Like many of us, you may have spent more time than usual at home and in your backyard this year. If so, you might have noticed that some plants aren't thriving and other plants really took off. Perhaps you saw areas you would like to improve or do differently next year. Are you taking notes on all the things you observe?
A landscape or garden journal can be a helpful tool for planning next year's growing season. You can use a traditional blank journal and pencil or try a notes app on your phone. There are also apps made specifically for gardening. From apps that help you catalog your garden to helpful guides on how to make the most of your vegetable harvest, check out some of the best here.
Once you have your journal picked out, record what you see or what you think about when you look at your landscape. If using an app on your phone, take photos to accompany your notes. You can also find all sorts of templates for gardening journals online.
Start recording what went on in your garden over the summer. What came up, what bloomed, what died, and what you did about it. You can go into as much detail as you want. You can record when you last fertilized your plants, or when you cut something back. Did you plant too early or too late? What varieties grew the best? Did some of your perennials fail because they grew in the shade of a tree? Remind yourself to plant something more suited to shade in that spot. If your flower seeds did not sprout, note where they were planted and what you think you can do to help seeds grow next season. If you grew vegetables, note what produced good yields and what didn't do well. If there were insects or disease, figure out what went wrong and how you can remedy it next year.
When it comes to placing orders for seeds, buying small plants from a nursery for replanting, designing layout of a garden or flower bed, you will have notes on hand to help you remember what you really wanted out of your yard and garden when next year's season is in full swing!
References
Associated Landscape Contractors of Colorado. (2020, August 28). Tip of the week (email newsletter). https://www.alcc.com/tip-of-the-week-email
Digital Trends. (2020, July 11). The best gardening apps for 2020. https://www/digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-gardening-apps/
University of Minnesota Extension. The Garden Journal - A Tool You May Have Overlooked.