Garden Journal or Diary?

[brewerjamie15]

I hope this is the right spot for this thread.
I won't post my garden log here unless a mod says it's cool.

I am wondering if any of you have garden journals or diaries you maintain to gather knowledge from year to year.
I started one this season, but used it sporadically. I have however, learned a bunch about my garden this season and how to make it more useful. I admit I made some mistakes. Some dumb mistakes, some not so dumb.

I am perplexed though in a few areas. I'd like to maintain a better log of activities next year but I'm not sure how to go about a nice orderly manner.
Do I just comment on soil as a whole and then each specific plant or species of plant? I'm hoping some of you have logs you use (not B-logs as in blogs) but an actual open ended type of a diary you can take with you or share somehow.

Not necessarily on a computer, maybe in a notebook? How do you organize what you do? Maps of the garden? Pictures? Drawings?

I could use some ideas.

[petalfuzz]

I kept a kind of journal this year. I just started a word document and added entries at the end when I remembered. Each entry was separated by a double space and dated.

I also kept a separate notepaper journal with my drawings and notes about what I planted where, germination rates, dates of first fruits, etc. The written one is very messy with pages of recipes thrown in randomly. It's pretty dog-eared at this late point in the season!!

As for organization, I don't have any ideas for you, sorry! I'd like to be more organized about my log next year too.

[Jess]

I have a written journal that I have kept going for several years now. I have seperate books so I can compare from year to year.

I start with weather and temps...
then what is growing/in flower/fruit/going to seed etc. and whether it is doing well or I need to move it...
Next any pests/ diseases that are affecting anything and what if anything I do...
Finally any random ideas about the garden than come in to my head for that week/month. Could be notes or drawings.

I also have an online journal, on another gardening forum, that I note things about gardens I work in...or at least that was the plan. I find that one hard to keep on top of as I work in so many and the last thing I want to do at the end of a busy day is make notes of anything. It has ended up being more stories of funny/sad/interesting things that I have done or seen.

[mr_tumnas]

Check out plangarden.com. It's a flash program that's 12 dollars a year that you can use to log, plan, and share your garden. I use it. It's pretty cool. It could definitely be better, but it's the best software I've seen yet for garden planning. I hate the whole 'pay every year' thing, but oh well.
I keep a metal bound notebook with me when I go to the garden, and scribble down everything I do so I can update my log without forgetting everything.

[dinker]

The only journal I have is in my head and well it's getting a little hard to find thing's in it

[delmarvagardener]

I definitely like the idea of keeping a garden journal. I am planning on picking up one of those hardback journals they sell at the books stores for around $5. They hold really well and help me avoid the temptation of pulling pages out to use as scrap paper. I used to keep a journal in the same respect for fishing. Over several years keeping a journal really is enjoyable to go back and reflect on what works, and what does not.

[Naehu808]

Dinker....You are histerical!!!!
Because I'm new here, I've been actually keeping notes in a little writing pad...which is getting full already. I'm gonna have to get a little larger notepad...I don't want anything bulky though. I also liked Jess' idea of how to record the information. Great question and great suggestions!!!
Thanks!
Aloha,
Vicki