[Stratts]

Just wondering if I should have kept a record of when I sowed everything Ive done so far and when I do stuff in the future?

How organised is every one on here and does it help alot to record dates of sowing, etc??

[teabelly]

I have a diary that I've been writing stuff like this in.

I thought it might make interesting reading next year.

[DD.]

We do, of course, have a diary section on here, which is free to use and you can't lose!

[Schubunny]

I have been this year, I have a spreadsheet. Although the obsessive list maker in me is eyeing the diary section with a lot of interest!

[Stratts]

I've been doing a diary on here that needs updating but I would not write everything I've sown & when on it coz it'd be right boring for you guys to read!!

I wasn't sure if it would benefit me in the future to know what and when I sowed stuff and how long it took to germinate/grow, etc!

[Swing Swang]

Everything goes on a spreadsheet - description, seed supplier, exp date, when opened, cost/gift/saved seed, first sowing/first harvest, second sowing etc, notes about each crop etc etc. Lots of abbreviations (BP - biodegradable pots, CF - cold frame, OG - open ground, record fertilisers used, how the soil was prepared, mulches if any, top dressings etc etc.). Now that I've been doing this for 5 years, in conjunction with my planting plan, I can modify my techniques to best suit my land and not waste any seed (basically I know that when I buy seed it will all get used up by the end of it's expirey date).

[JayG]

I try to keep my Excel spreadsheet of my growing plan and sowing times updated (plus the mysterious "F/S", which means "first show" of seedlings!)

Not sure how helpful it really is because each year is different, and I often forget to add the information anyway, but I suppose it can be a reminder that I did actually remember to sow them, and also when to possibly start panicking if they don't come up when expected! 

[shoozie]

I keep a little log book in my seed box which I use daily and over the last few months have been keeping a weekly log in the diary section here

[Stratts]

Never thought of using excel to do a spreadsheet I'll have to see if I can work out best how to lay it out.

I'll never have time to keep that much info but sounds like the basics might be handy,

Cheers

[plot53b]

I bought a 'little black book' this year, exactly for this reason. I do use computers, iPads, iPhones, etc (I love my technolgy gadgets), but I just thought it would be easier and nicer to write it all down so I can compare year on year.

[JayG]

Never thought of using excel to do a spreadsheet I'll have to see if I can work out best how to lay it out.

I'll never have time to keep that much info but sounds like the basics might be handy,
Cheers

Any application you have which makes it easy to draw your plot to scale and "move" crops around from year to year will do the job. I just happen to be familiar with Excel - if you re-size the cells into squares it's easy to make a scale drawing of your plot, and "text boxes" and other drawing objects can be used to represent your crops (they can be written in, re-sized and moved around to your heart's content!)

I've now got about 10-year's worth of records of what went where and when all in one spreadsheet.

[gazza975526570]

I used to but havent bothered so much the last few years.

In the end though i aways wish i had done - take last year i grew two lots of earlies, one was great the other poor - i cant for the life of me remember which was which.

I should learn realy!

[sunshineband]

I have an allotment diary, and I also write varieties sown on the ground plan too, whihc is in the shed.

useful  when I can never remember which potato went where, or which carrot is in which row -- labels seem to have their own life and wander off or get covered up, or fade...