Strategy in Ink

Here we are mid-week and the romaine has exploded out of its pot, the spinach has sprung (another 3"), the oregano has achieved bush status, and the peas will be wanting their trellis within 4-5 days.

Now more than ever, it's time for advance planning and some form of strategy.

I really can't recommend anything more important in a garden than the yearly garden notebook.

Three months in you will not remember exactly when you planted what, or more importantly, what was planted there last year and whether or not it's a conflict with what you want to plant there now. Those peas that refused to come up last year -what brand were they? That corn that was so tasty -what was the name of that again? Silver Queen? Golden King? Did I put a 20-20-20 fertilizer there last year, or a limestone dust?

To prevent confusion as well as wasted time and money, get yourself a notebook and a pack of sheet protectors. Many years my notes are handwritten, but in 2003, I got ambitious and typed everything. First a list of plants I'm planning on having in the garden.

Then, a map of the garden. Actually, more than a few maps, where I can scribble, erase, highlight, and map out the planting map.

Also included in the notebook are lists of previous plants from prior years, and notes on what went right and what flopped big-time. All my receipts are tucked in so I know how much the garden is costing from year to year.

Some people (HI CARRIE!) actually weigh out their garden produce, so they know how many pounds they managed to grow. I've never done this, but maybe this year I will.

Might be nice to know how much that head of romaine is actually costing me.

Or maybe I'm better off not knowing....