Teddy12b
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Does anyone keep an orchard journal?

I hope this doesn't sound crazy to ask this, but does anyone keep a journal for their activity in their orchard? This year is a building year for me to get my orchard started and I've been putting in a lot of trees and trying to learn everything that I can. I'm new enough that I've got a lot to learn, but it's been long enough that I find myself wondering when dates were that I planted what tree, and so on. It's not a big deal now, but I'm wondering in 4 or 5 years from now if I'm going to look back and wish that I'd have recorded some of the work that I've done to get this orchard up and running.

For example, some of the trees, I planted in the spring, some just a week ago. Is there going to be a reason for me to document this so that I treat trees differently in the spring?

Another example, would be keeping track of the fertilizers I used and when I used them along with the results. For example, a month ago I hammered in some of those fertilizer spikes around a few of the trees that have been in the ground a while. Maybe it'd be nice to know exactly what I did with those in 3 years from now and maybe it won't.

Another thing will be the pruning habits of the trees, the growth rates, deer damage, quantity of fruit, mulching habits, harvest times and whatever else.

There's a lot of things that seem like it'd be nice to keep track of with this little orchard, and I'm going to keep a journal, but I just wanted to know if anyone else out there was doing the same thing or had a template for a guy like me to follow.

tomc
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I think much of what you want is easiest compiled on an annual map. Please note I am a number 2 pencil kinda guy...

DoubleDogFarm
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I take many digital photos. The date is part of the folder title.

Eric

Teddy12b
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I've started on the digital pictures and I plan on documenting the orchards growth that way as well. I'm going to make a extra point to get plenty of pictures before I give the initial prune in the spring of '14.

Do you guys record what fertilizers you used and how much of it you used? Record any bug sprays or anything like that?

tomc
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Teddy12b wrote:Do you guys record what fertilizers you used and how much of it you used? Record any bug sprays or anything like that?
I mulch annually. I just about never fertilize trees. Sprays and dormant oil date should go on your map as a legend.

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applestar
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I've tried different gardening journals, and by far the easiest is to just make an entry in the calendar app. I indicate time if time of day is significant, or just mark it as an all day activity if not. It's easily searchable, etc. and can go back for years if you don't set it up to erase old entries.

I need a way to link photos to the calendar entries, my iPad native calendar app has a field for URL and I could potentially use that if my photos were organized in albums at sites like phtobucket or flickr, for example. But I saw an app recently that let's you scrapbook photos to the calendar.

In iOS7, the photo library/streams can be displayed by calendar, but I haven't quite figured it out yet. iPhoto displays by timeline, too.

I also keep a separate spreadsheet record for different beds with each column representing 1/3 of each month. That spreadsheet is intended more for keeping track of crop rotation -- planting, growing, and harvesting --- and I note soil prep and amendments.

To some extent, threads and posts on THG also act as my record for individual projects.... :wink:

Someday, I'd like to be able to integrate all the data in an easily searchable and accessible form -- or maybe at least a master list of WHERE to find all the recorded info because I don't think I'll remember it all :roll:

DoubleDogFarm
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tomc wrote:
Teddy12b wrote:Do you guys record what fertilizers you used and how much of it you used? Record any bug sprays or anything like that?
I mulch annually. I just about never fertilize trees. Sprays and dormant oil date should go on your map as a legend.

I used some Hendrikus organic complete 6-4-4 and Azomite in the early days. I'm finding that cardboard and hay / manure is giving as good results. It doesn't cost $60.00 per bag either.

I seldom spray, almost never. If the Tent Caterpillars are heavy next year as they were this, then BT will be applied.

Eric

imafan26
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I keep a garden journal. But, it isn't always handy. The easiest way to keep track is to put a plant tag on the plant and use a no. 2 pencil to identify the date planted and the name of the plant on one side and on the opposite side of the tag, I put info like date flowered date fruit ready. In my case, I don't have an orchard so I write down when I re-potted, divided, bloomed. I don't have a fertilization or spray program but those can be added too.

Putting it on the plant tags are convenient and I don't have to leaf through my journal to find stuff. It is easier to carry the pencil and blank labels around with me than the journal. And of course some things never make it to the journal especially if I have to remember to do it later.

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applestar
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p.s. It's been a lot handier since the newer iOS lets the calendar app and the spreadsheets wirelessly synch with my iPhone. :wink: I make my armchair entries on the iPad, and outside referencing and entries mostly on the iPhone unless I need to see the "big picture"

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ReptileAddiction
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Yes! I highly recommend it too. I use a binder to keep all mine is but I think I am going to switch to electronic files. It is very helpful to now when you fertilized stuff so you know when to do it again etc. Also in later years you might realize the fertilizing in August for example was not helpful so next year you should do it in August. You also might want to know when trees were planted and where you got them from in case a tree dies or something.

Like I said I think you will want it to reference. I use mine.

imafan26
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An I-phone would definitely be convenient. I am in the stone age. I have a simple phone for emergencies only and it doesn't even have a camera but if you have it, it probably is a good way to go and a photo record is always good to have.

JONA878
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Over the years there are several things that we record for fruit growing that have proved very interesting to look back at.
First is the date of full bloom and the temperatures leading up to that point. It's amazing how much variation can occur year on year.
Then the date of harvest commencing and the number of days from bloom to harvest.
Relative size of fruit at harvest in comparison to the temperatures in June. ( this is the month when the cell numbers are set in apples...after this date all we do is blow those cells up with water). Poor June...poor fruit size.
If global warming is questionable.....look at bloom dates over the years.
When I first started growing apples full bloom was around the 12-15th May.
In recent years it is the very beginning of May or even the end of April.
So in sixty years its moved forward two weeks or so.
It would be interesting to hear if you folk over that side of the pond have been affected the same.

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ReptileAddiction
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I agree that those are good things to record. I also agree that an iPhone is an amazing tool. I find I use mine to photograph my fruit trees all the time.

Teddy12b
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Location: North East Indiana

I'm glad to see so many people are keeping some kinds of records, but I'm a Droid phone guy and I'm not sure I can get the same app as many of you Iphone folks can. I'll do some searching, but even if I have to write it all down on a bound journal, I'm going to have to keep some kind of notes on this little project.



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