5 ideas for keeping organized garden records

Staying organized is one of the most important ways to learn from your successes as well as to avoid making mistakes. This rule applies to all areas of life and the garden is no exception. Here are five ideas for keeping organized garden records.

Spend some time in winter sorting through seeds and supplies, tidying up your records after the frenzy of summer gardening and making plans for the new season ahead.

• You will be glad to have a clear plan set forth when spring finally arrives.

Even if your memory is great, labels and notes are very important to the garden. You will want to refer back to names, planting times and planting places.

Keep a binder-type notebook that has pockets for plant tags, seed packets and receipts. When you want to make notes, you'll have the information you need.

Maintain a garden calendar to keep track of planting dates; things you want to do at certain times; as well as how much mulch, fertilizer or other materials are required by various parts of your yard.

• Use a card file divided into sections, such as lawns, shrubs, flowers and vegetables.
• Make note cards for your favourite plant groups and write down varieties you try and how you care for them.
• File seed packets in the appropriate sections until you get around to recording your notes.

Photos will help you remember where you planted what, and it's always fun to be reminded of your gardening adventures from past seasons.

• From seedlings to long-lived shrubs and trees, labels help you get to know your plants better.

Don't count on your memory to recall variety or even species names. The more plants you grow, the easier it is to get confused. There are a number of options for plant labels and markers.