After a week of chilly, blustery weather, we're finally getting some brilliant sunlight and warm temperatures. It's feels wonderful to be able to be back outside!
One of the things that we have enjoyed and found very helpful in our gardening year is the use of a journal or diary. We've been keeping one since 2004 and just bought a new journal since we had completely filled the last one after three years. I particularly like the one we we had from 2008 - 2010 . It's a three column journal in which you can keep track of your garden adventures, both highs and lows, on a weekly basis. I can look across the most recent journal, pick a week and see at a glance what was happening during that time in 2008, 09 , and 10. Most recently, I went back to the first journal entries we made in 2004 which detail the extremely labor intensive creation of the garden on top of a barren concrete slab. We were "urban gardeners" before there was such a term! It was a fun and nostalgic memory. These particular journals are more than just a diary. They also contain lots of written information regarding gardening in general by month and include blank graphs for garden planning.
Some of the interesting and helpful information we've kept is the first and last frost date for each year and how they compare. Or, we can see that in 2008 we brought in 67 pounds of tomatoes, but increased production in 2009 and 2010 to 89 and 88 pounds respectively. Of course, there are always "firsts" like last year's entries about "stink bugs", pests which had never appeared in our garden or journal before. And, as you can see in the picture above, we tape reminders of things we bought giving us a look at what we may want to buy again or not, depending our likes or the success of the plant. Possibilities are endless - dry flowers in your book, tape or paste pictures or articles you've found useful and want to keep as a reference. Your style and imagination will dictate your personal journal.
The "Three Year Garden Journals" we've used are no longer in print, but can be found on auction sites, etc. We paid about $15.00 for the most recent one we bought. They can also be found for much higher prices, so shop carefully if you decide to buy one. But nearly any loose leaf binder or "copy" book will work just as well. So, I urge you to give it a try this year. I think you'll find it as rewarding as Lois and I do!
I hope to see you again soon!
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