Now that you have accumulated all the wonderful garden ideas in those first journal pages, it is time to get serious about implementing those plans. Hopefully, you have walked around your winter garden, taking notes on what  you would like to add in the coming season. If you had any photos from last years plantings, you can reference them when choosing plants for your flower or vegetable gardens. It is a good idea to measure any new planting areas so you will know how many plants are needed, as well as how much material to purchase for soil improvements. This information can be updated as the season progresses so you will  have an easier time remembering what worked, and what you would like to change  next year.

Planting seeds in a timely fashion can be tricky. For me, remembering where I put my seed packets after I purchased them can be daunting. Sam, my fellow blogger on “Creative Inspirations”, came up with a good idea with the Seed Packet Organizer on her “Be Creative” Blog. This solution is a better choice than my miscellaneous boxes stuffed with seeds!  Her organizer not only looks good,but it can visually organize the plantings by weeks. Botanical Interests’ Spring Sowing Guides are other helpful tools that lists the various plants in the order by which they need to be sown indoors and out, based on the average last frost date.

Indoor Spring Sowing Guide: Flowers & Ornamentals

Indoor Spring Sowing Guide:Vegetables & Herbs

Outdoor Spring Sowing Guide: Flowers & Ornamentals

Outdoor Spring Sowing Guide: Vegetables & Herbs

Your journal is a great place to record the process of seed sowing. Jotting down when the seed was planted, the length of time it took to germinate, when it was transplanted, the weather conditions affecting its growth, along with any other observations, can make the next season planting process easier.

There are many ways to record these events in your journal. If you like working with charts, Judy, the co-owner of Botanical Interests, has created a very detailed chart that will give you precise information on your plantings. You can downloaded here.

Now, I would love to say that this would work for me, but being an artist/gardener, I would rather draw the plant’s progression than chart it. I like attaching the seed packet to the page and recording the data next to it. It’s not as scientific as Judy’s, but it works for me.

Remember this journal is your creation. While recording the nuts and bolts of your garden experience can be very helpful, you need to make it work for you. So be creative, have fun and enjoy the journey!