Keeping a gardening or homesteading journal.

[A.T.Hagan]

Anyone here keeping a personal gardening or homesteading journal?

I'm a terrible diarist, but these last couple of years it's become apparent that with as many irons in the fire as I keep in the gardening and homesteading arena that if I don't start writing this stuff down I'm going to start forgetting stuff that is important. Already have as a matter of fact, but I may be able to get some of that info back (I hope!).

So, the other day I bought a college ruled composition book and started writing down what I've been doing here at DunHagan since we bought the place in the Fall of 2001. Decided to start there rather than trying to go even further back simply because it would take too long to write it all down.

I've already decided I don't like the initial format I chose and as soon as I've recorded everything that I can remember or rediscover from 9/2001 to the present day under the old format I'm going to start another book with a format I like better and transcribe.

It's mostly the formatting thing that is throwing me.

At the moment I've decided to do it like this:<br>
Fruits - a general category
Then specific fruits like this:<ul>
Blackerries
Blueberries
Citrus
Figs
Grapes
Miscellaneous Fruits:<ul>
Pomegranate
Feijoa (pineapple guava)
Strawberry Guava
Olive
Apples</ul>
Pears
Pecans
Persimmons
Plums</ul>
Then an area for ornamentals in general with some specific entries such as camellias, daylillies, crepe myrtles, and so on.

One for vegetable gardening.

Another for lawn and/or pasture

One for general experiences with various soil amendments like fertilizers, compost, etc.

Then perhaps a general miscellaneous as a catch-all for anything that doesn't have a category or subcategory of its own.

Within each entry I'd then break it down by year, maybe even by month or season if I need to take it that far:

2001 Fall, Winter
2002 Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
2003 Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
2004 Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

It seems like this would allow me to make specific notes about specific categories in chronological order that I would then be able to find later, maybe much later, without having to go through page after page of uncategorized notes.

Anyone doing anything like this?

If not, and you are keeping a journal what system are you using?

.....Alan.

 

[nutkin]

Hi Alan!

Yes, I started one......but, I'm so behind in keeping it up it's not even funny.

I love the way you've got yours set up, I wish mine was that organized and set up so well.

I started with just a spiral notebook, but got irritated with it. I draw alot of maps for the different beds...and that just didn't work for me. Plus I keep all tags from plants (esp. the roses), and at least one of each of the seed packets for reference.

So, I switched to a loose-leaf binder. I can punch holes in all the drawings, and do my writings/observations and project notes on the lined papers. With the tags & packets, I tape or glue them to paper and then insert in the year.

Primarily it's divided by the year (only two years so far) and then subdivided into plants, notes (what I did, what plants did what or liked what), projects.....and then future ideas at the back. In the back too, I've printed off any helpful hints & info.... or blueprints for projects I want to make (furniture, arbors, birdhouses & etc.). I also clip different photos & info out of gardening catalogues & magazines for my want lists...or just for general information. Helps me to be able to visualize with my clippings and charts.

I think I'm going to borrow some of your ideas to help get mine more organized. You're so right about keeping a record. Already it's saved my rear on a number of occasions. I plant so many seeds, there are many times I'll forget what I've plopped down. The charts and saved packets are a big help.

Good idea for a thread! Thanks!

 

[Gingergirl]

I am not so well organized.

If keep the empty seed packets so I know what I planted last year. They go into a small box.

I keep the packing lists and receipts of the trees, shrubs, and perenials so I know what I planted and when. I hole punch them and they go into a binder.

On the kitchen calender, I write in what I planted or sprayed that day. End of year, it goes in the binder.

Not very elegant, but at least I have some sort of record for planning next year.

Not that it does any good. Each winter I plan on more than I can accomplish, and always decide to plant lots of new varieties.

 

[briches]

Great ideas! It may be helpful as well to include pics of what you've done- like a before/after type deal. It would be easier to show the specifics, and would be something to truly treasure down the road (I think children would love to look at it as adults).

 

[TerriHaute]

I make a garden diagram each year so that I know how my plantings should be rotated. In early spring, I get out the pad of graph paper, cross-check the drawings from previous years, and plot out exactly what I want to plant and where. When planting time comes, I usually deviate from the plan a little and adjust the drawing so it is accurate. On the back, I note the varieties that I plant and where they are planted so that when when there is one that we really like, I'll know what to plant again in the future. By keeping track where each variety is planted, volunteers plants are easier to identify the next year. The garden plans are kept in clear plastic sleeves that fit in 3-ring binders, so that I can handle them with soil-covered hands and keep them legible and dry. This year, I planted many varieties of beans, so the garden plan was invaluable in trying to figure out which bean plant was which before the bean pods appeared.

Most years, I try to keep an extra calendar on hand and make a note on the days that seeds are planted, first poked through the soil, first ripe tomato, etc., but I am bad about keeping that up to date.

Terri in Indiana

 

[Flagwaver]

Funny you'd mention this now, Alan, as I'm in the middle of organizing just about everything in my house! Something tells me yours will be publishable if you keep at it.

Briches and TerriHaute and others all have shared great ideas too. I love this part of the TB2K the best. Everyone sharing hands-on experience.

I'm a newer gardener than some who have posted and my garden is still small. I have plans for much bigger one over time. But I've found that drawing diagrams showing where everything is helps me a lot. Someone mentioned this being useful for showing rotation patterns. I like that.

For me, organizing monthly helps. That way I can open the month up and see what happened last year and remember what went wrong and what didn't.

Every year is different though because the weather is different. Some springs we get more rain than others and the garden can react very differently. So I think I'm going to start plugging in weather patterns too.