DATE:    12/30/99 
WRITER:  Dr. David Bradshaw, (864) 656-4949 
EDITOR:  Giles Singleton, (864) 656-3876 

Start The New Year With A Gardening Journal 
   
     CLEMSON -- A big log on the fire and my favorite book
recently set the stage for a long, cozy evening. My book is not
one of the new best sellers, however. It is my gardening journal. 
     I consistently record garden preparations, planting dates,
and even the last frost date. 
     As I looked back over recent years, I realized that I had
not kept up with my entries as I should have. As the days grew
longer and gardening activities became more fervent, my journal
entries appeared less frequently. 
     Now I am facing a new year and have resolved to keep up with
my garden journal. 
     I am looking forward to the day when a machine the size of a 
pack of cigarettes clipped to my pocket will record my voice
entries and then transcribe them into written form.  
     Until this computer is perfected, I am destined to continue
writing notes to myself in my dog-eared journal. 
     Keeping a journal is not always convenient. Life can become 
hectic. My journal is, however, a valuable source of information.
     I find that it helps me in making decisions on when to
plant, what to plant, and what varieties are best suited to our 
changeable weather. Also, when I review several years at once, I 
begin to see patterns. 
     I recommend starting the new year with a gardening journal.
You will find it rewarding. 
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     If you have questions or comments on gardening-related
issues, write to PSA News & Publications, Box 340129, A-101 Poole
Agricultural Center, Clemson University, Clemson, S.C. 29634-0129.
     You might also want to look for other "Buds and Blooms"
columns under 1999 News Releases at: www.clemson.edu/psamedia.
                              END