plant labelling
I remember John looking across our allotment.
I'd invested time in setting it out, being faithful to conventional organic rotation and organising the main part of the garden into four equal areas, each edged with wood.
John leaned over and said 'I can see you're a systems man'. I didn't detect approval.
But he was right: I am a systems man- thoroughly 'right-brained'. I like things to be organised.
In our raised beds, I think we get most efficient use of space by planting in diagonals across the beds. There is another person who plants into these beds who doesn't plant diagonally - or does but at oblique angles. I had suggested I might make a useful set square we could use to standardise our angles. This idea was pooh poohed.
I have set out to have a complete inventory of the plants we've brought to Cordwood. In alphabetical order.
You're getting the drift?
This desire to organise can be seen in my need to label plants. In my defence, we have brought so many plants to Cordwood that I have difficulty remembering all their species and variety names and what is where in the trial beds we've set up in our vegetable garden.. As winter comes along, the herbaceous perennials will withdraw under the warm duvet of the compost enriched earth, leaving little trace of what is concealed beneath. Labels are necessary.
I've tried lots of different labelling methods but am now trying out an old fashioned 'Dymo-style' printer and all weather adhesive labels fixed to plastic tags. Of course, as soon as it was bought, there's a queue of people forming to tell me they had one already that I could have used.
But so far it's okay. Of course, some of the labels will 'walk' and I'll lose others. But I can now rest easily with my right brain knowing that order has been imposed and that a system is now in place.
And relax.
 |
| Allotment September 2008 |
I'd invested time in setting it out, being faithful to conventional organic rotation and organising the main part of the garden into four equal areas, each edged with wood.
John leaned over and said 'I can see you're a systems man'. I didn't detect approval.
But he was right: I am a systems man- thoroughly 'right-brained'. I like things to be organised.
In our raised beds, I think we get most efficient use of space by planting in diagonals across the beds. There is another person who plants into these beds who doesn't plant diagonally - or does but at oblique angles. I had suggested I might make a useful set square we could use to standardise our angles. This idea was pooh poohed.
 |
| Label fun! |
I have set out to have a complete inventory of the plants we've brought to Cordwood. In alphabetical order.
You're getting the drift?
This desire to organise can be seen in my need to label plants. In my defence, we have brought so many plants to Cordwood that I have difficulty remembering all their species and variety names and what is where in the trial beds we've set up in our vegetable garden.. As winter comes along, the herbaceous perennials will withdraw under the warm duvet of the compost enriched earth, leaving little trace of what is concealed beneath. Labels are necessary.
I've tried lots of different labelling methods but am now trying out an old fashioned 'Dymo-style' printer and all weather adhesive labels fixed to plastic tags. Of course, as soon as it was bought, there's a queue of people forming to tell me they had one already that I could have used.
But so far it's okay. Of course, some of the labels will 'walk' and I'll lose others. But I can now rest easily with my right brain knowing that order has been imposed and that a system is now in place.
And relax.
