How do you keep track of the orchids in your collection

[cbuchman]

I also use OrchidWiz for my approximately 125 orchids. I started with Excel, but at about the 100 orchid mark, it wasn't so easy to work with. I use the journaling feature in OrchidWiz to record when spikes appeared; when they actually flowered; and when the last bloom finished.

When I acquire a plant in bloom, I immediately take digital photo so that if the tag is lost, I can match it up again later. For most of my mounts, I have written on the back what it is with an indelible marker.

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by silken

I use OrchidWiz for listing all of my plants. It is also a useful resource to see photos of a given hybrid or species and culture requirements. The journal part works very well for me. For each plant you can have multiples of the same. There is a space for it's cultivar name or variety, when you got it, when re-potted, bloomed, spiked, etc. What kind of potting media it is in, size of pot, where you got it etc. etc. You can add photos as well. It can be printed in PDF format also. Recently there has been a 'plant has died' feature so you can keep a record but show it is no longer with you. Many other things I have likely not mentioned. I find it a very orderly way to keep a journal of my 160 plants.

I also use OrchidWiz. I have 196 plant entries in the database. I assign a sequential 4 digit ID number; for now the ID number corresponds with the OrchidWiz entry number. I use mostly terra cotta pots and wood slat baskets. I write the ID number on the terra cotta pots with a Texpen, fine point paint marker:
TEXPEN Industrial Paint Markers 0.05in. - White( 253-16080 )
For the wood slat baskets, I stamp the ID number onto a brass tag and affix that to the basket with brass screws; I do the same for mounts on cork or wood.

I did not know about the OrchidWiz dead plant feature. I had been wishing that it had something like this. I have not applied the latest few OrchidWiz updates even though I have them. I will do that. Where do I look to see this feature? For the moment I have been putting a "Z" in front of my ID number and plant names to move the entries to the end of the database.

I also leave the plant with the the plastic plant ID label that came with the plant since it has the plant name printed on it.

[brn_thmbs]

Does Orchidwiz have a mobile application? I find I'm using traditional platforms less & less in my personal life & basically just have my Nexus 10 (tablet) or Galaxy Nexus (phone) on me at all times rarely sitting at a monitor/keyboard/mouse. Google Drive is how I'm offline syncing my spreadsheet currently too, but I'm using Evernote as well. Photos just get auto-uploaded & put in my G+ & Dropbox. So yea, all cloud, lol... It's kind of complicated I guess, but I use a metric ton more tools (programs) in a given day, so a small subset I know well & use regularly doesn't really seem like "a lot of different programs cobbled together". It's just how I roll (as a datacenter infrastructure technology consultant aka cloud geek).
P.S. Yes, I keep orchids to keep myself sane & relaxed

[jeremyinsf]

Originally Posted by brn_thmbs

Does Orchidwiz have a mobile application? I find I'm using traditional platforms less & less in my personal life & basically just have my Nexus 10 (tablet) or Galaxy Nexus (phone) on me at all times rarely sitting at a monitor/keyboard/mouse. Google Drive is how I'm offline syncing my spreadsheet currently too, but I'm using Evernote as well. Photos just get auto-uploaded & put in my G+ & Dropbox. So yea, all cloud, lol... It's kind of complicated I guess, but I use a metric ton more tools (programs) in a given day, so a small subset I know well & use regularly doesn't really seem like "a lot of different programs cobbled together". It's just how I roll (as a datacenter infrastructure technology consultant aka cloud geek).
P.S. Yes, I keep orchids to keep myself sane & relaxed

You and I are TOTALLY on the same page.

No OrchidWiz mobile / cloud support, which is why I'm doing the same as you.

[Ferns Daddy]

I have a small collection of 150 orchids, I put 3 tag on each plant one in the bottom of the pot and one hang tag on the plant and put a number on the bottom of the pot, then I put all the information i have on the plant in my document file, mounted ones have hang tags hanging from the back of the mount plus a number sticker.

[AnonYMouse]

I'm also a spreadsheet user but I only have ~50 plants. I try to remember to take pics of new plants and when they flower. I try to update the spreadsheet but more likely have repot dates on sticky flags on skewers in the pot or on the original tags.

(I just realized I've doubled my inventory in the past year. I'm a wannabe self-control freak. This does not bode well.)

[jeremyinsf]

Originally Posted by AnonYMouse

I try to update the spreadsheet but more likely have repot dates on sticky flags on skewers in the pot or on the original tags.

I tried the repot on the spreadsheet method but found that when I was in 'plant mode' I really, really didn't want to be running back to the computer all the time. So a tag and a sharpie seems to work fine for now. I like my orchid time to be relaxing (when possible) and find I'm attached to the computer too much with it already i.e. being on here!!

[kindrag23]

Originally Posted by jeremyinsf

I tried the repot on the spreadsheet method but found that when I was in 'plant mode' I really, really didn't want to be running back to the computer all the time. So a tag and a sharpie seems to work fine for now. I like my orchid time to be relaxing (when possible) and find I'm attached to the computer too much with it already i.e. being on here!!

Agreed; I take notes all day and I dont want to mess with my computer taking notes. Lol

[AnonYMouse]

I wished all tags were like Andy's. Then I'd just keep a list and take pictures.

[Orchid Whisperer]

Originally Posted by jeremyinsf

OrchidWiz is a software program that is a huge database of orchids, along with the ability to use it for your tracking.

OrchidWiz Orchid Database Software Home Page

There is a 30 day trial of the "express" version.

For my Excel, I have columns at the top and the plants go down. That way I can sort by column and ask questions like "Which was the most expensive" or sort by who I bought them from and see "Which plants came from Golden Gate Orchids" kind of thing. I usually leave it in date-acquired sort, because in general I know how long I've had each plant.

---------- Post added at 02:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:18 PM ----------

One other note - I keep the Excel worksheet in my Google Drive folder. So, it's synced to my Android phone and tablet and marked as to sync offline too, so even if I don't have service at a greenhouse, I can still get to the file, at all times. This has come in handy when I am looking for something, can't remember when I got something, or if I have a question about a plant I want to ask the grower about and need the details of what I'm asking about.

Excellent idea to keep that handy on a Google Drive folder!