Farmers Almanac's Garden Planner.

Kelley
Kelley Posts: 140 ✭✭✭

Has anyone used this planner? It looks pretty good but I don't want to put in a bunch of time during the 7 day trial and find i wasted my time.

Garden planner programs have gotten more popular, i just would like some advice please.

Comments

  • VermontCathy
    VermontCathy Posts: 1,987 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I don't have any experience with their planner. Instead, I created my own in a spreadsheet.

    Many books will tell you how many weeks before last (spring) or first (fall) frost a given crop has to be planted. You can then look up your first/last frost dates and count back the right number of weeks. (Different books will not agree on the exact amount of time you need to allow, but they'll generally be in the same range.)

    Then you can create a chart week by week that shows you when to start transplants from seed indoors, when to transplant them outdoors, when to seed outdoors in cold frames, and when to seed outdoors in the open garden.

    I've had to modify my sheet over the years. For example, I've learned that sowing some frost-tolerant crops the recommended number of weeks before last frost can't be done here, because I still have snow on the ground at that time and the soil is frozen hard! You may have to make other adjustments like this depending on your climate constraints.

  • dipat2005
    dipat2005 Posts: 1,290 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @VermontCathy Good for you! We usually know what we need to sow and when. I have used the Farmer's Almanac and have found it to be very accurate. I also go on my own timeline part of the time. I am so glad I decided to garden this year. I am still harvesting greens!

  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    We have never used any kind of garden planner or journal. Never found one I liked. But this next year I really have to try. We ate getting much closer to our market garden and the grocery store I work at is interested in buying some local grown.

  • Kelley
    Kelley Posts: 140 ✭✭✭

    Thanks you all. Our soil is clay a d i have been ammending it with organic matter and compost. This year my vegtable grden was beautiful but didn't produce much. I know you nitrogen was high so I am trying to plan for next year and get my garden crops planned.

  • VermontCathy
    VermontCathy Posts: 1,987 ✭✭✭✭✭

    High nitrogen levels should yield great leafy green crops (lettuce, spinach, chard, Asian greens like tatsoi, etc.), assuming the levels of other nutrients are sufficient.

    But the nitrogen can cause problems for other plants. Carrots will fork and won't develop good shape, for example. And root crops may put too much energy into the leaves and not enough into the roots.

    Clay can be very challenging. Hopefully the organic matter you are adding is making the soil less clumpy and allowing better drainage. Root crops can be especially difficult if the roots can't force their way through hard clay.

  • Kelley
    Kelley Posts: 140 ✭✭✭

    Thanks. We have real low yield on root crops because of the soil.

  • lewis.mary.e
    lewis.mary.e Posts: 225 ✭✭✭

    The other thing you could do is ask other gardeners in your area what works for them consistently. Also, most state universities have an extension service available to answer questions.

  • VermontCathy
    VermontCathy Posts: 1,987 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @timtandme What crops did you grow this year?

  • annbeck62
    annbeck62 Posts: 1,028 ✭✭✭✭

    I haven't used the farmers almanac but one year I took a class on gardening by the astrological calendar. If you plant on certain days your plants will grow better and if you weed on certain days you have more success. I found it really works.

  • Kelley
    Kelley Posts: 140 ✭✭✭

    Thanks @annabeck62.

  • Kelley
    Kelley Posts: 140 ✭✭✭

    @VermontCathy we grew yellow squash, pumpkins, acorn, butternut and spaghetti squash, tomatoes, potatoes, lots of different peppers, onions, garlic, radishes, carrots, cabbage, okra, tomatillos, celery, kale and various letters plus kitchen and medicinal herbs.