I've never used the plantstep program so can't comment on it. Excel has been my program for keeping records. I'm not much of an explorer when it comes to computer programs, I just figure out the basics to get it to do what I want. Setting up a template is the most time consuming part, once you have a template entry of data is easy. Changing the size or adding/deleting of columns or rows, shifting placement of text in the boxes, wrap text button is very handy for those long daylily names or just making stuff fit in the box, importing images from photo files...it gets easier as you work with the program a bit. I still have to search "help" every time I want to copy page for adding more pages with a particular template
When collecting seeds in the fall I do a file for each year with 2 columns, pod parent in the first box of the row and pollen in the second for each cross after I bag them. After all seeds have been collected I sort the file first by pod parent and then by pollen parent and print copies of each. This gives me all seeds from one parent grouped together two ways. Late Nov. I start looking thru both lists and decide which seeds get started in the house, which get planted outside if there is left over room in the bed and the others...sit in the fridge until the next years are collected.
A second separate excel file for the seedlings when planting is done after they get mapped outside. Again with the two columns allowing me to sort both ways for planted seedlings by cross.
In the fall after garden work is done I update the large seedling book file. Each year has an updated "book" of records for the selected seedlings, going all the way back and continues to include a few of the very first sdlgs that are still here. The book is about 45 - 50 pages now ending with the most recent selected seedlings. I take out any seedlings that were composted from the previous years selects and condense the pages, copy and paste the info to fill empty sections, and typing in the new info collected from that year. Registered ones have their reg data entered. This file has 8 seedlings to a page, 4 on top & 4 on bottom, with the left hand column listing rows for seedling #, Name( if registered), Form, Height, Bloom Size, Foliage, Bud Count, Branching, Fragrance, Color, Cross, FFO, LFO and Notes. A row at the top of the two recording sections has an image of each seedling. The book is printed and kept on a clipboard making it easy to take to the garden for recording the info, for instance, in the spring I can grab the clipboard and go out to record foliage.The previous years info is all shifted to the right in the data box leaving room to write the new years data to the left while in the garden and giving me a record for comparing or rechecking notes or data. The previous years printed book is then put in a binder with others and can be referred back to at anytime (handy for when the computer is turned off) and the updated book is saved as a new file.
Image of seedling book template.....
Another file is kept listing all the registered cultivars with the usual reg data boxes. And yet another is kept for recording the registered cultivars for FFO, this is printed for carrying out to the garden on the first walkabout in the morning. A few other misc. files for various daylily/plant collections are also kept.
