A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2007 Why do I need to keep track of dates?

growing from seed. I'm writing the date I plant, the date they emerge, etc., WHY? Why do I need to know this? I just made a 'table' in word document with name of plants, notes, date seeded and emerged, and comments.

* = seeded and/or growing already

4 o"clocks
*Agastache Rupetins
Alba, cupids dart
*Aster, totem pole mix
Baby"s Breath
Bee Balm
*Bells of Ireland
Black-eyed susan
Black-eyed susan vine, blushing Susie
*Canna, pink
*Canna, yellow
Celosia, flamingo purple
Cleome
Columbine
*Coneflower, bravado
*Coneflower, white swan
Coreopsis, tetra giants
Cosmos
*Dahlia
*Delphinium, Magic Fountain, Cherry Blossom
*Dianthus
*English Daisies
Gaillardia, Globin
*Geraniums
Hollyhocks
*Hosta
*Hyssop
*Liatrus
Lisianthus
*Lupines
Marigold
Marigold, African medallion yellow
Mexican Sunflower
Monarda
Money plant, honesty
Morning Glory, milkyway
Morning Glory, picotee blue
Morning Glory, Star of yetta
*Moss rose
Nigella, African bride
Ornamental Grass, Pony Tails
*Ornamental Millet, Purple Majesty
Ornamental, Jester
*Penstemon, Mystica
*Petunias, wave
Poppies
*rose of Sharon
Rudbeckia Gloriosa Daisy
Salvia
Snapdragons
Viola
Zinnia

One reason you might want to keep records is to compare from year to year, also..if something hasn't sprouted you will know how many days it has been since you set the seed and you would know that after X amount of days...that seed is probable not going to sprout or may have rotted etc. Also by keeping track you can try to adjust heat & water for your plants better.

and if you keep track of what grows where, you can put in how much room you needed, if you had too many/not enough, and if you should have started earlier/later with a particular item.

Wow ND, if all your flowers come up you need to post some pictures for us. Bet it's gonna be beautiful!

yep! my first year for monkey flowers, if i would of known they sprouted so soon i might of waited a little longer to start em. now i gotta find more pots to seperate em, and find a place to put em, their conciterd half hardy/ but more on the tender side so i read, i dont dare put them out in the cold green house yet, so now i gotta find somewere to put em all but im so happy thet sprouted!

o- and its also a good idea to wright down if their hardy annuals,,,half hardy annuals ,,or tender annuals
hardy annuals can withstand the cold temps, so you can plant them outside sooner, just cover em up if theirs a frost, but the cold temp wont kill em off

half hardys are a inbetween of hardy and tender, use your own judement, you'll learn over the years keepin track whats more on the hardy side or tender side,

tender annuals cant not withstand the cold, they are your last ones to go outside when the weather is warm and stays warm.