Homemaking Organized Blog

Archive for March 3rd, 2011

I’m in the throes of planning our spring veggie garden so when offered the opportunity to review GroOrganic‘s online garden planner I jumped at it.

Truthfully I was getting overwhelmed with all the details I had going on about specific plants, when to grow, where to grow, how much can I grow etc.

This year (as every year) I aim to get as much as I can out of our little backyard and patio (yes I container garden). I’ve been trying to pinpoint which varieties will do best in our Northwest climate. What didn’t work the last couple of years (last year was very wet). And did I want to try something new.

So far I’ve been using the GroOrganic planner to pinpoint where and how much of an item I’m going to plant. And also reviewing the tips for planting in my area (did I mention it has you put in your zip code so it can give you specific advice for your area?)

Measure your space and go in there placing veggies. It’s ingenious! It knows how much of each type of plant can go in the designated spot.

1. Start off by watching the videos.
2. Then set your planting region so the planner knows what information you need.
3. Then start drawing your planting space. As you draw the various shapes of your planting beds, containers, what have you, the size shows up which is important in knowing how much of something you can plant.
4. Once you’re done with your design you start adding veggies to your areas. There is information about each plant. When you’re done adding your plants you can go to the plant list which will give your growing information such as the spacing each plant needs and how long during which months are best to grow it (ingenious!).

The planner is also customizable in case you want to devise your own growing seasons for some special plants or some such.

Right now I’m messing with the succession planting features because that is what I plan on doing (sort of). I’m discovering some of the things I was planning to do may not work out and I have to rethink my planting plan.

These are the features of the GroOrganics Online Planner

• Growing information: Just click for full details of how to grow each plant, where to position them, etc.
• Number of Plants: Clearly shown by the number at the top of each plant square
• Personalized Planting Chart: You get a chart showing when each plant will be planted and harvested. Our advanced system works out the dates for your own area.
• Reminder Emails: You can have emails sent reminding you what needs planting in your garden (optional)
• Easy Crop Rotation: The Garden Planner remembers each year’s crops and advises where to place them next year
• Succession Planting: See which crops will follow others and view your plan for each month of the year
• Add Notes: Like a garden journal you can add notes on how each plant did
• Intuitive Use: Works just like software you are familiar with, including features such as copy and paste
• Tutorial Videos: Quick built-in videos show you just what you need to know to get the most out of the software

There are two membership plans for GroOrganic‘s online planner

The Seedling Membership is $39 a year and gives you…
access to the Online Garden Planner

The Premium Membership is $99 a year and gives you…
access to the Online Garden Planner and…
12 packets of non-GMO seeds per year (as you renew)
An Instruction Manual
Members only discounts and gifts
and a free online review of your garden plans

I am thoroughly enjoying the planning and tips for my garden adventures this year. I have to say truly this did help me get organized and ready to get going. So I’ve started some lettuce and cabbage and in the next few weeks I’ll be outdoors planting peas, carrots, and onions. Woo hoo!

Note: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. Tomoson Product review & giveaway Disclosure.

Our daughter loves fruit so much but as any child also loves her sweets so I had to ask..

“If I placed a plate of fruit, a bowl of icecream, and a cupcake in front of you which would you go for first”.

She said “Fruit!” right away.

Her father said “She would grab them all at once.”

How about you? Which would you grab first?

I’d go for the cupcake.

And by the way Cook’s Country has a free webisode of making the delicious cream cupcakes pictured. It’s one of the mini videos right on the home page. I haven’t ventured to try them yet (using soy-free chocolate) but I am extremely tempted.