How to Keep a Gardening Journal

Gardening is a hobby that makes it possible to be closer to nature and to have tangible rewards from your effort. But to really get the most out of your garden you need to keep a gardening journal. This article will provide an introduction to why tracking your gardening activities is important, and some tips on how to go about building a successful journaling routine.

Benefits of Gardening Journals

Gardening journals are essential tools for any gardener. Keeping track of what you plant, when you plant them, and deliverables can help you plan ahead for the following year and reminds you of successes from years before. Tracking your successes and failures helps you remember the design decisions you made and the lessons learned from those choices, which will keep you improving every year. A gardening journal also provides a place to store photos and notes about the plants and flowers in your garden.

Essential Elements of a Gardening Journal

To make a gardening journal effective, there are some important elements to consider. First, it should contain a basic timeline of when plants were sown, when they should be ready to harvest, and when they are projected to show bloom. Second, a journal should include basic information about all the plants, such as their variety name and where they were purchased. Third, the gardening journal should have a clear design for taking notes about the plants - space to record general notes about the plants, the results of experiments, or even questions you have while gardening. Finally, you should take pictures for a visual history of your garden and the various plants.

How to Keep Your Garden Journal

The first step to making your gardening journal a useful tool is to set up a consistent system for tracking information. Establish a system for taking notes and recording data in the journal. A great way to keep the journal organized is to create a template where you can quickly jot down the essential information about a plant and make notes about it.

Notes

Having extra space in the journal for notes is essential for progress tracking. Taking notes about your experiences is helpful whenever you go back and review your garden from previous years. Notes can include observations, such as when a plant was planted and its growth pattern, as well as harvesting techniques and design ideas. Adding observations to the journal is a great way to make sure you don't forget important information in the future.

Pictures

Pictures of your garden are the best way to capture your successes and failures. Photographs of your plants will give you a visual reminder of their growth over the season. With the photo evidence, you can easily look back and determine which plants need different care in the future. Additionally, pictures of your garden can help you remember its overall layout when you are planning for future seasons.

In Summary

A gardening journal is an invaluable tool for any gardener. By keeping track of what you plant, when you plant them, and the deliverables, you can plan for the following season and track your successes and failures from preceding years. An effective and useful journal should include a timeline, basic information about the plants, space for notes, and pictures of the plants and the garden as a whole. Establishing a consistent system for taking notes and recording data can make your gardening journal an invaluable asset for future seasons.

References:

Editor, Stewart T. (2020, October 2). How to Keep a Gardening Journal. Retrieved from < https://www.southernexposure.com/resource-library/how-to-keep-a-gardening-journal>

Robson, E. (2020, October 30). The Benefits of Keeping a Gardening Journal. Retrieved from