tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6125578595363888138.post1159705416849172465..comments2024-02-10T03:18:13.928-05:00Comments on Dave's Square Foot Garden: Planning the 2015 GardenDavid Veltenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07710293718143454000noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6125578595363888138.post-83110255596819427092015-03-29T13:50:40.040-04:002015-03-29T13:50:40.040-04:00I'm afraid I am not that disciplined! I keep a...I'm afraid I am not that disciplined! I keep a record in a word document of when I sowed seeds, year on year, for comparison, but mostly I rely on 2 things - my memory (getting less reliable), and my blog with its associated Picasa photo-albums. My growing-space is very small though, so I suppose its not a huge challenge to remember everything.Mark Willishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04558305122821209520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6125578595363888138.post-23746114364395032242015-03-18T19:53:40.237-04:002015-03-18T19:53:40.237-04:00Just practical experience having smeared mud on a ...Just practical experience having smeared mud on a lot of my plans. And I need the planned dates, at least for seed starting, even if I don't always make them.David Veltenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07710293718143454000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6125578595363888138.post-82866545121128112032015-03-18T19:48:16.113-04:002015-03-18T19:48:16.113-04:00The experience factor really comes into play with ...The experience factor really comes into play with some seeds such as peppers. My experience is some hot peppers tend to take much longer to germinate than sweet peppers. Using an average germination date for peppers doesn't always produce ideal results if half the seeds germinate and are ready to exit the heat pad but half of them have to stay on the pad.David Veltenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07710293718143454000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6125578595363888138.post-68759928832076450022015-03-18T19:41:36.644-04:002015-03-18T19:41:36.644-04:00Seeds don't necessarily read the packet instru...Seeds don't necessarily read the packet instructions. So I think recording actual experience is useful. The challenge for me is to follow through and record all the information.David Veltenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07710293718143454000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6125578595363888138.post-43895324582691350232015-03-18T19:37:57.965-04:002015-03-18T19:37:57.965-04:00I have a similar problem with succession planting....I have a similar problem with succession planting. If I want a Fall crop, I have to work back from first frost date. But the Spring crop in those squares might not be ready to vacate. Trouble is, winter is inevitable (so far). A Fall crop has to be well established if it is going to mature in the Fall with shorter days, weaker sunlight and cooler temperatures. So like you, I have to decide if I want a few more harvests (bird in hand) or do I yank it to make space for a Fall crop that may not actually mature before cold weather (bird in bush).David Veltenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07710293718143454000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6125578595363888138.post-33242439726131133092015-03-18T16:18:52.282-04:002015-03-18T16:18:52.282-04:00It's always informative to see how other garde...It's always informative to see how other gardeners do things. I capture pretty much the same info you do, except my spreadsheet is usually in chronological order. And I just record actual dates for sowing, transplanting, so on. I do take copies of the plan with me to the greenhouse and garden, but I never thought about sheet protectors - what a great idea. Who says you can't teach an old dog like me new tricks!Dave @ HappyAcreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03441364543023807886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6125578595363888138.post-3034166184532273952015-03-18T10:08:59.882-04:002015-03-18T10:08:59.882-04:00That is a great list of varieties - I see lots tha...That is a great list of varieties - I see lots that I am also growing so it's going to be fun comparing results from our different gardens. The chard you are growing particularly caught my attention - I have not heard of any of those, but they sound like they will be a very colourful trio. I also really liked your spreadsheet with all of the "at a glance" information - as Daphne pointed out, when you plan to start/transplant and when you actually do are two different things and it can have a big impact (good or bad) on your harvest that year.Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15949946977793864054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6125578595363888138.post-17909002962422300472015-03-18T09:54:11.049-04:002015-03-18T09:54:11.049-04:00In a way, I think I would be nice to start with a ...In a way, I think I would be nice to start with a new garden every year. The biggest challenge with year round gardening is having space available when I need it. I've found that schedules with target planting dates don't work for me so I've been working up a spread sheet that shows windows of optimal or possible start dates. I designate certain types of plantings to each bed and then decide what to start as space looks like it will become available. I'm constantly reevaluating what I can grow.<br /><br />You've got an ambitious and interesting list of varieties this year!Michellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07812702328134261533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6125578595363888138.post-61768075230077315432015-03-18T08:10:36.974-04:002015-03-18T08:10:36.974-04:00You have the same column I do. The actual start da...You have the same column I do. The actual start date. As we all know, when we really start the seeds is not always when we planned to. Mine goes: Plant, Variety, In, Out, #, Actual #, Actual Seed, Actual Plant. In and out means planting indoors and transplanting outdoors. I almost always plant in 1 1/2" soil blocks, so I don't have that column. Recently I've been changing my plans around. So I may print out a new one. Daphne Gouldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17305049560953735881noreply@blogger.com