Many home gardeners rely on memory and tradition to guide the timing and layout of their gardens. People remember when lilacs bloom, know where to put peppers so they get enough sun, and estimate the optimal timing for fertilizing.

However, we don’t have to rely exclusively on memory to get the best garden results. Even the most experienced gardeners can benefit from the simple habit of keeping a gardening journal. 

A gardening journal can be as simple or as fancy as you like. You can use a notebook, a wall calendar or scraps of paper kept in a binder. I prefer a simple composition notebook. The important thing is to record what happens in the garden throughout the season. Over time, you will start to notice patterns and trends that can help you maximize your time, efforts, and yields. 

A good place to get started with your garden journal is by recording plant varieties, planting dates, and garden layout. This information can be especially helpful in future years when you want to remember the tomato variety your family liked best or where to rotate different crop families.  Keeping track of weather can also help you understand why your garden struggled or thrived. Over time, these notes can even help predict your garden’s frost dates.

Starting plants from seed was new to me a few years ago. I kept track of my successes and problems and recorded new information I learned about seed starting in my journal. That level of detail, along with my personal observations, helped me refine my system and improve my outcomes. 

Your journal is also a great place to record your harvest times and yields. The information on your seed packets provides helpful guidelines, but dates to maturity can vary depending on the conditions of your garden. Using your journal can support planning for future years, especially if you garden in a small space and rotate plantings. 

After a few years of recording the appearance of pests and diseases, I noticed that tomato hornworms usually appeared during the last week of July or first week of August. With that information, I began checking my tomatoes more carefully during that time and prevented much of the damage I had seen in previous years. Knowing what pests and diseases might show up, and when, can help you plan ahead, or, at the very least, let you know when to be on the offensive.

General observations are another valuable idea to record. You may notice that one variety of flower attracts more pollinators than another, or that water pools in a certain part of your garden. These notes can help you plan for your garden goals and make adjustments to avoid potential problems. 

Keeping a gardening journal is more than a planning tool. It becomes a record of your garden over time, documenting the growth of both your garden and you as a gardener. During the off-season, reviewing notes, sketching new layouts, organizing favorable varieties, and remembering gardens past is a relaxing and worthwhile way to stay connected to your garden and the growing season.