Row Enter the number of the row (10-56) you are measuring. This field will auto-repeat until you re-enter a new row number.
Position Enter the position (860-983) of the first plant you measure. After completing your first record and pressing end, this field should increment in spacing appropriate to the section of the garden you are measuring (+0.5m, +1.0m, or +0.33m). Tip: double check your assigned row, location in the garden, and visor entry.
Status08 After finding the plant, enter the status of the plant using this pull down box. If you are unable to find the plant select "can't find" and place a flag where the plant should be. If you find a marker such as a staple, wooden stake, rebar, or tin can but no plant, select the appropriate maker indicator. In the case of a blue stake or tin can with no plant, place a flag where the plant should be. Additionally, any plant with a stem or any vertical development is considered a "flowering" plant even if it does not produce a head. If no selection is made, we assume the plant is basal.
Fl Rosette Count Enter the number of flowering rosettes (include rosettes with any vertical development).
Rosette Count Enter the total number of rosettes (both flowering and basal). If a plant has no basal rosettes, enter "0" for both Leaf Count and Long lf-cm (see below).
Leaf Count Count and record the number of leaves on all basal rosettes. Ignore leaves on flowering rosettes. Include crisp leaves from this year (these will also be recorded in Other Damage) as well as any petioles longer than one centimeter belonging to this year's growth.
Long lf-cm Measure and record in centimeters the longest entire basal leaf. Ignore leaves on flowering rosettes. If the longest "leaf" is a petiole or dead leaf, measure it and record what was measured in the Other Note field (eg "petiole measured" or "dead lf measured."
Insects Examine both sides of all leaves on basal and flowering rosettes for the presence of insects. Enter an estimate for the number of ants and aphids by checking the appropriate box in this field. Note the presence of all other insects or insect related findings (eg egg sacs, ant nests) either by checking appropriate box or by selecting "Other (note)" and describing your findings the Insect Note field. Ant nests can be identified as a mound of dirt built up around the base of the plant, which often consumes and wrinkles a number of leaves. Also, note ant nests when there is a visible accumulation of dirt on a leaf due to ants (not due to lying in the dirt).
Disease If a plant shows signs of disease on any leaves of the basal or flowering rosettes, check the appropriate boxes to indicate the symptoms present. Be careful to distinguish between normal plant senescence and disease.
Insect Damage Examine all basal leaves for the presence of wrinkles, nibbles, and holes due to insects. Estimate the cumulative damage and record your estimate in this field by checking the appropriate box. We categorize leaf damage into three degrees; "minor," "half-gone," and "gone." For example, checking "Nibbles" and "1 lf minor" suggests there are nibbles damaging less than 25% of the leaf surface. "1 lf half-gone" refers to damage comprising 25-75% of the leaf. "1 lf gone" constitutes damage of 75% or more. If a leaf is completely wrinkled, record it as "1 lf gone" because although the leaf is still physically present, the damage extends over the whole leaf. A leaf is considered wrinkled if there are visible and consistent folds and other variations in the leaf surface (usually occurs due to aphids or ant nests.)Holes can be distinguished from nibbles in that a hole is completely surrounded by living plant tissue whereas nibbles occur along the edge of the plant.
Other Damage Examine all leaves for other damage (any damage that you can not attribute to insects) and record the estimates of damage by selecting the appropriate box(es). Follow the same estimation protocol as for insect damage. If the cause of damage is known, select "Cause Known" and make a note in the Damage Note field. If the cause is unknown, simply record the extent of the damage. "Other damage" can be distinguished from insect damage in that insect damage is generally a clean cut, wherease other damage tends to make the plant frayed and ragged along the edge of the damage. The exceptions to this are cuts caused by scissors (tissue collection) or unintentional cuts from a pruner or mower. These can be identified by a straight and even cut across a leaf. We also record crisp leaves (those that are brown and dried-out) in this field. Ignore crisp basal leaves that are less than 2.0 cm.Crisp leaves that are grey in color as opposed to brown should not be included in this count because they are from a previous year.
Head data Click on the Head data field to add data for flowering rosettes. The protocol for the subform is described below.
Completed When you have completed a record in the form, check this box and then press the end button, you will then see the record for the next plant.
Insect Note Record the name or description and a count of any insects not listed in the "Insect" drop-down box. Include insects greater than 3mm (i.e. no yellow mites).
Damage Note Record the cause of damage, if known, here. Also, if there is more damage to a plant than can be selected in the "damage" check box, check the type of damage present in the "damage" field and then record the extent of damage here. Be sure to include the type of damage in the note as well as the damage box. Other types of damage to note include the following: damage by measurer; scissor cut; and pruner cut.
Other Note If there are notes that do not fit into another category, record them here.
Measured By When you start a new row, enter the initials of the measurer here. This field auto-repeats. Make sure you update your initials when starting a new row or measuring with a new partner.
Recorded By Enter the initials of the recorder here. This field auto-repeats. Make sure you update your initials when starting a new row or measuring with a new partner.
Tips for staying on track: In order to make sure you don't get mixed up as to which plant you are on, make sure to check your position at 5 meter intervals where there are flags. If you do get messed up, stop immediately and move backwards a few plants, checking as you go to find the plant you missed (or whatever other mistake you made.) Rather than switching between "review" or "add" mode, use the forward arrow to move back in the records and the back arrow to move forward. Avoid changing any of the position numbers--this can cause more problems. Instead, make notes in the Other Notes field as to which records are correct, and if not, what the correct position should be. These can be updated later on the computer.
Use this subform for all flowering heads: normal, dud, pip, or vertical development. Tap on the field and hit "Add" to enter data for a head.
Row Row and position will carry over from the main monitor form.
Position Row and position will carry over from the main monitor form.
Head Select the color of the twist tie subtending the head. If the head has no twist tie, select "no twist tie."
On same stem as Use this field to indicate more than one head per flowering rosette. If there is a single head per rosette, leave this field blank.
Head Status Use this field to indicate if there is something different than normal about the head you are measuring. This includes no florets, broken off head, crisp head, bent head, tilted head, vertical development, no hd, or an indented head. If the head is normal, you may leave this field blank, or check the "normal" box.
Height Measure the height of the head by holding the stem upright and measuring the distance from the ground to the top of the head in centimeters.
CaulineLfCount Count the number of cauline leaves and leaves at the base of the flowering rosette. Only count one leaf per node (the place on the stem from which a leaf grows). Do not count cauline leaves less than 1 cm in length. Include crisp leaves in this count.
CrispLvs Record the number of crisp leaves on the flowering rosette.
Longest Lf on rosette Measure the length of the longest leaf on the rosette in centimeters.
Insects on hd Record the presence and abundance of ants, aphids, and other insects on the head (on the disc or ray florets or under the receptacle). All insects on the leaves or stem should be recorded on the main form together with the basal rosettes.
Insect Damage Using the same categories as for the basal rosettes, record insect damage to the flowering rosette.
Other Damage Using the same categories as for the basal rosettes, record other damage to the flowering rosette.
Disease (head) Record instances of weird tufts, no ray florets, or generally weird heads.
Head note Include other notes about the flowering rosette.
Measured by Treat this the same as on the monitor form, remember to update your initials when changing measurers.
Recorded by Treat this the same as on the monitor form, remember to update your initials when changing measurers.
Each time you come to a flowering plant, perform this entire protocol for the first head. For subsequent heads on the same stem, record Head, On same stem as, Head status, Height, and Head Note fields; you only need to count leaves and measure the longest leaf for the first head you record. Repeat the entire protocol when starting a new head on adifferent rosette. Use a separate form for each flowering head. Duds, pips and vertical developments are a separate form if they occur on their own rosette, or if they have a visibly separate stem off of another stem. Ignore duds and pips right along the stem.