The Garden Journal

The best gardening advice I've ever received (and haven't fully implemented!) is to make a gardening journal.  Even though we are half way done with the growing season, it isn't too late to start recording what is going on in your back yard.  If your memory is like mine--nonexistent since the introduction of children--then it is helpful to be able to compare one year to the next.  Here is how mine is set up:

1)  A small three-ring binder or three prong folder.  It doesn't have to be fancy unless you have a fancy daughter like my Sweet Girl who likes to decorate everything.  In that case, you've also come up with an afternoon craft for her without even trying!

2)  Notebook paper and graph paper.  I know--the notebook paper makes sense.  You gotta have something to write on!  But, if you are married to an engineer (or you are one!) I'm sure you have graph paper left over from college that he (or you!) just can't bare to get rid of.  It is excellent for drawing diagrams of your garden and raised beds!

3)  Calendar.  Check out the free downloadable calendars here.

4)  Historical weather info.  Did you know that you can go to Weather.Com and print off a calendar of the highs and lows for the previous month?  From the home page type your ZIP code in the search box.  On the next screen click on "Monthly."  It will show the high and low temperature as well as the total rainfall each day of the month thus far.  It will also give the average temps/rain for the remainder of the month.  From this screen you can click "previous" to find the actual data for the previous month. I've found this very helpful to have in my binder as I'm trying to plan the seed starting dates and plant dates the next year.  My optimism gets the best of me and I really don't believe that it is as cold as it is in April and May until I look at the calendar from the previous year!

5)  Seed packets.  When I have used all of the seeds from a packet, I like to tape the packet to one of the notebook pages.  If I have questions as to what the company name was or what the day to maturity was SUPPOSE to be, I can look at the packet very quickly.  If you are planting a smaller garden, you can just record this information on a sheet of paper for quick reference (since you'll use the seeds for multiple seasons).  If you purchased transplants, include the little info tab from the transplant so that you can remember the type of tomatoes (peppers, squash, etc) you planted each year and record how well they grew.

6.  Photos.  Although I haven't printed photos to tape inside the binder (although I really want to!) I think it is helpful to take pictures of your plants at least once a month. It is much easier to monitor growth and compare from year to year with pictures.  I am also hoping to use pictures from this year to help me better plan and utilize my space for next year.  For example, while I know that my buttercup squash vine will run all over my garden by September, right now there is a lot of bare space.  With the pictures, I'll be able to determine which crops will mature quickly enough to plant in that bare space and will be ready to harvest before the squash takes over.

7.  Gardening Articles.  Have you found something good online or from Mother Earth News?  Print it, clip it, and put it in the journal.  No need to look for it again!

I hope this gets your wheels turning with ideas on how to gather and record information about your garden.  The more we know, the more we grow!