made a short chain which Had a 'locking-link' I could slip through the holes in the t=bar (stretched it out of shape!). A few other 'creative' ideas (hacksaw and club hammer) also, but... I can't wait for an opportunity to try this vice=grip idea. Thanks to you Durgan One of those 'creative' ideas involved my vehicle! I kept waiting to see a 'javelin' launched through my rear windshield lol By the way, I have one of those IKEA shoehorns. Great item. I keep it by the door and family, guests... all put it to good use
Every year I tell myself I'm going to keep a rainfall chart and each year it never rains enough to warrant the procedure, some years are better than others. I tend to have a try and see attitude toward gardening and thanks to working in Nurseries have had access to too many plants for my own good :} If something doesn't do well or needs excessive attention it gets noted, I also keep note of seeds sown, cuttings and success rates for future reference. I have a reasonable idea what insects come through at what time of year and the diseases which are seasonal also. Like Durgan I cannot walk around my yard without a camera in hand (Secateurs and camera my 2 essentials). I don't date my photos individually but keep a monthly folder of photos which I then save. I previously made a BAD mistake by saving all my photos onto disc which somehow the kids got a hold of. I've lost years worth of info and photos to scratched discs. I now store all on usb memory sticks. Of course I share what I find most interesting here nowadays. Global warming is a strange issue. Are we just more aware of the climate than say 100 years ago? Aren't we still at the end of an ice age? The climate has been changing for millions of years perhaps we are contributing to the rate of change? I believe that rainfall has become far less reliable where there were once plenty of summer afternoon storms bringing good rainfall we now seem to get more overcast less rainy weather. Drought has been a big issue here in Australia lately but it's one of those underlying issues that have never been addressed. There have always been water restrictions as far as I remember. I wonder though why the population is growing but the water storage areas are not? There has been little done to fix the issue and as soon as the Government wants to dam an area it leads to massive fights between conservationists, the owners of the land and the government itself leading to nothing getting done. Sorry to say this but there's going to nothing left to conserve if the current situation is not fixed in this country and the land owners will be left in areas with little of a future as there is not enough resource for sustainability. hmmm... had my whinge now. I do recommend keeping note of what you find most important in your garden trend for your own future referencing. I went a little overboard but it was as much for knowledge of the plants so I could give useful advice when needed as much as it was for my love of gardening :}
Just finished posting and noticed your comment about the moon chart. Whatever anyone tells you it is definitely worth following. I should but don't, I had a mate whose Mother absolutely stuck to the chart, as did all the gardeners in their family and there really was no other explaination as to why their plants performed as well as they did. We even had a personal competition of growing the same plant at the same time I did as normal and they followed charts. They won: we used similar watering techniques and same fertilising, identical positioning, I mean it was controlled as possible for such a simple test. They are not the only people who have sworn by it and from what I've seen I find it hard to argue the point.
Chungii Interesting topic , this of the moon chart. I have one I got years ago but have never tried it. Winter is a good time for thinking about such things. Main reason I thought to post was your comment about the disc your children got hold of. If you still have it, it might be restored. The other day while driving I saw a sign for "cd repair". Silly me, I thought "Why would anyone spend money repairing a disc when they could probably buy a new one for similar price?" (I was thinking mainly of music cd's) Now, in a situation like yours, everything falls into place. Anyway, perhaps you could find some business in your area that does similar work..... Just a thought
Yeah I did the de-scratch polish and actually did recover some but most was beyond repair. It's a shame but an excuse to get out there and do it all again. Plus digital cameras have seriously improved since then and so has my ability to use one :}