How to Start a Garden Journal (15 Tips for Success)

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4 жыл бұрын

A garden journal can improve gardening success. By tracking and documenting successes and failures, gardeners are more likely to repeat positive gardening activities. There are many journal options, and Gardener Scott discusses 15 important topics that should be included in a garden journal and how he uses them. (Video #106)
03:10 Journal options
04:34 Plant Info
05:26 Important Dates
06:03 Weather Conditions
06:22 Gardening Techniques
06:52 Crop Rotation
07:08 Fertilization
07:35 Seed Info
08:05 Insects
08:31 Milestones
09:07 Successes & Failures
09:44 Next Year's Plan
10:08 Garden Sketch
10:33 Plant Tags
10:56 Photos
11:15 Receipts
11:48 Steve's Journal
"Gardener's Log Book: A 5-Year Planner"
amzn.to/2pcNSm5
"A Year in The Garden: A Guided Journal"
amzn.to/3u8TV6Z
"The Garden Planner, Planner, and Log Book" amzn.to/2PAPHnH
"Garden Journal: Gardening Planner and Log Book" amzn.to/2Nr0YnN
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Пікірлер: 100

@debbiehester5907 4 жыл бұрын

My grandmother journaled daily from the time she was a newlywed in the 1920's about all aspects of her life, especially her garden. Everyone who knew her swore she could put a chunk of firewood in the ground and have an oak tree in no time. There's so much wisdom in those pages and when I wonder how she would handle a garden problem I have, I just turn the pages. She started me on garden journals many years ago. Thank you so much for emphasizing the importance of journals.

@dystopiagear6999 4 жыл бұрын

That's lovely both for practical reasons and as a family heirloom.

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Debbie. I imagine that your grandmother's journal is fascinating. You're very lucky to have those memories.

@yklarname4077 4 жыл бұрын

wow. Sounds like a treasure for me. Maybe you can share some pages to get an idea? Blessings

@ohno248 Жыл бұрын

You are so fortunate. Wow. My ex-husband's grandmother kept a very simple diary. I got to look at it after she passed. Her entries were from the '50's, I think. Even the look of the ink was fascinating...

@donnabrooks1173 Жыл бұрын

These memories are so cool, but so rare. True family heirlooms.

@lauren4622 Жыл бұрын

As I’m beginning to sow seeds for a fall/winter garden as well as plan out next years crops I thought, “Maybe you should keep track of things more”. Next thought was, “I wonder if Gardner Scott has info on a garden journal” and here I am. You never disappoint and the wealth of knowledge you share is priceless

@denisefox4560 4 жыл бұрын

My father was a journal-er from way back. When he passed away we found a box in the basement that had his calender's from when he first bought his property back in the 1940's with so much information like weather, what he did with the property everyday, his hunting/fishing journals were so detailed with the weather, and the days catch/kill it was fun to read through these. I think that some of his habits were passed down to me, especially the dates of events and such. Thank you for this video and the remembrance of journal keeping and how important is can be.

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Denise. That sounds like a wonderful way to remember your father.

@giselleburningham3204 4 жыл бұрын

These are actually becoming very valuable for historical local weather.. so please keep it or give it to a museum.

@furociousfyve 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for your run down on what to put in a gardening journal. I've been trying for years to be a good steward of my tiny amount of land and really struggle sometimes to remember "that year the strawberries did well" what the heck did I do to make them so successful... lol ♡ ty ty

@amandachamberlain3169 2 жыл бұрын

I've been keeping a gardening journal for the 9 years I've lived at this house and it really helps a lot. I rely on pictures when things are busy and go back and add details to the journal when I have the time. I use the winter months to analyze it all and develop the plan for the next year. Since I can alot I also keep a canning (preservation) journal and do a winter inventory so I can be more informed on how much more or less of a plant to grow.

@tonyafrancesca8409 4 жыл бұрын

Wow that's cold!! We're the opposite too hot in Australia. Great gardening advice, many thanks!

@XavierIsraelMatamoros 4 жыл бұрын

Great ideas! I have my journal in MS Word. In my Excel "Garden Sketch/Plan" workboo, I have placed screenshot of my 3 acre property from Google earth, with beds labeled by clickable text boxes that take me to more detailed pages, where I can insert thumbnail-sized photos of all my flowers & shrubs.

@zacharysimon2952 4 жыл бұрын

Xavier Israel Matamoros I also have been keeping an electronic record, but I really like the way the 10-year journal lets you see the past few years at a glance. Hard to get that with the tools I’ve been using. Do you have any way you organize your electronic notes?

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Xavier. The Excel file is a good approach.

@GardenDiscovery Жыл бұрын

I want to start journaling for most of the reasons you gave, and because I find I need encouragement when the garden is struggling, like from the long droughts we have in the summer. At those times, I just want to give up. Then autumn comes, and the garden starts to revive. I need this reminder to hang in there- this too shall pass.

@dirtcheapgarden22 4 жыл бұрын

Steve reminds me a lot of Jordan Peterson. Thanks for the great video Scott.

@concert610 3 жыл бұрын

I started a garden journal with your recommendation. I love it. Makes it great for checking age of seedlings, transplants, and so on. Last year I picked up a weather station that connects to Weather Underground. I use it to track the weather for my garden. I've noticed the expected weather is always a few degrees different than my temp. Also noticed the rain fall is much different. Most the time rain avoids me. In a flat land I'm on the side of a hill creating a micro climate bubble. Most the time to include much higher winds. Anyway. I love this internet connected weather station because it automatically records historical weather data for my garden. This is also important information for the pasture grasses.

@judymertz7670 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much for sending me in this direction.

@ptseti 4 жыл бұрын

I started gardening just august 2019 this year and I started instinctively a journal as I wanted to note all my success and failures, the lessons and experiments tried so I also recommend this for any gardener as it is a valuable tool.

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

That's great. Thanks.

@CurtisSheeran 4 жыл бұрын

I've loved this video so much. You remember me my father, which was a gardener too!

@fernsandfoxes 4 жыл бұрын

Gardener Scott, this is one of my favourite videos of yours. Please share some of your spreadsheet ideas for the nerdy types like me :) Thank you so much for all the work you do on this channel. I grew up on the west coast in Zone 9a and now I live at high elevation in the Rocky Mountains in Zone 3a with mountain valley weather that really has a mind of its own! I really appreciate your guidance on tracking & learning about my own specific garden. My new location is beautiful but it's also like gardening on a different planet! So I am learning as if I am brand new. I am really enjoying your recent comments and answers to your fellow Colorado gardeners lately as these questions often apply to my zone too. Info like that is difficult to find! Much appreciated. As I was just typing this I got a message from my neighbour showing a severe hail storm warning this afternoon! The irony. Thank you thank you thank you for sharing your wonderful world of gardening!!

@ginninadances 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for having this

@gab_m_mad 4 жыл бұрын

Amazing video ! Thank you so much! I started gardening last year, and this year I have my first tulips ! And this week I planted Lily’s and Dahlias. I hope that it works as good as the tulips. I live in Ireland and here it rains every single day .. that’s my problem. Less sun, more rain. But I’m in love for my garden, and I’ll start my garden journal tomorrow!

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Congratulations on your flowers!

@gab_m_mad 4 жыл бұрын

Gardener Scott thanks! My tulips are the most beautiful flowers I’ve ever seen, and they bring Colors and happiness to my garden

@jardin-du-696 11 ай бұрын

What a wonderful idea ❤❤❤

@rainepanda Жыл бұрын

great notes! thanks for your video!

@FaleeshaHindman 5 ай бұрын

Thank you for this. This is my second year of vegetable gardening. Previously, I've done mostly my own xeriscaping in the yard. I sort of wrote down some ideas and plant stuff last year willy-nilly. This year, I thought I should try to keep better track, but wasn't sure what might be important later. This has given me a great start! I found the idea of keeping track of when I constructed or bought infrastructure for the garden particularly useful as I would never have thought about that. The great spreadsheet expansion is on.

@iamkarmabanks 2 жыл бұрын

This is great information. Thank you Gardener Scott!!!

@SmallGardenQuest 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this. Now when the winter came I will need to think how systematically collect all the data for my next year. For this year I only took photos and videos of my progress in the garden but I want more data like temperatures plant varieties and so on. Hope your plant will survive the cold under the hoop-house.

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks. The spinach and cabbage are actually doing okay... for now.

@StevenWaskewicz 4 жыл бұрын

Good Job Scott, well done

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Steve.

@msaccessorize 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much) very interesting and useful information. I plan to make my own garden journal

@HeadWestOn90 4 жыл бұрын

THANK YOU!

@movietigdave2 4 жыл бұрын

I think the video is great and makes perfect sense. From my point of view I hate writing and am not very good at keeping diary's etc. What i do is take photo's and group the plants starting with sowing , the first sprouts, first flowers, first crops and photos of the crops on the scales etc. i find it much easier and rewarding than writing ( ugh). I keep them on the computer in folders by year as you say Scott if you do not record things some way you forget and i sure forget things but i find the photo's jog my memory. Keep up the excellent videos super quality by the way.

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Dave. I have photos going back many, many years. It's a great way to do it.

@maurabuller5606 4 жыл бұрын

I will take your advice to heart. I just moved to southwest Idaho and am new to gardening. I have four raised beds to start with in this sandy desert climate (zone 7a). Love your channel! Thank you!

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Maura. Enjoy your gardening.

@LiliansGardens 4 жыл бұрын

A journal . great idea, thanks.

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

You are welcome.

@melodyscamman244 2 жыл бұрын

Journals and diaries often survive the author, or find themselves far from their point of origin. To that end, I might suggest that people record on the first page, or back of front cover the geographic coordinates and elevation of the garden, and the "expected" dates of last frost in spring and first frost in autumn. This info is strictly for future readers. Also, through the years I've switched to using the Julian calendar system and conventional for my journal... so much easier to determine expected seeding or harvest dates. Have gained a lot of knowledge from your videos... Thank you.

@maryt8184 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the nudge. I used to keep a garden journal and had gotten away from it. Need to start again.

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Glad to help, Mary. Enjoy your future journaling.

@jettyeddie_m9130 4 жыл бұрын

Gotta love this man made weather 😅, anyhow great video 🤙

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks. 🙂

@kittyxiao2002 4 жыл бұрын

Oh! Thoes journals are cool, and thanks for recommendation. If there is any electronic version, that will be even better.

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

There probably is, but I haven't used one.

@Saltyboy1122 3 жыл бұрын

Sounds like something you should publish-there are many such historic journals available

@beverlyanne5699 4 жыл бұрын

In Nursing we have an old saying "If it was not written down, it was not done". In the Army we call it CYA , Cover Your A$$. I live by this addage. I have tons of note books. Going back to when I was 9. Just the important writing I treasure. Taught my Eldest son to do scientific journalling. We took a snapshot of the plants he grew, and he made notes of his observations of growth. Started when he was 2. It was awesome. When he was 10 and he made slime. I tried to make him keep a journal of his formula of experimentations. He got frustrated. He wanted to make a muck. Then he learnt why, because he could not reproduce the success of his experimented recipe because he had no notes. Lesson learned. He did have fun. But if you change things a lot write it down. I bake a lot, I write down any and all changes too, because it is chemistry it matters. I try to be a living example for my kids. Fun and practical. Share your wisdom. There is no point in knowing things if no one knows you know. That's why people are social creatures by nature. Writing it down provides wonderful ancedotes for life later on too! I have lovely stories of almost every plant, planting bulbs in our front garden with my Boy's.

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Sounds like you have it figured out. Thanks for sharing a good example.

@dystopiagear6999 4 жыл бұрын

Spreadsheets etc are nice, but I prefer a simple notebook for each year. They will never require electricity or batteries, they will still be accessible if my computer or phone blows up, and even after I'm gone the "software" needed to read them will still exist. Barring getting lost in a fire or left out in the rain somehow (which would also destroy an electronic version anyway), they're pretty fool proof. If one is running a more serious business based around their garden I'm sure they will want a digital version as well.

@PopleBackyardFarm 4 жыл бұрын

great information. This is helpful for us as we are farmers and love houseplants too. New friend Ruthie

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Ruthie!

@benthere8051 4 жыл бұрын

That's a lot of good advice. There are many, many things I've done in my garden where I've completely forgotten the details. I specialize in Southeast Asian vegetables and not only would I like a log of when, how, and what I did, but I'd like to have photos of my results. I wish I had done what you are recommending.

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Jim. It's never too late.

@strive4impact 4 жыл бұрын

Awesome idea. I'm in Idaho Springs (Colorado), and came across your channel several weeks back. Thanks for all of your great tips. I have a lot of clients who use Wordpress (content management system) for their websites, and I've used Wordpress as an organizational tool for various projects as well. Until this video, I hadn't thought about using it to keep track of garden stuff, but I'm going to get it set up and in place now. Thank you for the idea!

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

That's a great way to use Wordpress. So glad it will work for you.

@strive4impact 4 жыл бұрын

@@GardenerScott Thanks for the inspiration! I'll link to you from the video I just uploaded as well, showing my initial set up. Probably a very boring video for most to watch, but I thought I would post it anyway, just so I have a record of where I'm starting. Your espalier video was also very helpful for me. Thank you!

@allenjeng3506 4 жыл бұрын

Lovely. Thx 🙏. This is exactly what I have been looking for- a gardening journal. I also wonder if there is a good app for phone or iPad.

@terrycarkner1698 3 ай бұрын

Can’t find that garden journal. I have had 1 in the past but never kept it going but now that I am retired from my market farm and just have a large garden, I would find it more useful, I’m sure!

@stanmack6171 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing all of this great info Gardener Scott! Requesting permission to add your video to my gardening playlist? I’d love to share with my gardening friends.

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Stan. By all means, feel free to add it to your playlist and share.

@stanmack6171 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you Sir!

@kahvac 4 жыл бұрын

Excellent video ! Maybe someone can help me get organized. I've been making videos of my garden and fruit trees for the past 6 years and have 100's of videos that are only organized by dates they were taken. It's really nice to look back over the years and see how things have changed. Sometimes if I'm looking for problem like borers, fungal issues, pests, or deer issues, it can be a handful to start looking at all these videos. Maybe someone has a better way. Thanks again for the great videos !

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks. I organize my videos by topic. Insects, fruits, vegetables, projects, and harvests are some of the folder titles. Within those I add another level of specific topic. To access past videos of tomatoes I go to my vegetable folder, then to the tomato folder, and then can find what I'm looking for.

@russellstonestreet997 4 жыл бұрын

Really enjoying your work...but i have to say STOP doing a great job...everytime my fiance sees your work...your putting me to work as well..👍👍👍...Great job buddy. Keep up the good work...

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much. I hope you're enjoying the extra work... a little.

@saminairfan45 4 жыл бұрын

Thank you and I am SO bad at this

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Most of us are. Just a few garden highlights can be easy and so helpful when looking back.

@wildedibles819 4 жыл бұрын

I journal on line kinda like blogging or I would loose the book or forget to write things down etc... I take pictures and videos and keep track that way

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Sounds like a very good way to do it.

@ohske 4 жыл бұрын

👍👍👍👌👍😊

@Benesco30 8 күн бұрын

This is the 100 th one ( comment)

@lindaestell6613 4 жыл бұрын

We had a heavy frost two days ago. That's nearly four weeks early as our average frost date is November 22nd. Our growing season is getting shorter.

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

That's great info to track. Thanks.

@lyndabuchholz1216 4 жыл бұрын

I like your friends journal where did it come from?

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

You can find it here: amzn.to/2qZiBDt

@tranthiduyen615 4 жыл бұрын

Xin chào anh.anh ơi có tuyết rơi kia, chắc là lạnh lắm anh nhỉ

@OakKnobFarm 4 жыл бұрын

My journal is incomplete... I forget to add sometimes. But it's STILL useful! Luckily I have a weather station, so at least my weather data is recorded automatically :). But it's my harvest dates, etc, that sometimes get forgotten and not added

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

The weather station is a great idea. Good luck remembering the rest.

@OakKnobFarm 4 жыл бұрын

@@GardenerScott I get a bit more professional about it each season, luckily :)

@OakKnobFarm 4 жыл бұрын

actually my YT vids almost act like a record, as do your own LOL

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

Exactly. In many ways I use my videos as my journal.

@keetetteturner3147 2 жыл бұрын

Since I'm trying to learn all I can this winter about gardening, especially small space gardening, I've been keeping a sort of pre-journal. In it I'm keeping notes on videos I watch, books I read, tools and other garden equipment I need before it's planting time, and seeds I have either ordered or am planning to order. I am also trying to figure out where the best place to put my raised beds and containers in my small (63 square feet) garden. My garden is in the north west corner of my yard, and I'm wondering if there is a best way to orient my garden? Tall plants on the north side or the west side?

@GardenerScott 2 жыл бұрын

Good for you. Keeping notes is a great start to learn gardening. Generally, taller plants will be on the north side of a bed. The east-west placement is not as important. Determine the final size of the plant and imagine the movement of the sun during the growing season. Potential shade will affect other plants and that's how you figure out where to plant.

@keetetteturner3147 2 жыл бұрын

@@GardenerScott Thank you. I love your videos and often binge watch them.

@jeannie8050 4 жыл бұрын

Which journal is shown at :56 under the title?

@GardenerScott 4 жыл бұрын

That's the "Gardener's Journal: A Ten Year Chronicle of Your Garden" You can find it here: amzn.to/2PpFRTN

@surfearth1 3 жыл бұрын

What was the dark green journal? I don’t see that in your lists of journals. I have a garden journal, but I like the idea of a page for each day of the year so you can glance at the same day over multiple years. Where can you get a journal such as that?

@GardenerScott 3 жыл бұрын

I haven't found that one in print for awhile, but you might be interested in this one: amzn.to/3u8TV6Z

@surfearth1 3 жыл бұрын

Found one on eBay. $500 on Amazon! Crazy price!