Keeping plant notes

Plants change slowly, and memory is unreliable. A simple record turns vague impressions into patterns you can act on.

Useful things to note: the plant's name (the scientific name too, if you know it), where and when you bought it, where it sits, and when you water, fertilise, repot or treat it. Add what you notice: new leaves, yellowing, pests, and what you did about them. Garden journaling guides also suggest recording what did not work and why, so you can do better next time.

Photos are especially useful. A 'before' photo, then one every few weeks, shows growth and decline you would never notice day to day. Photographing the plant label is a quick way to keep its name.

Choose a format you will actually keep up: a notebook, a spreadsheet or a plant-tracking app all work. Short, regular entries are worth more than detailed ones that stop after a week.