Cultivating Wisdom: How to Journal About Your Garden

You and your garden have been through a lot together this season. We had some really hot days and some really rainy weeks. You’ve probably seen some veggies and flowers thrive with this year’s weather and others that were sensitive to the temperamental weather.

As you prepare to close up your garden for the year and transition to the next season, you probably have a long mental list of things you want to do differently next year. Maybe you learned a tip or two from a friend or from the pros here at Farmside Gardens that you want to put into practice next year. Maybe you’ve decided you want to go in a different direction next year and try some new varieties of plants. Whatever you’re thinking, documenting your garden goals and results now is a great way to set yourself up for success next spring.

Here are some things we recommend gardeners keep track of in a gardening journal:

Make a Note of Weather, Soil, Watering, and Care Patterns

Take some time to reflect on this past season. How did the weather impact your garden? Did extreme heat mean your plants needed extra watering? Were your plants impacted by flooding or did your beds struggle with drainage? Did your plants get a lot of tender, loving care? Or, were they neglected for parts of the season while you traveled?

Making note of the environmental factors that impacted your garden will matter for next year. Maybe your plants were overwatered this year and could do with less attention next year, or maybe the extreme heat contributed to the peppers you harvested well ahead of season this year. It will be important to consider this as you look back next year.

Celebrate What Worked

We hope you had some wins to celebrate in your garden this year. Whether it was dazzling dahlias or an abundant tomato harvest, make a note of what worked well. Be specific about where these plants were placed, how much rain and light they received, what time of year you planted them, and what you want to repeat for next year.

Make Note of What Didn’t Work

Did you try a new flower in your window boxes this year that barely survived the season? Maybe you tried a new veggie that nobody in your family enjoyed eating. Make note of what didn’t work this year so you’re not tempted to try similar experiments again next year. If you can identify why these things didn’t work, make note of that too so you can make adjustments next spring.

Take Pictures

It’s helpful for gardeners to include pictures in their garden journals. If printing photos is too much work, keeping photos on your phone for you to refer to next year is an easy way to recall how your plants progressed through the season.

Document New Ideas

If you’ve learned some tips this year or have added some new ideas to your pinterest board, make a note of those things in your journal as well. Many of our Cut & Create guests tell us they want to start a cut flower garden next year. If that’s you, make a note for yourself! That way, next year when you’re planning your garden, you’ll remember what ambitions you have and will be able to plan accordingly.

Questions about how to document this season’s garden?

Visit us at the garden center. We’re happy to help.