It’s the first day of the month so that means it’s time to post another Gardening OOPs (GOOPs) that we all make but seldom like to share. The inspiration for GOOPs comes from Joene Hendry, fellow garden coach and CT-based garden blogger. If you haven’t yet visited Joene’s blog, joenesgarden, you’re in for a treat. It’s filled with captivating writing and breathtaking photos and is a goldmine of information for newbies and green-thumbs alike.
OK, so on to my GOOPs for February. When I started gardening many eons ago, I would buy plants, plant them and then forget what they were. Sure, I knew this was an astilbe or that was a rudbeckia, but I never knew what cultivar they were because I threw out the plant tags. So if I really liked a plant, I had no way to figure out what it was so I could buy it again. Or, if I planted it in the back of the border because I thought it was supposed to grow about 3 feet tall and instead it was only 1 foot tall, I had no idea what went wrong. Was it me? Was it the plant? I had no idea, but between you and me, I always assumed the plant was at fault.
Eventually, I started saving the plant tags but still something was lacking. So a few years ago I started a spreadsheet for my garden plants. When I buy anything new, or get plants from the plant swap, I record the information in my spreadsheet. It’s nothing elaborate, anyone can make one – it includes the species and cultivar name, date planted, place planted and any relevant maintenance tips. You know… important info that you sometimes forget…fertilize in the spring, cut back to ground level in late winter, divide in the fall…
But this simple spreadsheet has simplified my gardening life tremendously. If I like a particular plant, I know exactly what to look for in the nursery when I want to add some more to my garden. I take my spreadsheet out in the garden with me, stuffed in my pocket, and refer to it for spring and fall cleanup. If it gets dirty or ripped, no problem. I toss it in the recycling and print out another when I need it. Now, if I could only remember where I put my favorite pruners!
Debbie, You are much more organized than I. I ran into the same thing as a young gardener, so I started tucking plant tags into my gardening bag. Eventually – and I mean years later – I created a notebook to hold these (using plastic inserts with various sized pockets). I refer to this often when researching/writing.
Oh yeah … when plants fail in my yard I usually blame some sort of creature … goodness … it couldn’t possibly be the gardener!
Thanks for the lovely intro … much appreciated.
joene,
I think many of us create our ’system’ only after years of neglect. And it is interesting to look back at the tags and compare the expected performance with the actual performance – I guess my garden does not replicate ‘ideal conditions’!
I keep my plastic plant tags in a flower pot on top of the potting bench. I sort through them from time to time, looking for the name of a cultivar. This brings on a bad mood, as the flowery faces of departed garden friends flash by. The Agastache debacle of 2008 is a particularly painful memory.
Daffoddil Planter,
Yes, that is another interesting aspect of looking through old tags – seeing the faces of plants that never made it. Some I have completely forgotten and have no recollection of ever buying and others I fondly remember and can’t help wondering, ‘if Ionly knew then what I know (or think I know) now…’
Hi Debbie
My how this brings back the memories. Creating a spread sheet is a great idea. I wish I would have thought of that
when I still had my back yard. I would just keep all the tags in a small box and when needed try to find the right tags amongst the pile tossed in.
I like your topics… makes interesting reading besides giving helpful hints.
I will be back.
Marcie
Marcie,
I tried the mess of plant tags too but found I needed a bit more organization. For some reason, I could never seem to find the tag I needed when I was looking for it. I think there are as many different organizational systems as their are gardeners – the key is find the one that works for you.