Question about seeds

Question: Where does everybody get their information on the seeds and plants that they grow?

I am wondering if there is a website out there that has complete information on the (for example) top 200 most popular plant varieties, with pictures, instructions for sowing the seeds, care for the plant, etc.

Does such a site exist? I think it would be ultra-cool.

I don't think there is ONE out there. I used to use virtual garden, but they changed and don't seem to be as good as they used to be. Garden.com only has really basic info for if you are buying their plants. Maybe we should make one. I go mostly on what I can find in my books or do a search on each item, which works some of the time.

I noticed that garden.com seems extremely heavy on the e-commerce side. It looks like I can't really get much information from them, except for scant info on their products that they are selling.

I'm actually considering building our own database of plants. It would take quite a bit of work, so I only want to do it if nobody else is doing it already.

I think it could be very helpful to a lot of gardeners in the long run - especially since we're not trying to sell stuff here. :-)

So the ballot is still open - anybody else know of any sites we should know about?

I have no idea how to make databases, but I would be more than happy to any info. I have been doing the research at home. Just not as good at getting it on the computer. Let me know.

I have no idea how to make databases, but I would be more than happy to help find any info. I have been doing the research at home. Just not as good at getting it on the computer. Let me know.

If we did make a database (we'd have to have a few people stand up and agree to help out) - i would do all the programming.

This means that entering information into the database would be as easy to editing your lists or trades. I'd make forms and stuff so it would be easy to upload pictures, type in germination information, etc, etc.

I think if each person did 25 or so plants each, we might have a pretty good database.

What I'm most interested in is getting the database together of, say, the most popular 250 annuals, perennials, and vegetables. This would be an excellent start and would be very useful to a lot of people.

It's needed. I'll help.

Dave there are quite a few seed germination data bases that are out there all ready, only problem is that they are specifically seed germ info. No pictures or any other info on the plants. Here are a few if you want to check them out.
http://www.backyardgardener.com/tm.html
http://www.anet-chi.com/~manytimes/page32.htm
http://home.online.no/~asles/sowing.htm

Jody,

The backyardgardener.com and the online.no site are basically the same thing - reprints of a database from Thompson and Morgan Ltd (out of the UK).

As you said, these are specifically for germination info, and not really what I'm looking for in a plants database.

In the end, what I'd like to have is a more complete kind of database, similar to what the USDA PLANTS database has, yet more friendly and complete with popular annuals and perennials.

I've searched far and wide, have made copies of all databases I've found, and even merged several together to form some interesting compilations. But after this, I'm still left with something very incomplete, and oftentimes copyrighted.

Which leads me to another benefit of a member-contributed database of this nature: the copyright would be assigned to a public domain type license, so that ANYBODY out there can make full benefit of the content of the database. In the end, we'd all end up with a stronger database because (hopefully) everybody would use it (due to lax copyright), and in turn, everybody would contribute more to it.

The more people involved, the less work is placed on any one individual. The collective, as a whole, is stronger that the sum of all parts.

Dave

I have found some information at neoflora.com, I usually check the major seed suppliers first, Thompson & Morgan, Parks, Burpee, then, If I'm still not satisfied, I do a search until I am; however, I have a cable modem and fiber optic link now and can cover alot more ground than I used to.

Also, I am familiar with data entry and will gladly help in that area. My one concern (paranoia, whatever) is copyright infringement on images. Of course, requesting permission to use pictures is alot of work....Just a thought.

What I had in mind for pictures is that we'd take the pictures ourselves.

I like to take pictures of all my plants to add to my photo album of plants. Then I scan them in. I've known others to do this as well.

Since the database would be a contributed effort, pictures might be a particular persons only contribution. So, no one person has to know EVERYTHING about morning glories. Just a little bit to add to the collective.

We should definitely avoid using someone else's copyrighted work. Anyone uploading a picture has to be certain that the picture originated from herself, and that nobody else has rights to that photo.

Dave~

I like that idea. Of course, we wouldn't get it going until next summer. I have 2 pictures I took this year - cosmos and marigolds, but that's it. Could we each get credit for our photographs, with a line under the picture maybe that says: Photograph by Lois Gilbert. Or something like that?

Thanks sounds like a good idea. I guess I'll have to get busy and take some pictures then, like GL I must wait until next spring :) One thing I like about taking photos ourselves is that we can actually show the varieties we have to trade. Also, I like to include info on how a specific plant did for me when I send out the seeds, but I am not trading at near the volume some people do.

I think pictures will be sort of be an easy part. I think compiling all the info for particular plants (besides germination) will take the most work. I'd love to help in any way I can. I do have a digital camera so I can contribute pictures next year. I also have several books on annuals and perennials with lots of info so Dave let me know what sort of info you are looking for and how I might best be able to help.
Jody

Wow - went to work today and came back to find 13 posts on this thread. :-)

I apologize, but I am going to be a little quiet for the next couple days. Some interesting things are happening in my family's life that are taking priority over my gardening habit.

I'm thrilled that everybody is so excited about doing this. I'm just as excited as everybody else! I'll be reading any further posts during the next few days, but I don't think that I'll have much to say until early next week.

Thanks,
Dave

Hey Dave
Someone posted this on the plant trade forum, thought I'd share. It is a seedplanner database program you can try and buy if you like. I really like the set up of it. There is no info in it, you add all the info yourself, but can add germ info, plant info, pictures etc. Check it out. www.seedplanner.com

I saw a forum on the seed trading list (on gardenweb) where they were talking about this same kind of site. There were around 5 sites listed. I haven't had the time to check each one out yet.

I'm checking the seedplanner out right now.

Dave

The seedplanner is no good. I don't have Windows, and this requires it. My wife used a Mac, and I use Linux. Of nine computers in this house, you'd think we'd have a Windows box, but no. :-)

I'm looking for something that's web-based, so that everybody can use it, regardless of their choice of computer.

Dave

I would love to help! I have lots of photos too and have lots of time. This is a great project for all of us to be a part of...thx again Dave...
Theresa

Darn! Guess I never thought about someone not having windows. Oh, well. If you'd like to know more specifics about it I can e-mail them to you. At leaste give you some ideas of the database set up.
Will keep looking for ideas/info. :)
Jody