How do you keep track of the orchids in your collection

[jeremyinsf]

Originally Posted by Orchid Whisperer

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

Yes and reminder - don't forget to mark it as "available offline" from your mobile device. It has to be done once the file is created. I got to a nursery once on the coast where there was no service and wanted to bring up the document - no go! Now that it's marked offline - when I make a change on the computer, it will sync it down to my mobile also, always available.

[Jayfar]

By the way, if you use regular Sharpies to mark plant tags, you'll probably find that the writing almost completely fades away after several months of bright light. Or it may just be the UV component of sunlight that fades them. All I know for sure is that I now have several plants with blank tags sitting in a window.

However, they make an industrial line of Sharpies which uses a different ink formulation and are not supposed to fade. Catch is that almost no one carries them, except online. Even Staples only has them online.

Kelley's Korner sells them individually or you can buy them by the dozen on amazon or from office depot.

Labeling Markers - Industrial Grade (Labels & Markers) : Kelley's Korner Orchid Supplies, We offer everything to grow great Orchids!

Amazon.com: Sharpie Extra Fine Industrial Permanent Markers, 12 Black Markers(13801): Office Products

Sharpie® Industrial Extra Fine Point Permanent Marker, Black, Each | Staples®

Sharpie Extra Fine Industrial Permanent Markers

[silken]

Originally Posted by DavidCampen

I
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.

The 'Plant Died' feature came with version 10.0. It is in the upper right hand corner of the main screen for each plant right beside the 'update' button. I haven't used it because just before it became available I found a good way (for me) to export the file for any perished plant into a file folder called 'plants that have died' and the whole record, even 1 photo, exports in PDF format into that file. Then I only have living plants that I own in my journal in the OW program. I guess I have killed enough that I just want them out of there, but still have all the growing info in a nice neat record if I ever want to refer back to it.

I agree with others, it keeps so many details of each individual plant, it is a very nice way to keep a journal.

[IncurablePlantHead]

Originally Posted by silken

The 'Plant Died' feature came with version 10.0. It is in the upper right hand corner of the main screen for each plant right beside the 'update' button. I haven't used it because just before it became available I found a good way (for me) to export the file for any perished plant into a file folder called 'plants that have died' and the whole record, even 1 photo, exports in PDF format into that file. Then I only have living plants that I own in my journal in the OW program. I guess I have killed enough that I just want them out of there, but still have all the growing info in a nice neat record if I ever want to refer back to it.

I agree with others, it keeps so many details of each individual plant, it is a very nice way to keep a journal.

Did not know about orchidwiz. I was wondering if its exclusively for orchids or can any number of plant obcessions be tracked with this tool? Guess I should just go look huh?

[LadySoren]

just fyi, I <3 sharpies

[Island Girl]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

By the way, if you use regular Sharpies to mark plant tags, you'll probably find that the writing almost completely fades away after several months of bright light. Or it may just be the UV component of sunlight that fades them. All I know for sure is that I now have several plants with blank tags sitting in a window.

However, they make an industrial line of Sharpies which uses a different ink formulation and are not supposed to fade. Catch is that almost no one carries them, except online. Even Staples only has them online.

Kelley's Korner sells them individually or you can buy them by the dozen on amazon or from office depot.

Labeling Markers - Industrial Grade (Labels & Markers) : Kelley's Korner Orchid Supplies, We offer everything to grow great Orchids!

Amazon.com: Sharpie Extra Fine Industrial Permanent Markers, 12 Black Markers(13801): Office Products

Sharpie® Industrial Extra Fine Point Permanent Marker, Black, Each | Staples®

Sharpie Extra Fine Industrial Permanent Markers

I actually found a three-pack of them the last time I was in Lowes... I had ordered one from Kelly's Korner, but lost it right after I got it (of course )

Ladysoren, I LOVE me some sharpies too!

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by Island Girl

I actually found a three-pack of them the last time I was in Lowes... I had ordered one from Kelly's Korner, but lost it right after I got it (of course )

I bought a dozen on amazon and then 2 days later I saw them at the Kelley's Korner booth at the SEPOS show.

[DavidCampen]

Originally Posted by silken

The 'Plant Died' feature came with version 10.0. It is in the upper right hand corner of the main screen for each plant right beside the 'update' button.

I installed 10.0 and I see the plant died feature now. I applied this to a couple of plants but I don't see that it does anything but add the cross symbol to the plant listing. I was hoping that a plant marked as dead would no longer be counted as "plants in my journal" and would be moved to another list or at least placed at the bottom of the last. I already could mark a plant as deceased - I usi plant location 99 for deceased plants.

[peeweelovesbooks]

I'm keeping an excel spreadsheet. Name, date purchased (month and year), vendor and comments section.

I used to have individual spreadsheets but that became too cumbersome.

I keep a notepad whenever I go out to repot. That way I take quick notes as to what was divided, repotted, etc..

As far as labeling, I bought the brother label maker, but that just got to be a pain in the butt. So I just finished hand-writing labels.

I switch out all my labels periodically (every six months or so--or when I see anything fading.)

Thanks for the link for those sharpie markers---those are next up on my purchase list. I just ran out of labels also...so I have to go buy some more. I'm a bit OCD about the whole labeling thingie--it drives me INSANE to have to use a different colored label for anything. UGH.

[MattWoelfsen]

I use Apple's version of a spread sheet app: 'Numbers'. I run the app on my iPad. My column headings, and therefore, the information I have on each plant are: Name, Date Acquired, Vendor, Contact, Price, Plant Size, Comments.

Under contact I either use an email address or if this vendor has a website, I paste in the web address and can immediately access the vendor's description of the plant I bought.

In comments I also post any website links that contain culture information for the specific plant. My sources includes this board--because most of us post pictures and provide culture information; AOS, etc.

I have a Wish List spreadsheet with this information and it has facilitated easy plant acquisition and identification, especially when I am at an orchid nursery looking at plants and coming across a wish listed plant.

Having a cellular enabled iPad and carrying all this information on the iPad is also very helpful. I leave the keyboard at home when I am on an orchid hunt.