Garden Planner & Gardening Journal Templates (Printable)
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I am not a meticulous record keeper, but I find it handy to keep my garden notes in a three ring binder. That way routine care becomes a bit easier, and I have a record of any oddities that pop up. I’ve organized my favorite garden planner guides, gardening journal pages, and harvest tracker to share with you!

Table of contents
Note – I don’t try to estimate exactly how much to plant to get a certain harvest. Why? Because each gardening year is a little different, so your harvest will vary, even planting the same number of plants. Also, most folks don’t have the space or inclination to grow everything they eat.
I generally suggest starting with plants you know that you will use. Keep notes, and adjust your planting in the following years based on how much you grow and use. If you are new to gardening, see “How to Start a Garden“.
Common Sense Home Garden Planner
For our newsletter subscribers, we have the basic garden planner in printable PDF format. This includes:
- Cover sheet
- Indoor seed starting and transplanting calendar
- Outdoor direct seeding schedule
- Plant spacing chart
- Seed longevity chart
Use the form below to sign up, or if the form is not displaying for you, leave a comment letting me know that you would like to sign up.
You’ll also get gardening and food preservation tips in our weekly newsletter.

The BIG Garden Planner & Journal Pages
For those who would like more tools for planning and tracking progress through the whole growing season…
We have a printable 20 page guide that includes the information above, plus:
- Seed purchase log
- Planting and Germination record
- Garden Goals for the Year
- Garden Wishlist
- Seed Inventory
- Growth Tracking
- Monthly To-Do Lists
- Pollinator & Pest Watch List
- Pest & Disease Log
- Pollinator & Beneficial Insects Log
- Weather Tracker
- Harvest Log
- Preservation & Storage Log
- Tools & Equipment Log
- Gardening Budget
- Supplier Contact List
- Notes & Reflections Section
There are two versions of the cover so you can pick your favorite, plus binder edge labels for your three ring binder. With your purchase, you get access to the printable PDF files and the Excel spreadsheets. In the spreadsheets, it automatically calculates planting dates for different crops based on your last frost date.
For less than the cost of a fast food meal, you can support the website and enjoy easy garden record keeping for years to come. You can print out as many copies as you need, so you can use the pages again and again.
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Using Your Garden Planner
The Seed Longevity Chart shows how long garden seeds are likely to remain viable when stored in cool, dry conditions. Your results may vary (I’ve had 10 year old tomato seeds that were still good), but it’ll give you an idea if your leftover seed is still good.
See “How to Store Seeds (for Next Year or Long Term)“.
The Seed Germination After Storage shows the expected germination rate, along with best temperature, and days to germination.
The Plant Spacing Chart shows the minimum distance between plants in a row and between rows. These are estimates. Dwarf or container varieties should be smaller. The chart assumes garden beds that are 3-4 feet across.
The Seed Starting and Transplanting Calendar is for indoor seed sowing. The Outdoor Seed Sowing Schedule is for outdoor seed sowing based on last and first frosts of the season.
The Seed Purchase Log includes the variety, seed company, purchase date, price, and number of packets.
Finally, the Planting and Germination Record includes:
- Date planted
- Variety
- Number of cells/containers
- Number of seeds planted
- Year of seed packet
- Company
- Date of first seedlings
- Number of seedlings
- Date of full germination
- Number of seedlings total
- Transplant to garden date
I find this handy for monitoring older seed. If germination rates suddenly drop off, it’s probably time for new seed. (Or you can plant thickly to compensate and hope for the best.)
If You Need Help Drawing Our Your Garden Beds
I enjoy taking hand written notes and drawing out my garden beds, but if you don’t, there are digital options. If you need help laying out your garden, try the Hortisketch Garden Planner from True Leaf Market. It’s a visual planner that lets you drag and drop plants into your garden layout.
Make Record Keeping Simple
Using a garden planner and garden log makes it easier to track what works well in your garden – and what doesn’t. That way you remember things from year to year so your garden gets better and better.
I’d love to hear how you keep track of things in your garden. Leave a comment below to share your thoughts.

This article is written by Laurie Neverman. Laurie and her family live in northeast Wisconsin, where they grow a wide variety of plants for food and medicine. Along with her passion for growing nutrient dense food, she also enjoys ancient history, adorable ducks, and lifelong learning.
Originally published in 2012, last updated in 2025.