I've been working on it for the last week or so now, first made a spreadsheet and then decided I'd make an online version I can update and post photos too. I've only gotten about half way through them all so far, but I think I'm making progress. I never can keep track of everything and I thought this would be a neat way to not only keep them all organized, but also create a note and photo-time-line of their growth and development. Helps me keep track of when I got them all too, before I forget. I definitely need to go back and pull more old photos from 2004-2006, but I've gotten a good start, enough to keep me motivated to keep going. I'll "pretty" the design up later.
Some were absolutely stunning to compare photo wise. Like the Travelers Palm (#5) and the Bird of Paradise (#35). The Pothos (#20) before/after shot also is a clear example of how fast that stuff grows, and it's become one of my favorite indoor plants. The Alocasia x calidora (#44) also shows just how fast EE's grow - Wow.
Anyway, just thought I'd share as I was working on this. I thought it was a neat way to keep track of everything. Only 50 more to go, and then I *might* index what's in the ground. Now that'll be a project.
http://www.tropicalsofhawaii.com/plants/index.php/jcderrick/100/0/
This message was edited Sep 8, 2008 10:50 PM
Anyone ever indexed all their potted plants?
I use the journal feature here on DG to keep track of everything in my garden. Yours is undoubtedly more customizable since you're creating it yourself so you can track exactly what you want in the way you want it. But for people who don't have a website where they could put their info the journal can be a nice option once you figure out how to use it.
Nice index so far. Do you have this attached to a web page? I am computer illiterate when it comes to how to do a web page.
It's attached to a site I'm building - but it's also an independent setup, I used Expression Engine to build it (which was probably overkill). I use EE for almost all of my websites now (including http://www.hawaii-guide.com and http://www.scetv.org where I work). It's by far one of the more flexible CMS I've ever seen or used. A great tool and it's very inexpensive.
I did look into the DG Journal after posting this, and I see now it has a lot of features I wasn't previously aware of. Still, I do like the ability to customize things; especially the photo history.
Believe it or not I have it all pretty much in my head. At least to the point that if you ask me if I have a particular plant, I can find it. LOL Otherwise, they come and go too much to bother with record keeping.
I remember many of mine also but it is nice to have a record of what I have and then I know by looking at a list instead of going out in the winter to see if I have it.
Fortunately, weather is not an issue here for the most part.
Making these lists almost turns into more trouble than it's worth - but when it's done I'll be glad I did it. I can also remember most of what I have (90% usually), but I like to keep track of the dates and such I got the items, and watch them grow. That's really what prompted me to do this project, I wanted to track the growth of various plants since I've started taking their photos 5 years ago.
I thinking indexing what is in the ground will be too much trouble - especially since a lot of my tropicals are prone to multiplying very rapidly. Just since I started this list I was surprised how often I repot or split up large plants. So maybe that's how my number of potted plants doubled this past year. I've definitely got to start selling some of these guys.
I know that feeling also. When you repot waterlilies every year you soon get way too many. All of my tropicals go nuts over the winter, they don't know they are supposed to be resting.
Well, I keep a folder of pics of all my houseplants on my computer. I rename them as the plant name, ex: "Haworthia attenuata.jpg". I just love digital photography, lol.
Then whenever I need info it's easy and quick to find on the web when you have the plant's name.
Works for me so far, and I don't have to write paragraphs of data.
I use a garden software program that all my plants are in. One of the data blocks is "location", so I can use that to keep track of all the potted plants. That way I can also keep track of where the pots are. This helps a LOT since I've been known to "lose" potted plants in my garden during the summer!
Barb
What garden software do you use?
My garden Journal.
I was going to send you the link, but it looks like it's been discontinued. It must have been very recent because someone posted on the Carolina forum that they were getting it. Hhhmmm...
Barb
If it comes back send me the link.
excellent. I asked my husband about your list and he said he can teach me to do it on XL. Whatever that is. Wish me luck and thanks, keonikale, for the inspiration. Great work.
I'm thinking he means Excel. If so, that's how I started mine too :)
What a great idea, I need to do this but first I need a digital camera. My husband's is too complicated...:) But I would love to get all my plants identified and keep track of them, and the outdoor ones also, and discover what works for them best and what doesn't...
I need to get back to work on this... I got bout half way and then got distracted. I've re-potted so many things already since I did this I may have to practically start over on certain types of plants. I must learn some restraint on repotting.