Growing my own veggie , flowers , and herbs imply that there are a few requirement I ca n’t get by without – like seeds , skillful grease , water , and sunshine .
And there is one other detail that I look at indispensable : my horticulture journal .
At peril of sound a moment melodramatic , I truly ca n’t imagine growing plants without having some method acting of noting and organizing my records , observations , and design .
Photo by Joy Kieffer.
Sure , I could do it . But my plant grow pursuit would n’t be virtually as satisfying or as effective without this fantastically worthful tool .
We unite to vendors to help you find relevant products . If you buy from one of our link , we may earn a military commission .
In this article , I ’ll start with a roundup of some of the expert option uncommitted – and a few DIY alternatives .
Photo by Joy Kieffer.
Then I ’ll separate you how I use my journal through the seasons , and what to front for when you ’re choosing one for yourself . Here ’s what I ’ll cover :
The Best Gardening Journals
While I habituate my journal primarily for documenting the progress of my comestible yearly and orchard craw , it can be used to keep course of all sorts of plants , such as ornamental perennials , bulbs , shrubs , Tree , and houseplants as well .
There are many dissimilar journal style available , from those that offer a lot of counselling and command within their page to those that are fairly bare - castanets and more intended for record retention than guided instruction .
When you ’re in the market for one to aid with your own record book safekeeping or planning , here are some questions you should keep in mind :
While these are some of the basic features to consider , your needs may vary – particularly depending on what you ’re grow .
By now you ’ve belike begin thinking about how precisely you ’d like to use your horticulture daybook and what manner would work well for you , so allow ’s depart exploring seven of the well pick that I ’ve institute .
1. The Garden Journal, Planner, and Log Book
Our first selection is “ The Garden Journal , Planner , and Log Book ” by Joy Kieffer , published by Hidden Cache Media .
Garden Journal , Planner , and Log Book
When Kieffer realized she was n’t doing a good job of keeping track of her plantings , relying on her memory alone , she started looking into alternative for keeping good record .
Unsatisfied with the pick uncommitted , Kieffer decided to design her own gardening daybook .
She draw on her diverse backcloth in horticulture , art , the print industry , and her committal to writing skill to create this book , a powerful tool for works record keeping .
Kieffer ’s universe contains a multitude of logs for keeping data track of case-by-case plants – include annuals , perennials , vines , bulb , fruit , veggies , herbs , shrubs , Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree – and even hardscaping .
It also contains forms for you to memorialize weather , bloom and harvest time , finish and multiplication , and anypest and disease problemsyou encounter , as well as treatments you try .
In add-on to these many record retention options , there are pages offering helpful tips and guidance on atmospheric condition , plant propagation , pruning , pest and disease prevention , as well assoil testingand amendment .
And it contain plenty of graph newspaper pages – helpful for drawing scale designs – to project and plan your rows or bed for four eld .
Measuring 8.5 by 11 inches with its binding at the top , this daybook unfold like a calendar , has 250 pages , and will lie flat – an important feature article when you ’re ferment on a table full of seed packets and want your notebook to behave .
Because of the Brobdingnagian array of logs in this book , it ’s best suited to those who are already more or less experienced , who would apprise feature a convenient and organized way to keep thorough record of their garden dangerous undertaking .
Joy Kieffer ’s “ Garden Journal , Planner , and Log Book ” isavailable from Amazon .
2. Gardener’s Log Book: A 5-Year Planner
The New York Botanical Garden created this next selection , release by Clarkson Potter , entitled “ Gardener ’s Log Book : A 5 - Year Planner . ”
This is an excellent multi - year alternative for those who desire the flexibility to create their own social system within a journal , and for those who would appreciate seasonal monitor throughout the twelvemonth .
This deviser contains to - do leaning in a chart format , so you may mark off off chore as you go through the season .
These job – including those pertaining to perennial , ornamentals , bush , tree , bulbs , houseplant , and annual vegetables – can be compared side by side for a five - yr period .
For your preparation and plan sessions , it has plenteousness of pages of graphical record paper , and for banknote pickings , seamed pages .
It has a hybrid binding – with a waterproof hard cover exterior and turbinate bind interior – making it easygoing for this planner to lie matte .
As far as counseling pass away , it turn back appendices with information on compost , growing in containers , pruning , and pests and disease – and a works hardiness mathematical function for the US .
Its dimension are smallish , at 5.3 by 7.6 inches .
It include 240 pages and comes with an elastic stoppage – a feature of speech that is especially useful when you are in the substance abuse , like I am , of place cum packets and slips of newspaper or photos that you ’ve saved indoors .
Gardener ’s Log Book : A 5 - twelvemonth Planner
Since this selection is not heavily guide , it would be well - suited for those who already have some experience and who favor make their own preeminence - pickings structure .
The “ Gardener ’s Log Book : A Five - Year Planner ” by the New York Botanical Garden is availablevia Amazon .
3. My Gardening Handbook
A selection hailing from Great Britain , “ My Gardening Handbook ” is a courteous choice for the sustainably apt , as its pages are made from recycled paper .
My Gardening Handbook
It has plenty of room for keeping records of individual plants – idealistic if you are plant ornamental perennial , shrub , or trees , or if you want to keep tab on your houseplants .
It comprise a glossary of terminology , graphics to serve you recognizecommonly used tools , a inclination of edible plant and prime , and other tip – making this choice very useful for beginners .
Have you ever visit an arboretum and wished you could copy what you saw at home ? This journal has devote Thomas Nelson Page for observe visits and inspirations .
And since the end game of rise plant life is often getting nutrient into your mouth , it also has pages for jotting down recipes made with your homegrown green groceries .
A hefty , hardcover choice that lies flat , it contains 300 pages , is made from recycled , dose - free paper , and measures 6.5 by 9 column inch .
With helpful tips and mountain of elbow room for preparation , design , and banker’s bill taking , this is a great option for gardener at all levels , include beginners .
“ My Gardening Handbook ” by Suck UK is usable with a unripe or black coverfrom Amazon .
4. My Gardening Journal
“ My Gardening Journal , ” published by Quiet Fox Designs , is a simple diary with a cute design that covers four year in the garden .
My Gardening Journal
The majority of the Word is dedicated to individual plant log . you could compose in the history of a plant , pest trouble , bloom , harvest , and knuckle under selective information for up to 55 plants – with four years ’ Charles Frederick Worth of logs per industrial plant .
There are graph pages for function out four class of designs , each go with by a Thomas Nelson Page to record goals , soil , weather , pests , and reflexion for the year .
The distance dedicate to this is fairly circumscribed and would be best accommodate to a smaller growing setup .
There are also a few extra lined pages for notes , and a few blank pages intend for sketches or photos of plants .
It contain log for observe record of your compost , the Dominicus ( to cut across areas offull sun , partial ghost , and shade ) , and any pest and disease problems .
This journal includes some helpful information as well – such as hardiness zone maps for the US and Canada , a tools checklist , and companion planting info .
It is decorated with precious botanical illustrations and prompt quotes throughout , and includes an elastic closure .
A small - sized choice , it measures 6 by 8 column inch , contains 160 page , and is printed on acid - free report . This book does not consist insipid easily on its own , so you will need to consider it down or hold it open when you ’re using it .
With its focal point on record keeping for item-by-item plant , this is a good option for those who bid to track their decorative or eatable perennial , trees , or houseplants .
It ’s also a courteous choice for beginners who are getting started withgrowing vegetablesor herbs in containers , or in a small numeral of upraise beds .
“ My Gardening Journal ” isavailable at Amazon .
5. Outdoor Journals: The Gardener’s Journal
“ Outdoor Journals : The Gardener ’s Journal ” is part of a serial of diaries design for outdoor fancier , created by publisher Weldon Owen .
These diaries allow tramp , chick watchers , campers , bicyclist , anglers – and of course , nurseryman – to keep records of their metre in nature pursuing their hobby of option .
With a gullible hardcover and a compact , svelte profile , Weldon Owen ’s dairy farm for plant growing enthusiasts is both handy and practical .
This horticulture diary is divided into three sections : the first plane section is dedicated to plant log , the 2d section is a five - twelvemonth garden planner , and the last section contains Page for sketching intention or direct short letter .
Let ’s look a bit more at the details of each of these sections .
The plant logarithm section include an indicator , so you may notate and then easy chance the specimens you ’re looking for among your records .
Each log entry has two pages . The first page bears a window pane grid for taking notes or adumbrate drawings . The 2d page include prompt for memorialize basic growing essential such as sunlight , water , and stain needs .
segment within the works logarithm also instigate the grower to observe conditions the plant is vulnerable to , as well as conditions that grant the specimen to fly high .
The 2d subdivision of the diary contains pages for annual plans . This simplified deviser has just two pages per year , and includes prompts to note goals , new plants and projects , and anticipated challenges .
The planner section also has a annual chart where gardener can note plant name , found dates , and bloom or harvest time .
The third section , with blank and dot grid Page , can be used for lottery purpose , preeminence take , adumbrate flora , or paste in photographs .
This diary comes with an affiliated orange ribbon bookmark , an elastic stoppage , and an inner sack that can be used to hive away seed packets or plant tags .
It turn back 168 pages and comes in a slim size of it at 5.75 by 8.25 column inch , gain it leisurely for add up around .
This option will be useful for those who wish to keep course of specimens such as perennials , tree diagram , shrub , or even houseplants , as well as design out a potager .
However , this journal would be best suited to those with some premature experience , who do n’t postulate the guidance offered by some of the other natural selection .
Outdoor Journals : The Gardener ’s Journal
“ Outdoor journal : The Gardener ’s Journal ” is available for purchasefrom Weldon Owen via Walmart .
6. RHS A Gardener’s Five Year Record Book
Here ’s an option for the green ovolo who does n’t require additional guidance , and already knows what they need to write down : “ A Gardener ’s Five Year Record Book ” by the Royal Horticultural Society .
A Gardener ’s Five Year Record Book
The bulk of this book is contain of weekly deviser designed for manipulation over five geezerhood , where you could record conditions , plants in bloom , tasks , and additional bank bill .
Information is memorialize week by week in a table format , wee-wee it gentle to compare banker’s bill over a five - year period .
It also contains section where you could list plants to buy , plant suppliers , address , and garden to chatter . If you run out of way in these format section , there is an additional part at the back containing white pages that you’re able to use as you wish .
This criminal record book is adorned with beautiful botanical illustrations from the Royal Horticultural Society ’s depository library , dating from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries .
It hold back 144 page , has a larger data format at 8.4 by 9.3 inches , and is flexibound , allowing it to easy lie flat . It also has a decoration bookmark to hold your spot .
With its elegant illustrations and aerodynamic platter keeping system , this would be a marvelous gift for a seasoned plant raiser , particularly one who specialize in ornamentals , such as orchidaceous plant .
you may find “ A Gardener ’s Five Year Record Book ” by the Royal Horticulture Societyvia Amazon .
7. A Year in the Garden: A Guided Journal
“ A Year in the Garden : A Guided Journal ” was created by sibling duet Nina and Sonya Montenegro , who are base in Portland , Oregon .
The two endure and work on an organic farm , and together they created this artistic and heartfelt way of transcription and planning one ’s growing experience .
This option is wonderful if you ’d like a exclusive - year journal with a very strong , guide social organisation , and a creative intention – in fact , it is one of the most beautiful journal I ’ve ever come across .
“ A Year in the Garden ” is organized into month , and so is very helpful as a planner . It has clean monthly calendars where you’re able to compose in job or attainment , weekly planners , and monthly trackers .
It also contains helpful reminders each month – though these are orient more for those in northern climates , fitting with the author ’ location in the Pacific Northwest .
It contains pages with dot grid fordesigning your garden layout , as well as plenty of blank pages for note pickings .
Each calendar month comes with prompt , not only on tasks or plans to fill out , but with question compel the user in more pondering ways , turning this into a position for reflection as well as for keep records .
There is a medallion mark for you to bookmark your bit , and an pliable closure to keep the notebook shut .
If all of the helpful features of “ A Year in the Garden ” were n’t already enough , it can do forked duty as a gloss Scripture – the beautiful illustration throughout are designed to be colored , so that you may rightfully make this diary your own , or experiment with colourful layout and pairings for utilisation in your own garden plots and beds .
The book has 272 pages and its dimensions are 6.8 x 9.2 inches , making it a bit narrow-minded and recollective than a stock composition book . The obligate will appropriate the book to lie categoric .
A Year in the Garden
This is a slap-up option no matter your level of experience – idealistic for both the founder and the more veteran nurseryman who wants to savvy more deeply into their plant develop .
“ A Year in the Garden ” from Timber Press isavailable from Amazon .
Three DIY Bonus Options
While the options described above are extremely utilitarian , not all nurseryman are looking for a formatted diary . Some of us like the flexibility of using a notebook , and create our own systems of phonograph recording holding .
For this use , notebooks occupy with either vacuous pageboy , graph paper , or dose grids are ideal . Here are some of my favorite notebooks for make a DIY garden journal :
1. Cognitive Surplus Softcover Green Plants Notebook
If you like the slender , smaller profile of some of the above options but prefer to create your own gardening adventure , the Softcover Dot Grid Green Plants Notebook from Cognitive Surplus would be an excellent choice .
I ’m a big fan of Cognitive Surplus ’s paper products . They have beautiful notebooks , deviser , and letter paper , all of which are made from 100 percent recycled paper and feature science - exhort covers .
Their Softcover Green Plants notebook contain pages printed with dot grid , which give mortal more structure than a blank pageboy , but are more flexible than graph newspaper .
This notebook has a green softcover decorated with a plant theme – make it perfect for diarist who are fans ofpollinatorsand who enjoy occupy a homemade access .
The Softcover Green Plants Notebook contains 112 blank pages of dense , 81 - pound , 100 percent recycled newspaper .
The notebook computer is nine inches by seven inches and lays matted , making it easy to apply in the playing area .
This selection would do work well for a immature ovolo with a in high spirits quotient of creativity , one who appreciates the tractableness of deciding how each page will be used .
Cognitive Surplus Softcover Dot Grid Green Plants Notebook
The Softcover Green Plants Dot Grid Notebook is available for leverage from the Cognitive Surplus Storevia Amazon .
2. Rite in the Rain All-Weather Universal Field Book
If you are the really rugged type who want something that will hold up to your outdoorsy lifestyle ( or a minuscule disregard ) , a weatherproof pick might be what you need .
Rite in the Rain All - Weather Universal Field Book
You wo n’t have to interest about an accidental spray from the hosiery if you have this weatherproof notebook at your side .
you’re able to even write on the pages with pencil or ballpoint pen when they are sozzled .
The Sir Frederick Handley Page of this notebook feature a very flexible universal pattern , which you may use as either line paper or graph newspaper publisher .
It also include a reference section with Imperial and measured rulers , handy for tracking plant height and distribute or the dimensions of your harvest yields , as well as a conversion mesa and map scale .
The waterproof and reusable newspaper publisher is archival timbre and should last hundreds of years – so you may pass down your garden notebooks to your slap-up - great - grandchild !
With 160 pages , this hardback book has a Fabrikoid artificial leather cover with rounded corner , and sewn - in pages . It measures 6.75 by 8.75 inches , and will lie categoric when open .
This DIY pick is perfect for those who want a prick that will stand up to the elements , from spring exhibitioner to sweaty summertime day and sprinkler run .
The Rite in the Rain Weatherproof Notebook comes in blackened , dark , gray , brown , green , tan , and yellow and isavailable from Amazon .
3. Unruled Classic Spiral Bound Blank Notebook
Sometimes a accumulation of white pages is what ’s in order for recording , preparation , and celebrate one ’s growing adventure , and the Unruled Classic Spiral Bound Blank Notebook provides what it takes to do just that .
This notebook contains 70 sheets of paper that have a smooth last and hold 30 percent recycled mental object .
The theme is 60 - pound weight so there should n’t be any some telescoping or bleeding through onto the binding of page .
This option holds up well to the wear and tear that comes with being stuff in and out of doors , and since it ’s turbinate bound , there will be no obstacles to making it lie flat .
The Unruled Classic Spiral Bound Blank Notebook measure 10.59 by 8.86 by 1.42 inches and contain report that is serrated for light removal .
This notebook computer is a great DIY option for those who want the freedom to displume out pages , rework designs , and generally treat this notebook computer as a provision tool rather than an archival record .
Set of 3 Unruled Classic Spiral Bound Blank Notebooks
The Unruled Classic Spiral Bound Blank Notebook is useable for purchase in band of threefrom the Unruled Store via Amazon .
Journals for Gardeners: A Multi-Season Tool
When I first started growing my own vegetable , herb , and flowers , I start up fully grown – with 12 four - by - four - footraised seam to set in . With so many bed , I had to have some way of life to plan my crops and keep track of which variety was plant where .
I first started tag my planting on piece of lax leaf paper – drawing out a map of my beds and take a leak notes alongside my sketches – and I kept these patch of newspaper in a ring-binder .
But after a couple of eld , I trade to a notebook , which was easier to conduct outdoors for taking notes while inspecting my plants .
It was also more commodious for keeping track of the other bits of information I desire to immortalise – such as blighter job , weather condition oddity , and bloom and crop times .
These days , my garden diary is as of import a creature to me as myhori hori tongue – and one I use year round .
And since I ’m garden in the same web site year after year , my notes give me an overview of both growth throughout the current year , and multi - year outgrowth and change .
In Winter
I use my notebook to keep racetrack of my blanket seed inventory , andwinteris the time when my inventory gets updated – I cover off those that have been used up and write in any new ones I have n’t used yet .
Using this inventory , when I plan my January seed purchases , I have a lean of all of my semen in one convenient speckle .
This make it gentle to see what types of seeds I need to purchase , and which I already have in stock .
I can also track when I ’ve purchased or save them , and how long they will typically stay viable .
Once I have a complete leaning of the varieties I will be plant during the year , I utilise my daybook to start project what I ’m give way to grow in outpouring and summertime – and where .
I chalk out out a rough architectural plan of my intention for the yr to start visualizing my nascent garden , referring to the note in my diary from the late year to verify I admit any take improvements – such as necessary craw rotations , add new bottom or rows , or decommissioning ones that have become too shady since the tree have produce .
Then I make lean of the seeds I ’ll be start out indoors , and agenda when they need to be started .
And when Istart seeds indoorsin previous winter , I keep a criminal record of which types I start and how many I inseminate , so that I can check the sprouting rates I ’m get from each variety .
In Spring
In earlyspring , I protrude adding specific details to my garden excogitation – such as how many differentkalecultivars I ’ll let in and where I ’ll plant them – so that when I ’m quick to implant , all I have to do is mention to my design .
When I add these specifics , I page back to my designs for the previous few age , so that I can make certain to rotate craw phratry that are prone to the same disease or pests – like veggies in thenightshade , cabbage , carrot , and squash families .
Once I get my cool season crop seeds in the ground , I like to keep notes on whichpeasandradishespush their brave picayune leaves up from the priming first .
I also note dates when trees and flower are in bloom , so that I can equate this data over the years .
bounce is also the time when I go my yearly harvesting tally – and I keep this information in my trustworthy diary . I drop a line down what I harvest , when , and how much it weighs – and I continue this throughout the growing time of year .
In Summer
Insummer , it seems all my spare time is spent watering , weeding , harvest home , and preserve – but I always make time to jot down some distinction in my journal during the hot month of the twelvemonth .
I make note of which works and salmagundi are doing well , write down any problems with pestilence , and mention volunteers , such as borage , tomatoes , orcucumbersthat I ’ve acknowledge drink down up in unexpected places .
Having record of previous years ’ planting available makes it much easier to key those volunteers that pop up unexpectedly , so I can more readily identify what to pull up and toss on thecompost heap , and what to allow to grow to maturity .
I also try out to take the time to make preeminence on whether I like specific cultivars of certain plants or not .
I normally embed several different form of each type of veggie that I turn , but I ca n’t be sure that I will be able to return whether I liked a sealed character ofgreen beana few years down the ancestry , or whether it was too stringy – unless I compose my effect down .
Throughout the summer , I also keep to librate and tally my harvests .
In Fall
For me , fallis when the last crop of tomatoes , peppers , winter squash racquets , and dried beans are land in , and it ’s clip to add up my annual harvesting tally .
In addition to allowing myself to cocker in feeling some well - earned pride over how many pounds of nutrient I was capable to rise , sustain a running tally allow me to see which crop and varieties were abundant , and which were n’t .
This way , I can start planning corrective measures for next class ’s garden , taking into consideration all of the various elements at play , examine what worked , and what did n’t .
And when the temperatures begin to dip , I also indite in the first light hoar date and the first killing hoar – and I conceive this to be the start of a well - earned break from the garden before planting begins again .
Your Dirt Diary
Whether you are a novice nurseryman or a pro , favor a structured format or a freestyle one , are concerned in platter safekeeping only or also want a place to put down the deeper thoughts that come to thinker when you ’re digging in the dirt ( or as soon as you return to the indoors ! ) , you should have no hassle piece a journal from our roundup to be your constant companion as you grow .
Still feeling a little bookish ? Here area few more record book reviewsto bring you inspiration and guidance :
© Ask the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more particular . Originally published March 10 , 2020 . Last updated : November 3 , 2022 . Photos © Joy Kieffer , reprint with permission . merchandise picture via Clarkson Potter , Cognitive Surplus , Hidden Cache Media , Quiet Fox Designs , Rite in the Rain , Royal Horticultural Society , Suck UK , Timber Press , the Unruled Store , and Weldon Owen . Uncredited pic : Shutterstock .
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Kristina Hicks - Hamblin
