As soon as you add a planting in grove, the app automatically creates the matching tasks for it – so you always know what’s coming up without having to write your own to-do list. Typical tasks include sowing under cover and pricking out your plants, or planting them out into the bed. For some crops, like tomatoes, you also get specific care reminders such as pinching out side shoots.
Tasks are organised by calendar weeks – they’re not tied to specific days. When exactly you get things done is up to you. Some people love being in the garden at sunrise; others prefer working at weekends. Grove gives you a direction, but you decide when it suits you best.
When you add a planting to the bed plan, you choose one of two options: “Direct sowing” or “Plant out into bed”. Depending on your choice, grove creates different tasks – always matched to the plant in question.
Direct sowing
If you opt for direct sowing, a simple task is created under “Planting”. It reminds you to start sowing directly into the bed during the relevant week.
The planning is based on the first week of the month in which your planting begins. If the planting times suggest that sowing is better done later in the month, grove adjusts the week accordingly – for example to mid or late in the month.
Plant out into bed
If you want to start plants indoors, this is the option for you. Grove automatically calculates when you should start sowing under cover – the app knows both the average lead time and when the plant needs to go into the bed. This gives you a task under “Sowing under cover” that gives you plenty of notice.
For plants that need to be pricked out – thinned after germination – grove creates an additional task.
And of course you also get a task under “Planting” when it’s time to put the young plants into the bed.
If you’d rather buy transplants, you can simply tick off the tasks once you’ve placed your order.
Care
Some plants need a bit of extra attention. For tomatoes, for example, a pinching-out task is created automatically. You’ll find such tasks under “Care”. More care reminders for other plants will be added over time.
Working with tasks
When you’ve finished a task, you can tick it off – either directly using the tick at the front, or via the “Done” button in the task dialogue. Once everything is done, the week turns green – a satisfying feeling, isn’t it?
If you don’t manage a task in the planned week – no problem. You can simply move it. Open the task dialogue and choose a new week.
Want to add something of your own? You can create custom tasks – use the “Create task” button to add them to any week you like.
Don’t be too strict about it
Gardening isn’t an exact science – at least not in everyday life. The weather sometimes has its own ideas, and your instinct for the right moment is often the best guide. Grove’s tasks are guidelines – you don’t have to follow them to the letter. Give yourself the room you need.