A journal can help you plan from year to year by jogging your memory about what kind of plants you grew, when and where you set them out and where you got the seeds. At the beginning of each season, draw a sketch of your garden beds and write down the cultivar names and planting dates in the journal. Later, record weeding, fertilizing and harvest dates and how well each cultivar performed. Germination dates, flowering dates and pertinent weather information are useful, too. Record other details such as irrigation methods, what you used for trellising or support devices and how you controlled pests.
Rotation discourages depletion of soil nutrients, pest outbreaks and soil-borne diseases.
By recording each year's seasonal data, such as precipitation patterns, unusual weather, the date of the first bloom, the first frost and even the arrival of the first hummingbird, you can compare different years and relate them to cultivar performance. Record pest outbreaks in relation to what plants they attack might help you plan the next year's garden, perhaps by separating rows in which related plants grow. Records of beneficial insects and their host plants may suggest how you can make the most of natural predators. Keep financial, yield records, too A journal is handy, too, for keeping track of the money spent on seed, fertilizer and garden tools. It can also be a good way to keep track of yields, and it's a safe place to record the varieties you plant.