We all strive to manage our gardens in a way that keeps us sane and our plants healthy, which is no easy task. But tracking our actions throughout the growing season can help us improve and yield greater results in the garden.
Gardening, like most hobbies and crafts, is polished by practice. That’s why it’s essential to keep a journal! Notes taken throughout the season serve as a memory aid; our minds are more fallible than we’d like them to be, and that is no excuse for being a lousy gardener.
List the species you wish to grow
The first order of business should always be what to plant next season.
The answer? Whatever you feel like, as long as you’re not having tropical dreams when your yard often ends up covered in frost. Be realistic!
Taking notes is not about reducing or increasing the number of plants you have in the ground; it’s merely a matter of planning your goals in well-scheduled and actionable bullet lists.
When you should plant vs. when you actually did
Marking your seed starting and planting dates on a calendar is an essential gardening rule. Keep these dates in mind as a lot of work needs to be done in advance, such as preparing the soil, finding seeds and plants, and getting them ready for the ground.
There are so many processes that can’t be skipped/postponed, or your yields may face the consequences. Remind yourself to check off your ‘to do’ list. From soaking seeds and planting to transplanting and pruning, forgetting, rushing, or tackling these tasks at the wrong time can be problematic.
Write down your impressions
Can you remember that morning when the first young vines began to climb their poles? Probably not, but at times it would be good to know the exact day, for whatever reason.
Check the calendar and write down a brief description as a guideline for future comparisons.
Other moments in your precious plant’s life can also be tracked, from the day of your seedling’s birth to the time when they flower or the first harvest.
Each of these impressions might not hold much significance by themselves, however, add them up and they’ll give you a much more comprehensive overview of your garden and how well it’s going.
Register every expense
Can you remember that morning when the first young vines began to climb their poles? Probably not, but at times it would be good to know the exact day, for whatever reason.
Check the calendar and write down a brief description as a guideline for future comparisons.
Other moments in your precious plant’s life can also be tracked, from the day of your seedling’s birth to the time when they flower or the first harvest.
Each of these impressions might not hold much significance by themselves, however, add them up and they’ll give you a much more comprehensive overview of your garden and how well it’s going.
Set new goals for the year
Bookkeeping allows us to build on our failures and successes as gardeners. Pages full of suggestions and reminders will only lead to better results next season.
Jot down which seeds, plants, and methods worked and which didn’t; remind yourself to space your plants better or prune them earlier. Write down specific products you liked and would use again in the future.
Well-documented notes stand behind every beautiful garden you spot around town.