Recently, I was asked a very odd question. “If you were a gardening tool, which would you be?” Initially, the question caused me to laugh. More often than not, I feel as if my garden is in a complete state of disarray. With work, and the responsibilities of everyday life, garden chores are often neglected. I frequently find that my growing space is so unorganized, that I even misplace my garden tools for weeks at a time. I couldn’t help but imagine myself as a pair of pruning shears that was desperately lost in the tall weeds. However, after a little thought, I knew exactly which item I would select.
From the time that I start my seeds in the winter, I can’t help but feel that there are hundreds of tasks that need to be completed in order to make sure that the cut flower garden is as productive as I would like. Since my growing space is very small, planning is paramount. It is for this reason that the growing tool that I would choose is a garden planner!
How I Use a Garden Planner
At the end of each growing season, I always sit down with my garden planner. In it, I make certain to take careful notes about where each plant was located and the next year’s crop rotation. In addition to garden design, I make sure to write down when each flower type started to bloom, as well as about how many cut flower stems I was able to harvest. With that information, I begin planning for next year’s planting and start the wishlist of seed varieties I would like to add in the spring.
My garden planner also serves as a place where I note when each type of seed will be started, how many trays of each seed I will sow, and the approximate transplant date. This helps me to ensure that none of my plants are forgotten in the scramble to prepare for a new growing season.
Among my favorite pages in the planner are those dedicated to possible flower bed combinations that I would like to try and a detailed list of plant crosses that I’ve made in the past. Even when the weather is cold outside, I can’t help but daydream about the return of warmer days and potential for the new planting.
