How To Keep A Gardening Journal…

One of the most valuable things that I have done is to keep a gardening journal. Here I write down when and where I planted something and what its requirements were, when to expect it to sprout and bloom, and what the weather was like i.e. 4-6 am, 72°raining heavily or 7:45-9pm 96°humid, very cloudy. Then I jot down if I put in a tag and what it said or was it just a number; also list what special needs the plant might have.

If the plant has significantly different water needs or fertilizer requirements over the course of the year, record those as well. This can have a major impact on its growth.

The sun or shade is another major factor because certain plants prefer different light requirements. Most vegetables like tomatoes and sun-loving flowers like geraniums like at least 6 hours of sunshine a day, whereas, most ferns and Jack-in-the-Pulpits prefer the shade.

The ferns and Jack-in-the-Pulpits also like moist soil. Other plants like their roots a bit drier between waterings. Note this in your journal. Also plan ahead to group plants with similar needs together; it makes gardening easier.

Later if you are going to plant in a certain location, you can go back and see what you successfully used. You may want to use a plant that is related to the ones that already grow successfully in your garden. Think reasonably.

In your journal you may find that brightly colored are great on cloudy days and during the evening hours the white and pastel colors stand out more as well as you notice their fragrance more too.

Keeping your journal for your garden areas pays off big time in the long run. Whenever you are thinking about planting in a certain spot where you have taken notes before, you can go to your journal and see what worked best. This way you cut down on your time experimenting with various plants that may not work in certain locations. Try these first before you waste your money especially with the cost of some really fancy plants.

Good luck and see you on our garden’s path…
P.S. Check out these:


With this one, remember it is never too late to start planting for harvest...

Hurry The Summer Is Going By Fast....but....

Hurry the summer is going by fast....but I still have a few plants in six-packs!

I have made a commitment to get out there and plant them this week before it is too late and the snow starts falling on them. My time has just been passing me by so quickly that I can't believe it!

I just picked off about a dozen cabbage worms (caterpillars) from my broccoli and cauliflower plants. They were so camouflaged that I missed them until I saw the leaves disappearing. That's when I took a much closer look to discover the little droppings and the little devils themselves.

Discover New Ways to Improve How Your Garden Grows

How to stimulate your mind to be more creative for your garden. The best way that I know to do this is by checking around at your local garden nurseries, garden centers, or greenhouses.

Just wandering around through the plants to see what is available locally is fantastic. This way you can directly ask the staff any questions about the needs of the plants you like best to see if the plants will be a good fit for you and your garden.

BUT...an even better way is to find out if these places offer lectures, workshops, special speakers, etc. This way they will introduce you to plants that you may have never thought of using. Most of the time they will give you all the pros and cons of each plant and its relatives. This way you may find out that the one plant which does not seem to do well for you has a relative that suits your garden situation much better; a happy plant will grow and prosper very well and live a much longer life (if it is not an annual) for you.

The majority of lectures are free. The workshops' fees are usually to cover the cost of the materials.

I find it has been very beneficial to me. It keeps you up on the most recent discoveries with plants, pest control, new products, and so much more. Along the way you meet wonderful folks to share your learning experience with you.

My favorite garden center, Lake Street Garden Center in Salem NH, is not very close to me, but I definitely find the little trip is well worth it for such valuable information and ideas.

Check around your area to see what might be available for you!

What's in Your Garden?

What are you growing in your garden?

• Are there vegetables or herbs for food?
• Flowers to brighten your life and home...or to dress up your salads or your plates?
• Are you experimenting with one or more new types of plants that you never saw before?
• Or never ate before and you want to be daring?
• Or saw in a magazine, book, or someone else's garden and you loved it and want it in your garden?
• Are you growing a giant version to enter a contest at a country fair in the fall like giant pumpkins?
• Are you staying safe with your old standbys?

I am doing a combination of vegetables for food and flowers to make my yard and home pretty. I will soon post some photos of what I have. As the summer goes on, we will watch them grow...along with any 'situations that happen to them.

Such as....my granddaughter planted a bean plant (a mystery type that I think at the moment is a bush bean, but as time goes on we will see) at school and brought it home. As it was getting sun on the railing of our house one afternoon, we pulled down the driveway and immediately saw that it was uprooted and one of the beans was in a neighboring pot half eaten. My daughter 'bandaged' it and splinted it with a drinking straw. We think it was a chipmunk. Over the next week we will see if it survives.