Many of my journal and notebook designs are related to gardening. The word garden covers everything really, from food and herbs to flowers and perennials. In England, the word garden means the yard - grassy areas as well as flower beds and everything growing there. But to me, a garden is an area that is anything but grass.
Vegetable Garden
Most recently my writing was geared to vegetable gardening. When I lived in New England I knew what I was doing. I didn't need to write anything down. But I now live in Florida, and it is a whole new beast to tame.
When I began vegetable gardening in a climate that is mostly hot, and always humid, I had a lot to learn. Taking notes, and writing about my successes and failures, reminded me of what to expect each season. This is a place where I can grow (certain foods) year round.
I used a big old spiral bound book to plan my garden. I would dream about how the yard would look - eventually. I sketched out locations for growing food and flowers. Often, I did not follow my plans! That's okay, because I was learning as I went.
This post on my Hydrangeas Blue blog will show you how I began to turn my all grass backyard into a place to grow food.
Rough Drawing Before Planting
It was helpful to create this rough drawing of my yard and keep track of where the sun would hit and at what time of day. Where I live too much sun can be worse than not enough.
Plant and Seed Purchases
I also kept track of what I bought and where. Later I would update the notebook with how well each plant did.
Some online places offer organic seeds, and some will ship seedlings - such as local types of milkweed. Keep track of vendors that do a good job of mailing nice plants.
You could also include here a list of YouTubers who are most helpful with gardening advice for your specific area.
(Create a binder to hold your garden plans - we offer some custom binders - large and small at Sabal and Soil at Zazzle.)
Garden Turtles Design Garden Scrapbook Mini-binder
Garden Tools and Supplies
Many items have to be bought online because I don't have a good garden shop nearby. My mulch and compost came from a local Yard Shop. One idea would be to keep track of prices to compare cheapest options.
After a couple of years I decided that raised beds would be best. I bought some Vegega raised metal beds and blogged about those. Check reviews of products to see what others have to say. Make notes of your own experience.
How Well Did it Grow?
After gardening in Florida for a while, I began to realize that some things were simply not worth the effort to grow. Tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers are on that list.
Other things grow really well - like okra and Daikon radish - but I dislike both for eating! Instead I grow lots of sweet potatoes during summer.
We can grow crops year round in Zone 9B, but knowing when to plant which crops is a learning curve. Your area of the country will be different and most people have only one season to plant. Keep notes on pests, frosts, rainfall, and the effects on vegetables.
Did you plant seeds in pots and then do transplants, or did you plant directly into the ground? What were the results?
Pests and Beneficials
All gardeners deal with pests. They come in the form of insects that eat the leaves, and animals that dig and destroy. Being vigilant in the garden is helpful. Tomato hornworms eat eggplants as well as tomatoes, and finding them early is imperative to plant life. Aphids feed the ladybug larvae, so maybe keep some aphids around. Make note of the ladybugs in the garden and be happy to see them.
What time of year do these things show up? Do deer and raccoons visit at night and have a nice meal of things? What are the best ways to deter them?
Which butterflies come to the garden and which flowering plants are their favorites? Monarchs visit milkweed, but there is one type that we should not grow here in Florida. Read about Tropical Milkweed on my other blog.
Also, plant for hummingbirds, and area specific butterflies - like the Gulf Fritillary which only lays eggs on the Passionflower vine here in Florida.
Spending time in the garden can open your eyes to first hand accounts of what is happening. Write things down and refer to it occasionally as a reminder.
Annual and Perennial Flower Garden
If your gardening has more to do with growing pretty flowers and shrubs, the needs are nearly the same as growing vegetables. Mainly you will not be eating them - unless they are edible herbs, or flowers.
Watch the sun placement before planting. Know when to prune the perennials and which ones need covering in cold weather (a Florida thing).
Experiment with propagating from cuttings and maybe create a whole new plant for free! I love doing this.
Extra Advice
If you want to become completely immersed in becoming self-sufficient, keep a compost pile going. It will greatly reduce waste that probably now goes into the trash.
Adding your homemade, rich, black dirt back into the garden is a nice feeling, and the plants will love it.
Grow some medicinal and or flavorful herbs along with everything else. Nothing beats grabbing a handful of herbs right from the backyard and using them while cooking or making tea. Write down your favorite simple garden recipes as part of the journal.
You Decide
Garden journals can have as much, or as little, information as the gardener chooses. It can be viewed as a sort of diary where growing food is combined with other outdoor excitement. The first day a robin appears could be noted, or the time you were happily gardening and a black bear walked through the yard! (Yup, a personal story.)
A good journal can serve as reminders of how you began and how far you've come. Pass it down to children who may show an interest in becoming little farmers themselves. Or, buy the kids their own journals and get them gardening when young.
Thank you for reading, and happy growing!