Just For The Record

How do you do it? That is keep records of what is happening in your garden or on your allotment plot? Do you try and keep it in your head, write a daily journal, create comprehensive spreadsheets or just jot it all down on the back of a cigarette packet? I often wonder how people note what was planted when, who gave what plant to them, which nursery or show was it where you purchased a special plant, when did you sow your courgettes last year, take penstemon cuttings, details of catalogues you want to send off for etc, etc. All these snippets of information can be oh so valuable as reference points and memory joggers.

As for me pure memory is no longer reliable or accurate so I am increasingly coming to the conclusion that I must improve on record keeping. Sadly I have left a trail of uncompleted gardening journals in my wake. Thoughtful family members and friends have presented me with all sorts including five year diaries which look so inviting on dull winter days. Year 1 - I make a determined effort to jot down what is happening which in January is not a lot. I might make observations on the weather, note when seeds orders arrive or when the first snowdrops appear but usually by March my good intentions have evaporated. Sometimes later in the year I have had another flurry of activity - usually around July when there is not such a manic rush to be doing. This does not last long though and there are then months of blank pages. Year 2 sees a repeat of year 1 but by years 4 or 5 I need sunglasses to counteract the glaring blankness of the pages ~

My latest tomes are not as time challenging as a five year marathon. These are a Paperchase 'Garden Journal' (the most recent version is slightly different to mine with specific headings eg flowers, trees and shrubs) and a Moleskin 'Gardening Journal'. The former could fit the bill I think if I was to rise to the challenge. It is a reasonably sized spiral bound notebook including lined pages, grid paper as well as plain paper plus plenty of plastic pouches. I am still working out exactly what the pouches are intended for - my guess is maybe for empty seed packets. My Paperchase journal does have a few written observation but is now so stuffed full with magazine and paper snippets that these make opening it positively dangerous to contemplate  - so it just sits and looks at me reproachingly from the shelf. The Moleskin journal is much smaller, is divided by definite categories but can be personalised to some extent with a plethora of bewildering stickies. I should make quite clear that I do not have any shares or interests in either company!

When I started blogging I thought that I would use my blog in lieu of a written diary - in fact I even have a specific diary label but there are few entries under this heading. The intention was to write at least a weekly catch up post but this did not get off the ground. So this year in pursuit of my wish to keep record vital statistics I've decided to try out a different approach. I have used the pages feature offered by Blogger and have created two new pages which you can see at the top of this post. One is entitled 'Seeds 2012' and the other 'Planted'. The plan is that these will be able to act as a valuable aide memoire when I am trying to recall certain activities and happenings. I am trying to be disciplined and fill these in regularly. I am also jotting down the dates of all my sowings on the back of each seed packet as a back up just in case my blog ever disappears in a puff of smoke. Sorted? Ask me at the end of the year. In the meantime I would be intrigued to know if you keep records and if so how?