Growing Journal: With Care, You'll Bloom Best

Do you keep a growing diary? It is a question that will probably surprise most growers. The truth is that this somewhat old-fashioned way of keeping records gives the grower a perfect overview of the processes that affect the outcome of cultivation. In addition, keeping a diary is a cheap and easy way to improve at indoor growing.

Are you wondering what a growing diary is good for? Our memory can often deceive us, and after the harvest it is often difficult to remember where we made a mistake during cultivation. If you write down what you did throughout the entire cycle, you can easily find out at the end what worked and what did not. Overfeeding, incorrect watering or late transplanting? If you have a record of it, you will avoid these mistakes next time. In addition, thanks to systematic monitoring of procedures, you can continuously improve your cultivation. Over time, you will find out which substrate is the most fertile or which combination of fertilisers and lighting produced the best results. All this will help you cultivate more efficiently. Last but not least, a growing diary is helpful whenever you encounter a problem. For example, if you notice yellowing leaves, you can easily look back and see what changed in the previous days. Perhaps you used a new fertiliser, adjusted watering, or the temperature changed. The diary will help you identify the cause and quickly find a solution.

What should you record in a growing diary?

The most important function of a growing diary is a thorough record of the growing environment, plant nutrition and important milestones. Record the dates of sowing, germination, transplanting, the start of flowering and the time of harvest. The timeline will help you track the length of individual growing phases and plan future cycles. Write down which substrate you used, which fertilisers and supplements you gave the plants, and the lighting regime. Every time you water the plants, note the time and amount of watering. If you measure the pH or EC of the nutrient solution, be sure to write these values down every time. Also record the temperature and humidity in the growing area every day. Note how the plants are changing, the colour of the leaves, the growth rate or the onset of flowering.

• Basic milestones (sowing, transplanting, switching to flowering, harvest)
• Materials, fertilisers and equipment used
• Measured values (EC, pH, humidity, temperature, VPD, PPFD)
• Observations (plant development, growth rate, colour, unusual deformities)
• Interventions and unusual events (LST, sprays, pests, mould, environmental fluctuations)

Tips and tools for keeping a growing diary

The great thing about a growing diary is that anyone can do it and you do not need any expensive equipment for it. It is not about writing essays. A few numbers or sentences a day are enough. What matters is consistency and care. Ideally, set aside time every day and spend a few moments with your plants. They will reward you with a plentiful harvest.

• Pen and notebook: It may have been some time since you used a pen and notebook, and of course you can keep a diary digitally as well. However, old-fashioned paper and pencil are still the quickest (and safest) way to record things in this case.
• Digital hygrometer and thermometer: Measuring the temperature and humidity in the growing area should be part of every grower’s routine. We recommend choosing a digital thermo-hygrometer.
• EC and pH meter: Many growing techniques require regular measurement of the EC and pH of the nutrient solution, or the runoff from the substrate. For use in indoor growing, the most suitable are digital EC and pH meters, which provide accurate and reliable measurements.

You may also be interested in: How to measure EC correctly

For more tips and guides for indoor and outdoor growers, visit the Higarden blog.