18. Keep a Garden Journal

Maintaining a garden journal helps you track important details and improve your gardening success year after year. Record plant varieties, sowing and harvest dates, weather patterns, pest or disease problems, and notable successes or failures. Sketch garden layouts and note crop rotations or companion planting combinations.
Over time, this information reveals patterns, supports better planning, and helps you avoid repeating mistakes. Journaling can be as simple as a notebook or as organized as a spreadsheet. For ready-to-use templates and inspiration, explore The Old Farmer’s Almanac garden journal templates and Gardener’s Supply Company’s journaling tips.