keeping a garden diary?

[Magiccat1978]

Hi

this is only my second year growing veg and last year I was so dis-organised.
I lost track of what I'd sown and when. This year I'd love to be more organised so I can also record what did well and what didnt. Is there a template for such a thing or do I just have to make my own up ? If I have to make my own can anyone suggest what usful info I should look to record.

Hope this makes sense
thanks
Laura

[FionaH]

I keep a spreadsheet of what Ive sown etc. I altered one that Hazel from here sent me. It just shows date sown, where, date germinated and where I plant out. I always start with the best of intentions..........

[lottielady]

I kept a journal too I had a month by month diary where I recorded what months I wanted to do successional sowings in as a reminder, I also recorded the weather and also what the weather was like if it was unseasonal ie snow in April or excessively cold, it might be good to keep a date of the last frost where you are for future years reference. Also the dates of pruning schedules so you can see when you have cut back raspberries too. Hope that helps if all else fails write it all down. I try to record my crop rotation too using a spreadsheet.

[piskieinboots]

I tried using Hazel's superb spreadsheet but as I work (as I'm sure many others do too) in front of a computer all day - I found it too much like working, if that makes sense

I now use a hard-back diary just for recording what was sown when, when germinated and not too much else to be honest - I tend to remember if something didn't do too well or did really well.

Like many on here, I have good intentions but then find myself wanting to enjoy the gardening as and when it comes along rather than record it all

[FionaH]

I have found it really useful planning what to grow this year. Being able to look at the spreadsheet and see what I did last year. I always THINK I will remember what I have done and planted, but I don't

[jayjay giant]

I keep an online diary with photographs. Its more of a project diary really but You could insert spreadsheets etc to show sowing, planting and harvesting times. I also keep an online food diary and document the things I eat. Mainly frozen things at the moment but come the summer it will be fresh home grown all the way !
It might give you some ideas as to what you can do. I also think you can keep a blog via this site.

[Bex]

I've got a Carol Klein Grow your Own Veg Journal that I got for a couple of quid from the book man who visits work. I has 1 page a week which is fine for now but when the sowing season really starts it won't be enough. I'll just get a diary next year as I spend all day in front of a computer too so don't fancy spending my evenings getting square eyes.

This is my first proper year and although I've kept a record of everything so far, who knows...

[Alison]

I tried using Hazel's superb spreadsheet but as I work (as I'm sure many others do too) in front of a computer all day - I found it too much like working, if that makes sense

I'll just get a diary next year as I spend all day in front of a computer too so don't fancy spending my evenings getting square eyes.

I too spend most of the day in front of the computer so find that I can update my spreadsheet in the odd quiet 5 minutes without anybody noticing that it's not a work spreadsheet. I set it up again for 2010 during the snowy weather over Christmas and I like the fact that I can search and filter the columns for reference.

Normally just use a hardbacked notebook (more hardwearing) when I'm down the plot to make notes of what I've done but got bought a gardening diary for Christmas (am always amazed at all the garden related merchandise my friends and family find for me!) so am keeping that in my gardening bag for noting on the spot but will still use the spreadsheet.

[piskieinboots]

...without anybody noticing that it's not a work spreadsheet..

good plan - but I'm the boss

[Alison]

good plan - but I'm the boss

I won't tell you if you don't........

[piskieinboots]

hehehe - deal Alison I may just try the spreadsheet again!

Anyone got a copy they could ping over to me, save me re-inventing the wheel?

[binley100]

I was bought a garden journal for my birthday and so far (starting 1st Jan) have just recorded whats been sown when germinated etc

[Alison]

Anyone got a copy they could ping over to me, save me re-inventing the wheel?

Mine is very specific to my plot as in it ties things into which bed etc to help with my rotation so wouldn't really convert well to anybody else otherwise you'd have been welcome to it. People seem to think Hazel's is good (not seen it so can't comment) so perhaps try that one?

[gilwrig]

I just started a blog but theer are so many out there no-one will probably read mine

[ladylottie]

I've had my lottie now for 2 years same as you and I've kept a diary since the day I started. It's just a page a day A5 diary and I note down what the weather was like, what jobs I did at the lottie and what varieties of veg I've bought and how much they've cost.

I also note down when I've harvested veg and what they were. I've found it helps to say whether I liked (or had success with) a particular vegetable. ie would I bother with that variety again.

At the beginning of the season I mark everything out where I want it to grow on a large sheet of graph paper. Did start using a spreadsheet, but found I wanted to look at it at times when being on the pc would have been awkward (like while having a cup of tea in bed!), so went back to the graph paper.

Most of the time I'm very good, but come the busy sowing & planting time a bit later on I'll be playing catch up with it.

Last year I found it easier to jot things down on a scrap of paper up at the lottie, and then wrote the notes up into the diary once I got back at home.