Do you keep notes or journal about your garden?

NAR56 9/24/2010, 5:45 pm

Does anyone keep notes like when they plant their plants and germination rates so next year's planting can be changed to better your chances of success? Or does everyone just "wing it"?

I only ask because this is my first year planting a fall garden. I researched the average dates to plant in my area, but only a few seeds sprouted. I replanted a month later and had better luck (I think because it was still to hot where I am).

I was thinking about taking notes or journal so next year I will not waste my time or seeds. Just curious on how others garden, thanks.

junequilt 9/24/2010, 5:51 pm

I always mean to, but it gets away from me. Do you keep notes or journal about your garden? Icon_redface

It's a great idea, though!

acara 9/24/2010, 6:07 pm

I'm assuming there is no 'animosity' towards other garden sites here & we can post other outside links???

Check out my gardens on folia: http://myfolia.com/gardener/Acara

(mods please remove if this is a TOS violation)

Chopper 9/24/2010, 6:32 pm

We take all the help we can. Other people have mentioned folia before. I thought of it but I actually already have something pretty good in place.

Garden Angel 9/24/2010, 7:18 pm

I just keep a record of when and what I planted just so I can keep track of the time it takes to sprout the seeds or how long it took to grow. Also if I direct seeded or transplanted.

Patty from Yorktown 9/24/2010, 7:36 pm

Hi,
When I first moved to the South I kept a garden journal. The climate is so different from what I was used to. As the years have gone by I tend to write in it once in the spring and once in the fall. I still find it helpful to look up plants (tags or packaging are kept) and their notes to see if I should plant them again. I also keep a list of plants that are mole and vole food. Sometimes I take pictures or paste in newspaper articles on a topic. My records are not so detailed to track planting times or germination rates. I also keep a packet of leftover empty seed packages, labeled from gardens past. Happy gardening.

Patty in Yorktown

pattipan 9/24/2010, 7:44 pm

I made a diagram of my SFG and wrote in the squares when things were planted. Made notes in the margins and on the back as to what did well...what to try (or not) next year...successive planting dates, etc. Works for me.

pattipan

Chopper 9/24/2010, 8:25 pm

pattipan wrote:I made a diagram of my SFG and wrote in the squares when things were planted. Made notes in the margins and on the back as to what did well...what to try (or not) next year...successive planting dates, etc. Works for me.

pattipan

I did the same thing but in excel. Then I cut and pasted the whole garden - blank - until I had 4 identical setups. They represent one season each(Spring/Summer, Fall/Winter). So when I want to have fun, I plan for the future and when I plant I make sure each square is filled in correctly and add dates of planting. There is also room - in the aisles - for notes. So far, so good.

	Carrots	Broccoli	cilantro and dill
	Lettuce	Lettuce	Spinach
	Cabbage	Celery	Garlic
	Cabbage	Celery	Broccoli
	Carrots	Beets	Carrots
9/23/2010	Peas	Peas	Peas
		Sept/Oct

boffer 9/24/2010, 8:28 pm

acara wrote:I'm assuming there is no 'animosity' towards other garden sites here & we can post other outside links???

Check out my gardens on folia: http://myfolia.com/gardener/Acara

(mods please remove if this is a TOS violation)

From boffer the admin:

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acara 9/24/2010, 8:34 pm

Good to know .... most forums aren't that way, as I sure some of the forum-frequent-fliers are aware.

Didn't want to go tipping the sacred-cow Wink

boffer 9/24/2010, 8:47 pm

NAR56 wrote:Does anyone keep notes like when they plant their plants and germination rates so next year's planting can be changed to better your chances of success? Or does everyone just "wing it"?

From boffer the gardener:

I garden on the "wing it" side. I'm consistent about using Mel's Mix and am happy with the results. But the weather is the major influence on my veggie gardens' harvest, and I have no control over it. Detailed notes don't help improve my harvests. I'm happy to have a 'feel' for when it's time to do whatever..

acara 9/24/2010, 8:55 pm

I have a lot of notes, but I keep them to identify the "sweet spots" in my yard .. ...

example ..... "Location "x" on "y" exposure of house .... "don't plant anything within 4' or the corner, or the sun will burn it up from May to Sept"....... that kind of stuff

This is the first time I've every kept actual seed/plant stats .... and it's probably only because that website I posted made it so easy....

**camprn** 9/25/2010, 6:35 am

I have a garden notebook that I write in nearly every day. Details of the weather conditions, rainfall amounts, temperature are noted. My garden layout & planting dates are written on sheet paper that i keep in acrylic 3 ring binder sleeves so that I can take the pages out to make notes and the paper gets less messy when sit in the garden to to read or write the notes. Narrative notes are on basic lined paper. I am trying to be more detailed about keeping track of problems such as signs of probable disease, interventions, watering, yields, etc. there are also recipes in a separate section of the notebook. It will make interesting reading Shocked

in January. lots o

chocolatepop 9/25/2010, 12:32 pm

I make a grid replicating my squares in word, print it off and then write in what goes where, date planted, and then "notes" on the sides. in notes I state what tasted good, what took forever to germ, etc, etc. What I would replant, and what I wouldnt replant. I have some laminated sheets that I used a wet erase marker and keep in bags next to my boxes Smile

kiwirose 9/25/2010, 4:19 pm

I started off being all proper about my journal - it lasted - oh - about a week. Now I am just incredibly proud that I have a map of what I planted where. Now, until today, it was the same bit of paper I used since spring, I have just scribbled out and written over - until today.

Today I put it in the computer and printed it off - excell grid format - nothing in it but the seed I planted. That is doing well for me - I am so proud of myself. baby steps I say Very Happy

Megan 9/25/2010, 5:06 pm

I printed out a neat little garden planner and was pretty good about taking simple notes for awhile, between that and printouts of my garden grid with planting dates. I think the most useful notes I have, though, are on my Google document seed list, where I've periodically gone back and made notes about what's grown well or poorly.

NAR56 9/25/2010, 5:26 pm

Thanks for all who posted and shared how they keep track of their garden.
Very Happy

I did what Pattipan and Chopper did in Excel. Nothing fancy just facts like: when I planted, what square I planted it in, etc. I wrote notes at the bottom of the page for reference for the following year. I like to keep things simple but effective.

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