After reading an article in the latest Pip (Australian Permaculture magazine) a couple of weeks ago on pages 38-42, about how to plan planting of food so that there is an on-going harvest instead of periodic gluts and then scarcity, I got inspired. Evita and I are both poor at keeping a notebook/diary of what is planted, where, and when. And we’ve had the feast and famine cycle happen a few times too. I decided to create a spreadsheet of the table featured in the article:
And because it is a Google Document Spreadsheet, we can both edit it, even at the same time! And I will share the original to you as well in the spirit of People Care.
Click here to open it (NB: you will need your Google Account logged in).
To use the spreadsheet yourself, click on File, Make a copy… this will make a copy for you to use in your Google Docs. If you don’t use Google Docs, apologies; Excel is not smart enough to open this file :(
How to use the spreadsheet: Most cells have a dropdown list, click the little arrow in the cell to access it – this makes it quicker and prevents typos (if there are any, let me know by Commenting on the original). Also, let me know if there are vegetables to add to the main dropdown list. So, choose a vegetable you intend or have already sowed, choose variety if you know it, then follow the Key on the right hand side to show how and when it is sowed, when the Harvest is expected and so on. Here is a little example:
Contact me through our website – sugarloafpermaculture.net]
Tips:
To delete a cell’s contents, select the cell and press the Delete key on your keyboard, then click away on another cell.
If the vegetable is not in the list, you can just type it in OR to change the whole list:
Click Data, then Validation, then add it to the list. This rule has to be copied to all other subsequent cells. Assuming this is all the cells below where you are, then click the tiny little square at the bottom right of the selected cell and drag it down the cells below.
If you want to change the colours used, then follow the tip above except you click on Format and then Conditional formatting, make your changes and then copy across and down so all cells get the formatting rules.
Here is an Excel version for all those who asked so nicely ;)
https://www.sugarloafpermaculture.net/blog/successional-planting-spreadsheet-tool
It is located at the bottom of the post.
If you click the file name it will open in google docs viewer, so click the download button at top right and it should download for you.. OR click the little download arrow on far right and it will download straight away. Happy planting!
About Dylan,
Dylan started learning about and studying Permaculture some time in 2009 and after 2 years or so of regular self study and practical experiments completed an online PDC course from Permaculture Visions in early 2013:
He grew up in South Africa and when 16 moved to New Zealand to finish school, complete a Science degree and become a teacher. After 2 years of teaching, international travel and teaching led to 2 years in London, 2 years in Singapore, 1 year in Australia, and 4 years in Taipei.
Dylan and Evita moved together to ‘Sugarloaf‘ in June 2013.
Dylan also has PDC Resource Set, that can be located here.
Greg O’Keefe
Please read the article very carefully – it tells you how to get your own copy of the spreadsheet. Please DO NOT request access to it.
Hi. This looks like an extremely interesting piece of work; thank you for your efforts. May I ask, is this keyed for a particular climate zone? Or perhaps is there a way to adjust for climate zone?
If you would like an Excel version, comment below. If there is enough demand, I will have a go at it
yes please pleas please. :)
Yes please, the more tools in the box the better.
Yes please!
:) yes please….
yes, would be great
Yes!
yes. I would appreciate this!
Oops, replied in the wrong place “yes please” :)
I’d be grateful, thanks.
Yes please!
Yes please!
Yes please! :)
Yes please
Me too!!
Yes please!
Yes please!!!!!!
Would love one thanks!
Thanks a million, Dylan! This is fab!
Perfect timing!
Kate Ryan-Taylor
OOOh lovely! Just what I needed!
Thanks for sharing :)
Josie Blackshaw
Awesome. I’ll check that out properly later :)
Awesome thankyou.
Linda Cockburn this looks interesting ? :D
Great work Dylan, and for using my favourite way to spreadsheet too.
Natalie Kyme Smith look at this
Neil Mintrom
Fantastic, now some help to populate it.
This is amazing. I’ve been working on my own for years and this is so much better!!!
Wonderful! Thank you so much for sharing. I’ll be adding dill and cilantro to my copy of this sheet, per your helpful instructions.
many thanks for sharing…
How do I get one
There is no drop dpwn arrows in my sheet, in google docs
Champion, thank you for sharing this great resource.
I would love an Excel version Dylan :)
Thank you so much Dylan!
Brilliant idea. Would love an excel file le of this information.
has anybody been able to see any info on this. the spreadsheet that i opened and saved is blank
Here is an Excel version (at bottom of blog post) for all those who asked so nicely ;)
https://www.sugarloafpermaculture.net/blog/successional-planting-spreadsheet-tool
If you click the file name it will open in google docs viewer, but click the download button at top right and it should download for you.. OR click the little download arrow on far right and it will download straight away. Happy planting!
You can go to ‘File’->’Download As’ to save it in Excel or other formats.
I don’t think this will preserve the conditional formatting i.e. the dropdown options in the cells.. Excel version is now available from our website blog ;)
Here is an Excel version (at bottom of blog post) for all those who asked so nicely ;)
https://www.sugarloafpermaculture.net/…/successional…
It will open in google docs viewer, but click the download button at top right and it should download for you.. Happy planting!
hi, were you logged in with a Google account? then went File > Make a copy..
Excel version please
Love the concept.
Thank you
Yes, it will be helpful to have a spreadsheet in Excel. Would be so helpful
Here is an Excel version (at bottom of blog post) for all those who asked so nicely ;)
https://www.sugarloafpermaculture.net/blog/successional-planting-spreadsheet-tool
It will open in google docs viewer, but click the download button at top right and it should download for you.. Happy planting!
Edwina McCarron
Thank you Dylan!!! Maybe I will keep track now :-)
I would like an excel copy of your spreadsheet.
How do I enter in the veggies I want that are not on your list?
This looks wonderful! I know it should be obvious but would you mind spelling out the letter abbreviations on the drop down menus? Thank you
This is not obvious to me either! I’m going for H = harvest, S = seeds planted T = transplanted but I’m a little stumped on G and D….
P.S. Thank you Dylan this is very cool and just what I was looking for! I have added an extra column for “location” as in, garden bed so I can also consider rotation on this spreadsheet.
Cheers,
Kai
Oooh I feel silly now as I just scrolled all the way to the right in the spreadsheet and found the key!! G = sow in greenhouse, S = sow in shadehouse, D = sow direct in gardenbed, T = transplant and H = harvest.
Hey Dylan,
I would like to thank you for taking the time to share the spread sheet. I am new to permaculture and gardening in general and have set up two gardens one in England and Wales. I am just learning as I go, everything plants, flowers, trees, fungi, and to give back more to the planet than I take.
Anyway, thank you again. You saved me a lot of time making a spreadsheet and I can invest this time else where now-like maybe fixing my leggings seedlings haha.
Peace and Joy,
Bobbie 🌼
Thank you so much for sharing. This is amazing.
This is excellent. Just as I was about to start the laborious process of creating my own spreadsheet, I found this. Thank you so much for sharing. What an excellent example of people care :)
Many, many thanks