Plan Your Next Garden
Gardening Expert Neil Woodbridge Recommends Keeping a Detailed Journal to Plan Future Seasons
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A garden journal is your secret weapon for growing better plants next year. Calgary Horticultural Society member Deborah Maier says that keeping track of what worked—and what didn't—turns summer successes into solid plans. You don't need fancy tools. A spiral notebook, phone photos, and plant tags are enough to capture the details that matter.
Why Gardeners Need to Write Things Down
Most gardeners forget what they planted by winter. Deborah Maier recommends a simple approach: jot down planting dates, which varieties thrived, and what died. Write down the weather too—was it dry? Too wet? These details matter next spring. A hard-covered spiral notebook works best. It's durable enough to sit in a garden shed.
Combine Photos and Pencil Notes
Take phone photos of your garden at different stages. Snap pictures of blooms you love and problem areas. Gardening experts suggest marking up those photos with drawing tools, then save them alongside written notes. This combo—pictures plus words—gives you a complete record. When you sit down next February to plan, you'll remember exactly how things looked.
Keep Plant Tags and Calendar Reminders
Don't throw away plant tags. Save them in your notebook alongside photos and notes. Maier also suggests using your kitchen wall calendar for time-sensitive reminders. Jot down when to plant seeds, when frost arrives, and when pests show up. This way, you won't miss key dates next year. Consistency matters most—write notes when you remember them, not later.
Turn Summer Lessons Into Next Year's Plan
By fall, your garden journal becomes a powerful planning tool. You know which tomato varieties produced best. You remember which shady spot was too wet. You've captured your successes and failures. When spring arrives, you won't repeat last year's mistakes. You'll double down on what worked. That's how a simple notebook becomes the blueprint for a better garden.
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