The Perfect Garden Journal

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     I'm so excited to get my Fall garden going this year!   I can't plant until the weather cools down a bit, but I can get prepared.  I need to see what seeds or transplants I need.  I need to decide where everything will be planted.  I will have to amend some soil and get the garden boxes ready.  There are so many things to think about! I decided that what I really needed was a garden journal that will help me prepare, plan and stay on a budget.  I looked at various garden journals online, but either they didn't have exactly what I wanted or they were expensive.  So, I decided to create my own!  While I was at it, I decided to put it in our Etsy Shop and make it available to everyone. 

     The great thing about creating my own garden journal and making it printable is that I can put in as many of certain pages that I want and I can arrange the pages in the order that makes the most sense to me! An extra bonus is that I could make it cute and enjoyable to use. 

     I began by picking up a 3-ring binder to put my pages in.  It has the front window space to slip in the front page of the journal.  Then, I printed off the pages that I wanted, (in my case all of them and in multiples), punched holes in the pages and put them in the binder.  I used those little round reinforcement labels to keep the pages from tearing around the rings. 

     I wanted my front page to be the Garden Design Page so that I can visually draw out how I want my garden to be laid out. Then I can label the boxes with what will be planted there each season.  There won't be any problem to simply print off a new page when I need to since I will always have the pdf on my computer. 

     Also, close to the front, I put the Budget Page so that I can keep myself from going overboard on the spending for my garden. 
     After that, I decided that I needed an inventory of what I already had on hand as far as things to plant.  I printed off 2 of these pages, but realized quickly that I would need more.  I make notes about what variety of seeds I have, how many  and hopefully where I purchased them.  Some of my seeds I've had awhile, so I don't remember where I got them, so I note that as well.  If they don't grow, it may be that they are too old.  That won't stop me from trying to plant them anyway because you never know! 

     Alicia, who is an avid gardener suggested that I include calendar pages that do not have the month printed on them.  It was a great idea because depending on where you live, you may be able to start a garden earlier or later that I can.  I put in pages for Fall plantings and Spring plantings.  Some areas of the country can't really garden in the Fall like we can here in Phoenix, and you may not be able to start putting in your Spring garden in February like I can either.  Or, maybe you have a greenhouse where you can grow all year.  The calendar pages are very adaptable for anyone. 

      I left room at the bottom of each page for notes.  I really want this journal to be like my own almanac that I can refer back to and read how well something worked or if it didn't work in my garden.  So I felt like a lot of room for notes was important. 

     Other pages included in this journal are:

• A seed starting log
• Daily task pages with needed supplies lists
• Soil amendment and fertilizing log
• Fall and Spring Garden plans page
• Harvest Notes

     There are 17 pages to choose from and print in all.  I started out with at least 2 of each and more than that of many of them.  You will be able to customize your journal to your needs. 

     If you are in the midst of planning your garden space, here is how you can have it in your hands within the next few minutes:

1. Click this link to go to our Etsy Shop.  (It is 3WinksDesignShop)
2. Click "Add To Cart."
3. Etsy will guide you to pay  ($6.00) and download your digital file!  
4. You can download the file and print it right away or wait until after you've gotten your binder to put it in, lol.  
5. Then, go back to our homepage and see all of the other delightful downloads that we have available! 

       *Just for our blog readers:

    Use code Garden24 to get a 10% discount on your entire order from shop! It is only good until Friday, so use it while you can! 

     My goal is to be growing and harvesting almost all year long! I've already checked the extension service of our local University to get a list of what I can plant and when all year long and have been making my choices and recording them in my copy of ​​My Garden Journal.  I can start planting in September and then throughout the Fall.  By January or February I will be rotating in Spring crops.  I hope when harvest time comes that I will be printing off many pages of the Harvest Notes page!  I hope you will, too!  Happy Gardening! 
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