Have you planted your garden yet?  The gardening centers are alive with seed packets, potting soil and seedlings!  Isn’t it exciting?  What will you plant this year?  Tomatoes in a pot on your patio?  A raised herb garden?  A backyard garden complete with tomatoes, beets, beans, lettuce, spinach, okra, cucumbers…?  Whatever your gardening plan is, you will benefit from planning, organizing and documenting your planting adventure.

Step 1:  Plan your garden layout.  What will you plant?  How many of each will you plant?  When should each thing be planted?  Check out this site for a cool online tool that helps you plan your garden layout: http://vegetableplanner.vegetable-gardening-online.com/

Step 2:  Get organized.  After you have decided what you will grow this year, you need to get your supplies -- stuff like seed packets, garden markers, a Sharpie to write on your garden markers, and new gardening gloves (if you can't find last year's).  Make a custom organizer to hold your gardening supplies – the stuff you need to get your garden growing!  No more searching for your stuff!  You can put the organizer on a shelf or planting table and always know where your stuff is.   This will eliminate missing seed packets and lost gloves!  

Step 3:  Plant, water and weed your garden, of course!

Step 4:  Keep a gardening journal.  Record what you planted, how each vegetable or herb did, how much you needed, what you wish you planted, what did poorly, and what your family didn't like to eat.   If you keep a good journal, your garden next year will avoid the same mistakes, duplicate what worked and improve on your victories!  You will also have a record of what you want to try!  Include some pictures too! Check out this site for tips on getting your garden journaling started:  http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/projects/garden-journal-tips.htm