More details in the plant files?

I think it would be very beneficial to include more information for the plant files. My suggestions/requests are mainly for vegetables. It can be rather difficult at times to read through everyone's postings to see if any of this information is available. It seems that most of the postings are just comments on how the vegetables look, rather than how to care for them. What do you all think about adding the following information to the plant files (particularly the vegetables)? I'm new to gardening, but I have found much of this information in books and on other websites. Would you be willing to fill in some of the blanks as well? I think this could be a great help - especially for those of us who are just starting out. Let me know what you all think, and if you'd be willing to fill in the blanks if these were added to the plantFiles. Also, if you have any other suggestions for more helpful info that could be used for all edible plants.

- Recommended soil temperatures for sowing/planting as well as the growing temperatures.

- Maybe there could also be a small chart of some sort that shows what start/end month is expected for each zone? Also if it is possible to have a second crop in Fall (example would be lettuce)

- Succession plantings - for example, sow lettuce every 7-10 days.

- Good/bad companions. It would be nice to look at information regarding a tomato and see that tomatoes love carrots, and that basil planted close by helps with the flavor of the tomatoes. On the other hand, pole beans should be kept away from basil.

Rotation considerations - Example: Avoid following broccoli with cole family plants

Yield - For example, pole beans are suggested to allow 4-8 plants of each variety or several varieties per household member. (of course, this can vary depending on the household)

Nutrient Requirements - Example for Winter Squash is N=high, P = moderate, K = moderate.

From my perspective, there is just too much variance in the points you suggest.
1. I have never owned or ever intend to own a soil thermometer.
2. Zones pertain to winter lows , not very useful for annuals. Plus the climate within a zone varies widely. An extreme example, I am in the same USDA zone as the Pacific northwest but a totally different climate.
3. Succession planting. That information is usually included with the cultural information on the plant. There are hundreds of cultivars, sometimes thousands in each vegetable category. Such information should not have to be repeated with each entry.
4. While I consider companion planting a practical joke on a par with snipe hunting, I seldom comment on it one way or the other.
5. crop rotation is a good practice. But unless diseases have been introduced it is posssible to successively plant a crop. Again tho it is general information. Brassicas are subject to common diseases, That is also true for Solanaceae and other groups.
6. Yeild and requirements are very variable. Some seed companies have posted yields per 15 ft of row. Good guideline perhaps. But only you know how much of a given vegetable that your family will eat or process.
7. Nutrient requirements are usually given in general cultural information. The only specific ones however are for growers. These specify optimum lbs per acre of N, P, K. As an aside only plants grown for the plant it self, (Brassicas, lettuce), need excess nitrates. Grasses (corn) also like nitrogen.

The bottom line. I think plantfiles verges on too much clutter already. I would hate to add to it.

You know what I'd like to see added...days to maturity. Sure, sometimes people will put that in their review, but not usually. I think it should be listed along with the height and zones, etc.

I'm with Farmerdill here, who has worked extremely hard on the vegetables plant files and they are generally regarded as being the best and most comprehensive ones found in any one location on the web.

JUST MY OPINION HERE (felt it necessary to add that): days to maturity are ballpark (and a wide ballpark at that) figure, there are lots of books on companion planting and a million opinions on that subject, and the best guide to soils, etc. is a local guide/book for your specific region/area. For instance, Texas Vegetable growing guides for Texas because every location has its own variables and the local growers have the best responses for those specific questions.

Debbie
(ducking and running for cover...)

Actually Jen, I noticed that some of the plantfiles do include days to maturity. Were you meaning to say days to germination? That would be a good one as well. I realize that these things always have some fluctuations, but it is still nice to have some sort of starting point.

Debbie, you don't have to duck from me - you already tried to help me today with my peppers :)

I doubt I was much help! LOL It's kinda been a bad "pepper" year for me--but some other stuff is doing phenominally well...such is gardening, its something all the time! LOL

A personal note on days to maturity from my garden--mine always seem to take longer! Or maybe the older I get the more impatient I get.
Debbie

Debbie: "Or maybe the older I get the more impatient I get."

Since it's after midnight, it is now officially my birthday, so I guess I'm more impatient about my seeds. I want my peppers NOW. Wouldn't it be a nice birthday gift to look at my peat pellets and find that my peppers have FINALLY germinated?? crossing my fingers...

Deborah

Well happy birthday to you Deborah!
From another Deborah--may all your garden dreams come true!