In the Garden – Keeping a Garden Journal

***Would you like 50% off our either of our EXTREME “My Garden Journals”? Follow this blog and our facebook page (www.facebook.com/MistyMeadowsHomestead). Leave us a message that you have done so, along with an email address (we wont share it or use it again) and we will send you a exclusive 50% off that can be used for either of the EXTREME “My Garden Journals”, the regular or the mini!***

Who among us hasn’t held a conversation with a plant?  They make great companions and counselors – any time I’m in my garden I find myself talking to them and if you’re lucky, you may even hear me singing to them and they don’t laugh nearly as hard at me as you surely would!  Haha!

Over the past few years, I have found keeping a garden journal to be an invaluable resource before, during and after the growing season.  It is where I track what worked, what didn’t, my successes, epic failures and everything in between.

I usually begin in the depths of winter, when the fatigue of the frigid season has gotten the best of me and my heart and soul are longing for the warmth that spring brings with it.  I  start thinking about which plants I’d like to grow and making lists of the seeds I currently have on hand and those I need to purchase or trade for.  Yes, trade.  There are several group on facebook that focus on seed trading.  My favorites are:

• Great American Seed Swap/Trade Project
• Medicinal Seed Swap & Talk Group
• Sacred Seed Traders
• Seed Swap
• Wanna Talk Seeds and Talk Gardening – Original

Do some research – you might even find a local group or start one yourself!  It’s a great way to get seeds you have been wanting but aren’t easily found and a way to get rid of seeds you have too many of or just aren’t fond of.

As winter progresses, I begin tracking how many weeks before my last frost date I need to plant a particular seed, the date I actually plant the seed and when I transplant it in the garden.  Once transplanted, I note when I water and fertilize, if and when it’s been treated for disease or pests and when it should be harvested.  I make notes about problems and ideas for next year.  And finally, during the harvest, I note what, when and how much was harvested and any final notes about the season.

Here’s the Grarden Journal/Planner I created a couple of years ago.  I wasn’t very fancy but it got the basic job done.  I always wanted to add a bit more to it, but would find myself too busy while in the midst of the growing season to even contemplate creating something more substantial and long lasting.  I always tell myself, next year, next year I will create something better to keep myself organized.

   

Next year finally came!

Over the past month or so, while the snow on the ground prevented us from completing many other tasks, we were able to sit down and create a comprehensive garden journal.  It started as tool for us, but it grew into something even better!  We began thinking about our gardening friends, especially those juse starting our and what they might want or need in a garden journal.  We even went to a few experienced gardeners for tips and ideas.  What came from all the research was a garden journal that has everything you could imagine to help any gardener, experienced or not, stay organized.

Now for some exciting news…

With you, our gardening friends, in mind, we have created an amazing tool – the 2017 Printable “My Garden Planner”!!

This Journal has been designed to be printed landscape (11″x8.5″) and fits nicely in a standard 3-ring binder.  You’ll find very helpful logs, planners, charts and tips which will not only help you stay organized but as a result of being organized you’ll have a much better gardening experience–you will refer year after year to this journal.

And, it’s available in our Etsy Store!

We have two versions:  The LITE with 10+pages geared toward the beginning gardener and the EXTREME with 30+ pages geared toward the more experienced gardener or even the beginning gardener who is ready to jump in feet first.

  
*Extreme version of the 2017 Printable “My Garden Journal $12.99
(Use this coupon code: 2017FebWP for 25%off discount expires 2/28/17)
This version has everything a gardener could hope for, 30+pages that fit comfortably in a standard binder.

1. • Cover Page
2. • Table of Contents
3. • General Garden Information
4. • Weekly Planner
5. • Monthly Calendar
6. • Seasonal Garden Chores
7. • Garden Projects
8. • Daily Weather Observations
9. • Monthly Weather Observations
10. • Moon Phases
11. • Spring Garden Plot Sketch
12. • Fall Garden Plot Sketch
13. • Square Foot Gardening Sketch
14. • Crop Rotation Plan
15. • Companion Planting Chart
16. • Succession Planting Chart
17. • Produce for a Year Planner 1
18. • Produce for a Year Planner 2
19. • Produce for a Year Planner 3
20. • Seed Inventory
21. • Seeds to Purchase
22. • Individual Plant Profile
23. • Seedlings Started
24. • Transplant & Direct Sow
25. • Soil & Amendments
26. • Rainfall & Irrigation
27. • Pests & Disease Treatment
28. • Season’s Harvest
29. • Season Preservation
30. • Seed Saving
31. • Seed Packets
32. • Saved Seed Test

LITE version of the 2017 Printable “My Garden Journal” $5.99
This version has everything a beginning gardener would need, 10+pages that fit comfortably in a standard binder.

1. • Cover Page
2. • Table of Contents
3. • General Garden Information
4. • Monthly Calendar
5. • Monthly Weather Observations
6. • Spring Garden Plot Sketch
7. • Seeds to Purchase
8. • Soil & Amendments
9. • Seedlings Started
10. • Rainfall & Irrigation
11. • Pests & Disease Treatment
12. • Season’s Harvest

NEW!! NEW!! NEW!! NEW!! NEW!! NEW!! NEW!!  

NEW!! Our Extreme MINI Printable “My Garden Journal” – the PDF will print out on an 8 ½” x 11″ sheet of paper. It has been designed to be printed out, cut in half, and hole punched to fit the 5 ½” x 8 ½” mini binder.

Extreme MINI version of the 2017 Printable “My Garden Journal $9.99
This version has everything a gardener could hope for, 30+pages that fit comfortably in a standard binder.
• Cover Page
• Table of Contents
• General Garden Information
• Weekly Planner
• Monthly Calendar
• Seasonal Garden Chores
• Garden Projects
• Daily Weather Observations
• Monthly Weather Observations
• Moon Phases
• Spring Garden Plot Sketch
• Fall Garden Plot Sketch
• Square Foot Gardening Sketch
• Crop Rotation Plan
• Companion Planting Chart
• Succession Planting Chart
• Produce for a Year Planner 1
• Produce for a Year Planner 2
• Produce for a Year Planner 3
• Seed Inventory
• Seeds to Purchase
• Individual Plant Profile
• Seedlings Started
• Transplant & Direct Sow
• Soil & Amendments
• Rainfall & Irrigation
• Pests & Disease Treatment
• Season’s Harvest
• Season Preservation
• Seed Saving
• Seed Packets
• Saved Seed Test

Even if you don’t purchase our garden journal (though we hope you will, as the money will be going to help us start our first apiary), it will give you an idea of some of the things you might want to put into your own journal.  By having a place to organize your thoughts, plans, dreams for your garden on paper and then track the progress, you will find your 2017 gardening experience to be a great one!

***Would you like 50% off our either of our EXTREME “My Garden Journals”?  Follow this blog and our facebook page (www.facebook.com/MistyMeadowsHomestead).  Leave us a message that you have done so, along with an email address (we wont share it or use it again) and we will send you a exclusive 50% off that can be used for either of the EXTREME “My Garden Journals”, the regular or the mini!***

Are you an experienced gardener?  We’d love to hear from you!  Please feel free to share your suggestions and tips in the comments below.

This post was shared on The Homesteader Hop

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