kabin, we're practically neighbors!!      FYI, see my reply in General/New Mantra thread.

Sun is out this morning.  Yea!!

I have kept a journal that I made myself (I'm a self-certified book artist).  I included some random paper that I accumulated over the years that are meant for drawing, but I won't use for that. I collage images of my veggies into my yard, to give myself a visual, or I sketch what I want it to look like.

 After a few years of keeping it, I am finally seeing the benefits. When I first moved into my current home, I got really excited about starting my tomatoes in my southfacing windows. I think I started them in March ( I wrote it down) and had 3 foot plants over taking my house.  (I bought nice seeds from a Cooks Garden catalog, and they all took, so I had near 60 plants).  Now when it's April1, I can tell friends and family to chill out since I haven't started my seeds yet. I have 2 months to develop a healthy plant to put them in the ground on June 1. And i also make note that my tomato production is just as crazy as the neighbor who prematurely put their plants out on May 15th.  I make notes from the extention service that may be helpful in upcoming years (like my area may have changed zones last year!)  I also sketch out perenials and possible rotations for my veggies.  Soon, I'm going to bind all my empty seed packets... and start saving seeds in them. 

 Anyone can keep one of these journals, whether you purchase one or make  your own.  Just don't think it has to look like a Martha Stewart or Davinci journal/sketchbook. Have low expectations, and it will come together. A friend of mine keeps a garden journal, and 1 journal took 10 years to fill. And she's on her 3rd one now. Want to see my journals? go to www.mnartists.org/Heidi_Steadman  I will scan in images sometime soon.

CharlieB:

do you keep a journal on planting and do you find it helpful to read back from past years?  Did you buy a journal or make your own?  If you made your own, how did you do it?  What do you include in your journal?

Yes, I keep a daily journal, & I do write in it concerning the garden & fruit production as well.  I find it helpful to check back to see what variety I planted where, etc.  I also keep notes on various pests, & by looking back know when they are due to appear.  I find satisfaction in looking back to see the yield increasing in the trees as they grow & are pruned into proper fruiting shapes.  For instance, by looking back in my journals I know that the year after I raked up TONS of leaves & dug them into the garden in the fall, I had the best vegetable yield of that particular garden.  In order to keep accurate yields, I record as I pick.  Last year I picked over 82 zucchini from 2 plants, in a 2nd year garden that had been a parking spot for the previous owner's RV two years before that.  I have used both purchased journals, & loose leaf types.  I started keeping a journal when I was 18, & am now on volume #25, altho you should know that two of my children bought me volume #24, so I have a "24 A" and "24 B".  Since this is only my 3rd garden in this house, I need my notes to know what works while I get used to gardening in Utah instead of Idaho.

zohnerfarms:

Yes, I keep a daily journal, & I do write in it concerning the garden & fruit production as well.  I find it helpful to check back to see what variety I planted where, etc.  I also keep notes on various pests, & by looking back know when they are due to appear.

Interesting, I haven't ever noted garden production, but it's probably because for veggies, there's usually too much.  However, I've never had good luck with beans...  Like you tho, I've noted pests like the worms that were eating the needles on all our black pines one year.  This was the first year it happened and the pines were fairly young.  The next year, I read it in my journal and then started looking for them in the same time frame (a little earlier actually).  Sure enough, they started appearing.  Didn't see them last year.  Could have been a real late cold spell last spring, but I'm hoping my pines aren't appealing anymore.  : )

yes we keep a journal I learned from a dear Uncle ..  we have peas in the ground and I sure we put in several pepper I have my green house full of seedlings  we are gardening alot more this year .. we have double the size of the main garden and I have a huge pepper garden and huge herb garden ..  My DH keeps track of what grows were .. he got the whole family planting gardens .. ..  I have my tomato plants he planting 6 kinds