What Garden/Homesteading Planning sheets do you use?

Acequiamadre

Each year I refine my garden planning.

Who uses planning sheets, Google Docs, etc/ to manage their planting or homestead management?

Which sheets have been the best for you?

I have created a season-by season google doc combining seasonal tasks from the orchard to livestock management based on early-mid-and late season tasks.

Gardening, I have started, but been a little less successful in finding the ideal support.

I used the book Homegrown Pantry to work backwards to figure how much I should plant and harvest over the season, but by mid-summer it gets a little chaotic and I fly by the seat of my pants. This year I put in a fall garden--smaller than I would like, but a good start.

What do you use to plan your garden/homestead?

What tried and true methods or products help?

Ferg

I actually use a lab notebook. You can get electronic ones, if you like, or you can use any good quality paper bound notebook. I tend to use my notebook in the greenhouse, or at the beds, so I use sharpie pens that don't run if they get wet. I also tape the empty seed packets into it, so I can see what I used from where with what lot numbers, etc. I paste pictures of things and track insects or diseases based on location and environment,... well, you get the idea.

but then, i'm pretty OCD, as a scientist I am used to tracking EVERYTHING.... which has really helped, actually, in troubleshooting problems. I work at multiple locations between a community garden I was doing and my own small spaces, so sometimes I've been able to see epigenetics at work (environmentally triggered genetic changes). That's pretty cool!

silvertipgrizz

@Acequiamadre Here is something that might help:

https://www.joyonthismomjourney.com/when-to-plant-what-a-guide-to-planting-each-vegetable-in-your-garden-at-the-right-time/

Lisa K

I created two spreadsheets Seed Planting Guide & Planting Guide (for planting conditions). I started by using the information on the seed packets & a regional gardening book - Sunsets "Western Garden", now I am keeping a journal so that I can revised the guides as I go to customize them for my garden.

Lisa K

I created two spreadsheets Seed Planting Guide & Planting Guide (for planting conditions). I started by using the information on the seed packets & a regional gardening book - Sunsets "Western Garden", now I am keeping a journal so that I can revised the guides as I go to customize them for my garden.

karen

I use a moon calendar and an old guide I have to crop rotation. Since i am in the subtropics i can grow all year round so the moon calendar, from australia, helps me to plan out each month. but finding a guide for "what" to grow, or not, in the rainy to dry, dry to rainy seasons is a problem I always need to find articles on the basic culture of different foods. So, for example I had little success with pole beans Until I learned about the growing culture of beans. Now I plant half way thru the rainy season to get the natural moisture needed, then allow the beans to finish in the dryer weather. Works!

Owl

I use an electronic tool called Garden Pro that is definitely not ideal but it helps. It has a journal feature for each area that is very useful for me since I have memory deficits. I can literally, leave myself notes for next year. I have not figured out how to allow for the steady rotation from summer garden to fall without just building a whole new template but I can do that. Some summer things are still going strong and some have been cut down and my seedlings are getting ready to transplant soon. I guess I need a new diagram for each season so I have a solid picture for crop rotation.

BonnieMcClure

What has worked for me is a word.doc spreadsheet that lists the soil temp and what is going on in the garden to plant for my zone 5 garden. I also save seeds so they are more adapted to my area. This is then color coded to a layout sheet so I am only prepping beds as needed and I make sure to rotate crops.

Vegetable Planting Schedule.doc

Foxxy

Pretty old school but it works

Good old- fashioned graph paper or failing that hand drawn graphs. Sadly this year's got wet so were of limited use- but this was an exceptionally erratic year weather-wise too.

My other ;go tos: PAINT as in Microsoft accessories program and any spreadsheet. Paint it has a grid tool, so you can start with your grids and adapt to larger or smaller segments. I Have made one set of grids for the various sized starting kits, and one for the gardens' layouts. When seed starting I copy and paste the correct sized tray inserts to a new doc, print them out and then open the spread sheet. which lists all the seed pack info including seed year, pre-chilling, germ time, or no cover. As I plant a row or section I write down the variety and number of seeds /spot. I've had seeds as old as 15 years germinate - not fabulously but germinate - and survive.

BTW if you see or have the ubiquitous white vertical blind that have been mutilated, grab a pair of shears and cut along the Cords. they make Fantastic plant markers - free for the time spent!!

Acequiamadre

I put our homestead management in a Google Spreadsheet based on each part of the season. Here is an example/copy for any feedback you have. I have the parts of our homestead broken out, task listed (repeating and projects) and keep a general pulse on the number of hours we spend.

I used to keep composition notebooks (and I LOVED those).

For gardening, I am still back and forth. I have a spreadsheet, but find I prefer pen and paper that I can take with me into the garden.

If you run a homestead and want to offer feedback, please do. What tasks did I miss over the year that you have on your task list?

This is the second year we have used this

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Sx4LZc5zP6VR5mbzc9jFKahgBwmx26zEAO9fxYXOkJk/edit?usp=sharing

Thomas

@Acequiamadre that is pretty smart. That is what we have done on our land. It really sort of 'grew' into the list of things we do and when. I really would like to get it tied more into our weather (temps and rain) just so I can see how the things we do also are sometimes related to how our weather is going.

Great idea though that you have!