Keeping track of it all

Well I FINALLY recorded what I planted and where so I can track what happens in the garden. I have been relying on my memory and now that I am expanding the gardens and have several all over my property, I think it is time to write it down.

For now I am using a blank journal someone gave to me. It has a beautiful water-color Impressionist style drawing on the cover.

On Sunday I planted Mammoth Sunflower seeds in four planting holes, 2 seeds per hole at the back of the existing sunflower sentries protecting the garden at the public sidewalk. According to the back of the seed packet, I can expect the seedlings to break ground in 7 - 21 days, a bloom in 75-90 days and a plant 7 - 12 feet tall and the bloom 1 foot across!! WOW! I will plant more of these each week until the pack is all planted and that way there will be Sunflowers all fall!!

I also planted Green Beans! Since they need something to grow on, I planted them all around the two peach trees that never leafed out - I am pretty sure they are dead. But they make an excellent nurse plant (trellis) for the green beans. I also planted some right at the walkway near the front porch where I have a bare trellis. These will take 7 - 14 days to germinate and 50 days to harvest.

With my journal I can actuall track how long it took in MY YARD for them to germinate and mature. This is useful information for when I plant the same things again next season. I will know if that location worked out, or the seeds for a specific company had a good germination rate, how they did in my soil, etc.

I am always looking for great ideas, so if you use a garden journal or format to track your garden progress, I would love to hear from you!

Happy Digging,
The Garden Goddess
www.down2earthgardens.com