How do you keep track/label your orchids?

[tropterrarium]

Jim: I really don't like Excel, so much prefer db approach. I assume you are on a PC given Access, I'm on a Mac, so use FileMaker.

Lorraine: Neat labels. Though from my perspective they have two issues. One is size; 7 inches long, some of my plants are not even half that size. Second is that the info has to be hand-written on it. Pencil smudges; don't know whether sharpies would work. Additionally, my middle school teacher gave me a hard time about my hand-writing, and it has gone down from there.

I think I will get laser labels and cut them down to maybe 1/2 by 1 to 1.5 inches.

[DelawareJim]

Originally Posted by tropterrarium

Jim: I really don't like Excel, so much prefer db approach. I assume you are on a PC given Access, I'm on a Mac, so use FileMaker.

I agree db is the way to go. Only problem I have is my time is very limited because I have a ridiculous commute. Given my limited time, I'd rather spend it with my plants than with a db.

Cheers.
Jim

[Lorraine]

Hope this info helps... I have labels like these from a friends divisions dated 1996. No smudges. If you try to erase you have to do a good job but otherwise nice & clear. Only use pencil. Sharpies fade on plastic. I found out the hard way. I print to keep everything clear. I do not reuse these labels. Just keep a good supply for all the new chids on the block.

[Oscarman]

I keep track of all the plant info in Excel, 1 spreadsheet per Genus.

I have OrchidWiz, but have not really utilized the Plant Journal yet, but think that I will towards it. With the Brother label make I use, that software allows me to import data from excel for my label format - like a mail merge. Not sure if OrchidWiz can do that, mostly because I am not well versed on the Journal.

For label I use plastic film, printed with a Brother p-touch QL-570.

On the label:
pre-assigned plant ID #
registered name and parentage
purchase date

[Connie Star]

I should note that I composed a spreadsheet in Excel, but I just printed out one copy and then have photocopied it many, many times. I use the small plastic tags and just put the plants number on it. I do all the entries onto the data sheets with pen, rather than on the computer. And hey, I'm a doctor, so you know my handwritings not so hot!

[Wolfe4372]

i only have 11 i know who is who

[tropterrarium]

It's amazing what accumulates in a short 4-5 years. I have over 50 species! and that does not include those that I killed already; I do try to keep that to a minimum, of course. So high time to get organized.
db populates nicely, though not quite ready for prime-time. I ordered the Grempler laser labels, and will have to design the print layouts.

[bullsie]

I absolutely have enjoyed this topic. I will be investing in the metal tags for sure now (as per suggested by one diligent orchid grower).

Presently I keep decent plastic standard labels for my plants, but the one thing I do use alot of is the old vinyl blinds. I use them as extras. I keep one in every pot along with a good label. Two reasons. One, I write very large on them and can easily read the label without my glasses. Second reason for having the extra is when I repot, I automatically have a label to put with the new division. Then I don't have to rely on an already feeble memory (and I don't have to use all my good tags on plants I'll be parting with). Sometimes helps when one label falls out - the other as backup.

[tropterrarium]

Ok guys, short update on tracking db. I attach a couple of shots of the home-cooked db in FileMaker on Mac.

First, an overview of what the main page looks like. Serial number is pretty clear, just a running number. As I keep orchids in several places, a location field is needed. Genus species is self evident, I don't do hybrids, so no need for that. Taxonomic details such as authority etc. are not necessary for my purposes. Source, date obtained, price just for interest. Remarks for anything else. Thumbnail image helps me jog my memory. Those are all my own pictures.
The Flowering section can take multiple entries (a so-called portal) Some cells are not filled in, as I was not sufficiently consistent previously, so db will help me with that. Flowering duration is calculated from the two dates.
Repot, the same, for bark mounted species, that does not really apply.
Culture info is from various sources, again through a portal, and the summary with highs and lows is at the bottom. That last read-out is done with a script.

Those pages are printed out, and form a log-book, that I can quickly annotate by hand, then transfer info to db. An alphabetic index is also included, easy to whip up on a db.

I have not done any super nice layout; it's just for me.



Below a page of labels, for the Gempler's laser printer labels. I like small labels, so there are 4 mini labels printed on each Gempler, and then cut manually to size. The round symbol is where the hole for the wire goes. For stick in soil labels, the hole is cut off, and the end is cut to a taper.

There is a second layout for medium size labels, just a notch larger in size.



For the tech geeks among you, the relationship graph of the four tables.
Orchids main is the main table. Match-fields to port data from the other three tables into the portals of Main are either serial number for flower and potting info (this is specific for each individual plant), or Genus_species for culture info, as this is only specific for each species. To ensure consistent spelling of Genus_species, the available values in Culture_info is a dynamically generated pull-down list from the Genus_species in Orchids-Main.



For the very tech geeks, below the culture info scripts. The trickiest part is to pull in verbal qualitative lighting info, if no numerical foot-candle lighting information is available. So use an If IsEmpty function, and as the multiple verbal descriptions are separated by default by a paragraph mark, that is substituted with a comma to keep everything on one line.

Minimum Temp script: Min ( Culture_Info::LoTemp )
Similar for the other variables.

TextStyleAdd ( "Temp: " ; Bold ) & MinTemp & "–" & MaxTemp & " F. " & TextStyleAdd ( "Light: " ; Bold ) & If ( IsEmpty ( MinLite ) ; Substitute ( List (Culture_Info::QualitativeLight) ;"¶" ; ", " ) & "." ; MinLite & "–" & MaxLite & " fc." )

Bottom line, cooking ones own tracking db is not that difficult, and it is customized to my needs. I welcome comments and suggestions.

[BobInBonita]

Each orchid gets an ID number.

I've used stainless steel washers that I stamp with the ID number and attach with thin copper wire. If I still have the original plastic name tag, I make a small hole in it and attach it behind the washer.

I'm experimenting with the aluminum tags discussed in an earlier post, but am worried because of the internal cardboard layer. It makes it easy to write on (emboss) both sides, but may deteriorate in Florida summer weather.

I originally used a Word document to keep track of way too much - one page per orchid. I then went to a "simple" database, but spent more time fiddling with the database trying to make it do what I wanted. Now I use an excel spreadsheet - not as functional as dB but for simple sorts its good enough for me. I do a link to my pictures, that are all named using the ID number followed by date.

For me most important is name, bloom times, repot dates and media. Comment field for any cultural observations.

I've set up a page in the spreadsheet with abbreviated info - ID number and name - that I copy to my Blackberry. I use SheetToGo on the Blackberry. I've prevented several impulse duplicate purchases.

My biggest problem is finding a balance between having the data I want, and having something simple enough to use consistently.