I've followed a link to the WS data base, but I've no idea how to find it going the long way 'round. Can anybody give me directions?
I'm trying to see if I can WS red hot poker seeds. The germination directions say to refridgerate the seeds for 6 weeks which screams out winter-sow to me, but since I only have a few seeds I want to double check.
Thanks!
La
Database
La,
I'm sorry, but i don't know how to access the database, either. I checked my past records and it seems that I WS Red Hot Poker on 1/25/05 and they sprouted on 2/23/2005. I am in North Texas, don't know if that helps or not!
Necia
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/ws/
There's a record there of red hot poker seeds started this winter, but no germination (yet?).
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/ws/
Listings are alphabetical by Latin name, even if only the common name is entered... hence, Yarrow is at the top because its Latin name is Achillea.
I wish Dave would put a link to it at the top of this forum, or under the "Guides & Info" tab! Maybe we can go to the Database discussion thread on the DG forum and nudge him again about that...
I'm confused! (I know, I know, it doesn't take much!)
I was able to add my WS data from the Plant Files entry on the RHP, but I wasn't able to view it from that page. Is there not a link to the WS database from the Plant File page?
(I also added that it grew in my region and the propagation method of WS, and I was able to see that added info. right there on the page.)
Thanks,
Necia
Those links are not yet in place... the WS database is still in development... Check out the threads in the DG forum for the current state of things... http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/802656/
I just posted to ask Dave again about adding a link to the Database to make it easier to find.
Meanwhile, I think my link in the post above should take you to the database.
Thanks, Critter! I will go read that thread (looks like it may take a while!) I am also going to try to enter my WS records into the database. I have a couple of years worth, so it may take a while!
Also, La, so sorry that we hijacked your thread!
Necia
Necia you didn't hijack my thread, (and I really wouldn't care if you had) these are all valid comments relating to my original question.
I'm sure once I've used the data base more it will come together for me, but right now I find the maneuvering a bit complex. When I want to look something up I always go to the original thread on the DG forum and follow the link. I'll probably REALLY be lost when I try to start entering data. LOL.
actually, entering data is easy... you can do it from the PlantFiles entry for that plant... just scroll down to the bottom of the PF page and you'll find a link to click. :-)
Ack. I'm feeling really inept. Is the data base set up cock-eyed to anyone besides me? If we're going to have the plants listed alphabetically by Latin name, would it not be easier to have them listed in that order? To me it is very confusing to go from "Edging Lobelia" to "Sweet William" as they are now listed. If I'm searching for something by latin name I have no idea where to look.
Or am I not getting something?
Anybody? Any thoughts or comments at all?
You're doing better than me, Lala Jane. Not only can't I find a particular plant, I can never even find the database. I thought it was just me.
How do I get to it again? From the home page........
Karen
Ah Karen I feel so much better now. I accessed the database by following the link Critter provided above. I'm not sure how to get there either.
When I come to DG website homepage, is there a direct way to the database? Or do you have to go
WS forum> search for this thread> follow Critter's link?
I thought I was the only one, too. I guess I'm looking for a Mapquest to the database. Then, how do you find a particular plant? The only way I know is search PlantFiles for the name> look for "add to WS database" at the bottom. Is there a way to just search for the plant directly? e.g. If I want to see whether anyone has reported success WSing burgundy gaillardia? Is there a way to do this?
I must not have paid attention in class. I'm pretty much an old computer idiot anyway, and get frustrated wandering around the site uselessly
Karen
I'm no David Gates....no wait, he was the singer in Bread. (Gawd I'm showing my age here, LOL.) Make that Bill Gates. I'm no Bill Gates, but I'm not exactly a computer slouch either. And I'm struggling with the database. As I see it, the only way you can look a plant up is if you know the common name. But it's not listed alphabetically by the common name, it's listed aphabetically by latin name....except the latin names aren't listed the common names are. LOL! I was going to pose this question on Dave's Forum, but I was just sure I was missing something, that it was really quite simple and I just wasn't getting it.
And as far as pulling the data base up? Yup, that's exactly how I do it. I go to WS forum> search for this thread> follow Critter's link. I've no clue how to get there the long way 'round.
I keep wondering why no one else has jumped into this "conversation." It would be good to know if other people are struggling with it too....and if they're not, why the heck aren't they helping us out? :-P
They think we're hopeless dummies? No denials on my part, though.
Karen
I wish Dave would put a link to the database at the top of the WS forum!
It has been tagged, however, which helps. Under the "Communities" tab, click the link (at the right side of the page) for "Tagged Pages" and look for "Winter sowing database." Click that tag, and it'll take you to a list of pages that have been tagged with that name, including the database... one more click, and you're there.
Thanks for that, critter. If I can just remember that sequence...
As for the other issue: Say I want to see if anyone has entered "gaillardia". If I want to see their results, how would I locate that from the first page of the database?
And while I have your attention: If 20 people enter their data on "gaillardia burgundy", how are they displayed? Those I clicked on displayed results from one person. If 20 people enter their data on that same seed type, will all be shown? As a compilation? Singly?
Karen
Karen, I'm taking this to The Big Forum. LOL! Maybe somebody can straighten us out.
The Big Forum? What's that?
I told you I get lost around here.
Karen
Quoting:
If 20 people enter their data on "gaillardia burgundy", how are they displayed?
Karen, I think that, at present, each time data is entered for the same plant, a separate entry is created on the WS database. I noticed this because I accidentally entered a WS plant twice and the identical entries appear right next to each other.
Hmmmm...... OK, thanks. Like I said, I really haven't done much with the database because of my total confusion with it.
But- I'll try this again- Is there a way to look up a specific plant? e.g. If I want to know other people's findings on gaillardia, how do I find it ???
Karen
Quoting:
But- I'll try this again- Is there a way to look up a specific plant? e.g. If I want to know other people's findings on gaillardia, how do I find it ???
Karen, I just go to the DG winter sowing database:
Quoting:
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/ws/[/quote]
and scroll down to find the plant's name I wish to research. . . it helps to realize that you will see the plants mostly listed by their common names, but they are actually organized alphabetically by their botanical names (even if these aren't specifically noted.) Confusing, but you will "get it" when you first notice that "yarrow" is the first plant listed in the database, because its botanical name is achillea.
I really wish there were a way to go in retroactively and somehow see that all plants are arranged by their botanical name given FIRST.
Hope this answers your question.
Thanks, CapeCod. That's what I was afraid of. Because there are so many different common names for many plants, therin lies my problem.
But I do thank you both, Critter and CapeCod, for taking time to try to clarify for this computer challenged old lady.
Karen
Karen if it's any consolation it looks like we're not the only ones struggling with the database. I went over to the "Daves Garden" forum last night (ie The Big Forum ... so named in my head because it gets a lot of traffic) and asked:
Quoting:
I popped over to see if anyone could help me with some problems I'm having with the data base, but it looks like most of it has already been covered. What is most frustrating to me is that the plants are listed by common name but alphabetically by latin name. That makes no sense to me. If we're going to use latin names (which is fine) then why wouldn't the alphabetical order start with the "A" latin names? Or if we're going to list them by common name (which is also fine) then why wouldn't we start the list with the "A" common names. Actually maybe it's not the best idea to list by common name. I have a few seeds that are labeled by their latin name only and I have absolutely no clue how to look them up. I suppose I could go to PlantFiles and look up each individual seed, then hope that PF uses the same common name as whomever entered it in the database, then look through the entries one by one and hope to stumble across it. Maybe I'm just being dense here. Am I missing something really obvious?
All of the replies echoed my frustration. I guess Dave has been made aware of the problems but apparently has his hands full right now and is unable to address them.
(This appeared in Anita's link above)
Quoting:
Anitabryk2 wrote:
If anyone wants to email me their lists in a format that I can load onto my website-Word or Excel, I'll gladly do that as a reference. Just make sure to include your zone.
Anita, when you say our "list" of plants, do you mean you would make a whole new spreadsheet of the database, presumably alphabetized by botanical name? And thus you would like the entries we submitted to the WS database in their entirety? Or just a list of the original plant names we used in the entry?
I'm confused, as you can tell LOL!
Well, I'm havintrouble with it I guess. Ya'll are really ahead of me. I didn't even know there was one. See, who's the duumy now, could it be me.?
What does it do?
some of you are creating your own lists. If you want me to display your list, I will. I won't be maintaining any database other than my own.
Quoting:
If you want me to display your list, I will.
Oh, think I get it, Anita! If/when I create my own spreadsheet list, I can send it to you to "publish" on a DG thread for the Winter Sowing Forum? (Is this correct?)
Thanks!!
Anita: My attempted spreadsheet from '05 -'06 is pretty worthless because I got sick and never updated it with germination information. However, I do have a pretty complete one from '06-'07 if you would like me to send it to you.
I haven't done anything with the DG database, I confess. No offense meant to anyone but I just don't find it user friendly, as mentioned above. It's just to much work to submit each seed type, and I never keep track of such things as how many are sown or how many germinate, and I don't intend to. It's just not important to me. For me, a spreadsheet is easy and concise, and I find it easy to store and handy in future years.
LalaJane: You pointed out a big problem in seed starting and gardening in general: use of varying common plant names. They can vary a lot. While I'm not all that good at remembering botannical names, at least it's consistent and it's something you can Google for positive ID. e.g. Someone sent me seeds for "moon flower" but I have no idea what they are. They're definitely not "moonvine" or (ipomea alba) because the seeds are too small. But I've seen people refer to many flowers from the nightshade family as "moonflower".
Karen
Karen, I'm not much for counting either, but I tend to note whether I had a big success, limited success, or no success trying to winter sow a particular thing... I'm pretty sure you can skip some of those fields and just add a comment on the plant type instead.
I'm hoping Dave can get back to it so it can be more fully implemented... that may take care of some of the "user friendly" issues... I have the impression that we're currently working with a "beta" version. ?
This is my list - http://www.lakehousecreations.com/wintersown_2008.htm - CapeCod, if you want to have such a list on my website as a reference for everyone else....
Karen, if you would like to share, I'll gladly post it on my website. You have dmail...
I can do links based upon zone.
Whoa buddy I am the queen of the propagation spreadsheets. I know from experience that I won't be as detailed later in the season when I get busy planting out, but whilst I'm waiting for that time.....I count the seeds (pretty much), I photograph them, I describe them (along with what the plant will look like). I keep track of where I got the seed, I record the temperature at planting time, and I record the temperature at germination time. I also take pictures of the seedlings and I take pictures of the mature plants to compair.
I can't believe I just admitted to the world how anal I am about this stuff.
I do the same in my database. My list on the website is basic.
Very nice Anita!
same to you Jane
Anita where did you get the database you use? I am currently just using a Works spreadsheet and I like yours much better. It is much neater than a spreadsheet that prints out 4-5 pages wide for each entry.
I'm using Access and that is a form I created. I can export to Excel or Word from Access. It gives me alot of freedom. If you want to have your spreadsheet on my website as a reference, please feel free to dmail me and I will email you my personal email address.
Karen, your info is loaded. http://lakehousecreations.com/2007.htm
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