Garden Notes

One of my New Year’s resolutions for this new year was to keep better garden notes. You may be wondering what kind of notes can one keep for their garden? Last year I started keeping a simple journal of each plant that I added to my garden, but it just had basic information. The botanical name, days to germination, and notes on when I planted them and how well they did in the garden. I added any pest problems and soil amendments that I added to my clay soil. Sometimes I would get busy and not always update that journal, but it did help, and I now see how useful this could be.

For this year I wanted to come up with a better plan, so I grabbed a hot cup of coffee, sat down and starting brain storming. I now have a nice white 3 ringed binder, all the color-coded tabs with pockets for plant tags and any product receipts that I have purchased, and lots of labels! In January when I started my onion seeds, I started this new plant journal and I have been very consistent with my note keeping.

The Beginning of my Garden Notes

At the beginning of the binder, I have general information. In this first section I have all the vegetables, herbs, and flowers for the pollinators that I am hoping to get planted this year. I have also included a map of each garden in my small back yard. This was just done on graph paper, but I do find it very useful. I usually stick to the plan or just deviate slightly. I also have calendars with dates that I need to start seeds, outside planting times, and any other items that would be useful to schedule in advance on a calendar. This is also where I keep any notes for general purchases like row covers, composted manure, raised bed materials, etc.

The Meat of the Binder

The middle portion is where I keep all the plant information. I have them organized in groups. I am sure I will be adding to this group or possibly revising the tabs but for now this is what I have.

• Beans
• Brassicas
• Greens
• Flowers
• Fruits
• Herbs
• Roots/Tubers
• Squash
• Tomatoes/Peppers

Under each category I list the variety of the plant, all or most of the information I find on the seed packet or plant marker, and then I record everything that I do from starting the seed to harvesting. I add dates, soil condition, fertilizers used, and the overall wellness of the plant. Any information that I think would help for next year’s garden.

We are always striving for a better year, a more productive harvest, and an easier way of doing things. This is just one way I am organizing my time and trying to make this adventure easier in the future. Knowing what works and what didn’t will only make our gardens grow with each season stronger and stronger. I hope you found something in this article useful! If you did leave me a comment and Happy Planting.