Sometimes I Amaze Me

[so lucky]

I decided this would be a good day to set out some of the tomato plants that I started from seed and lovingly cared for since early March. Well, when I went to choose which plants to put out, I discovered all the labels had faded out in the sun! I had 5 different kinds of tomatoes, and now I don't know one from another!
When they mature, I will know the yellow from the black, and the pink, but I had a couple different types of red--no, 3 kinds of red. So that's 6 different kinds.
Good Grief!
I was trying to save money by making labels out of a cut-up milk carton, and a sharpie to mark it with. (The sharpie says permanent. Not even permanent for a month!)
Please, tell me what dumb things you have done in the garden this year already. Make me feel better.

 

[baymule]

I wrote the names on popsicle sticks and they have faded already. I'm in the dumb crowd too. Feel better now?

 

[Smart Red]

I wrote my names on paper to correspond with the space each variety is planted in. Then I labeled the end holding the first name. I know where each and every one of my tomatoes is planted -- just as I know the variety I wanted most shows 4 out of 4 empty spaces -- sigh! Black Sea Man didn't germinate at all.

Really sounds rather fool-proof doesn't it? Except for the year my granddaughter tipped the containers over, knocked the plants out of their spaces, and carefully put all the plants back with no idea of what went where. Phooey! I couldn't save many tomato seeds that year since I never was quite sure what was what.

Now when I use popsicle sticks I just number them (indent with a pen) and correlate the number with a name on paper. So far I haven't lost the notebook with all my records. . .

Hey, it happens to all of us sooner or later.

 

[thistlebloom]

I feel your pain So Lucky. I've used the milk jug as label system also. Yeah, with a "permanent" marker too. Fortunately they didn't fade entirely, and by squinting real hard I was able to barely discern their names. That's probably what ruined my vision. All that heavy duty squinting.

 

[digitS']

It was years ago when I discovered that "permanent" markers are not permanent in the sun, So Lucky. I don't remember what disastrous mix-up was the result!

I've already related on TEG how I assumed all the tomato seed I'd saved over the years was still available and I didn't need to replenish it last year. Used up all of some and had terrible germination of some others. I'm not relying on any older than 2014 stock for next year!

You sure you can't get out your magnifying glass and catch some glimmer of what you wrote?

Steve

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

It was years ago when I discovered that "permanent" markers are not permanent in the sun, So Lucky. I don't remember what disastrous mix-up was the result!

I've already related on TEG how I assumed all the tomato seed I'd saved over the years was still available and I didn't need to replenish it last year. Used up all of some and had terrible germination of some others. I'm not relying on any older than 2014 stock for next year!

You sure you can't get out your magnifying glass and catch some glimmer of what you wrote?

Steve

Good advice!

 

[journey11]

I did that too, So Lucky, last year with over 20 different tomato varieties. I wrote with "permanent" marker right onto my tomato stakes. It didn't last long at all. I usually will sketch out a grid on paper and label what location each variety is in, but I got in a hurry and didn't do it last year. I did manage to finally sort almost all of them out as the fruit ripened, mostly by comparing the weights on the red ones. Those were definitely the hardest to figure out. Live and learn I guess. Good luck!

 

[so lucky]

I've looked pretty hard and they are as clean as a whistle. You know, it could be that I am not supposed to put a garden out this year.
I had been pretty well tied up with my mom's final days for the last 6 weeks or so, not able to plan anything. And the sciatica on my left side has created its own problems. Then Mom died and I have been preoccupied with funeral/out of town guests, phone calls, clearing out her room at the nursing home, etc. Now that those items are out of the way, I woke up the day after the funeral with severe back pain on my right side. It hurts if I even think about moving. I have an appointment with my chiro on Monday. Hope I have enough pain pills to last till then.
And to top it off, my DH is on the verge of imploding, I think. His anxiety and depression is certainly not getting better, after nearly a year and a half. I hate that I am starting to lose patience with him, but he is putting our financial future in jeopardy by inaction. He doesn't trust me to make financial decisions for him, and just refuses to think about the issues.

Oh well. I will take a Taoist view, and say that I am where I am supposed to be.

 

[Collector]

I would just plant them in whatever order they happen to be in, call it a tomato buffet patch. The only problem would be if you were only going to plant a couple of each you may miss a variety or 2. We pot up into Solo cups and mark each cup with a sharpie, havnt had any problems yet . good luck.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My biggest mistake this year so far is I planted some bush beans in the wrong place. Oh, they'll do fine there and all that, but if I'd put a little more thought into it I could have been more efficient in how I placed them. My row layout will look a little strange this year or should I say stranger than normal.

I've done that grid thing before, writing down what was in A1 or E11. When I was hardening them off, I had them on my front porch and my wife kicked them. Luckily she was fine and did not trip, that was the important thing, just kicked them and spilled them. I was able to figure some of them out but not all so they were planted mixed. So now I use a different method to mark them and harden them off in an area protected against wind, chickens, dogs, and wife.