The October Garden Audit: Learning From This Year's Growing Season

By Richard McCormick

By October, the garden has usually taught us a few things. Some plants thrived, others struggled, and a few projects may not have turned out as planned. Before putting away your tools for winter, taking time to reflect on the growing season could benefit your future gardening endeavors.

Gardeners spend plenty of time planning what to plant, but less time recording what actually happens. A few notes about harvests, watering, pests, and weather can make next spring's decisions easier. In northern Arizona, where elevation, frost, and local growing conditions vary considerably, these observations are especially valuable.

Start with the successes. Which vegetables produced the best harvests? Which flowers attracted pollinators? Did a particular variety tolerate heat or cold better than expected? Recording these details can help guide next year's planting decisions. Consider the disappointments, too. Did plants struggle to establish, bolt prematurely, or suffer from recurring pests? Rather than simply labeling them failures, look for possible explanations. Poor growth might be related to planting dates, insufficient sunlight, inconsistent watering, or other unsuitable growing conditions.

One season rarely provides a definitive answer, but careful observations can point toward changes worth trying. If a particular bed repeatedly dries out, for example, take a closer look at its soil, irrigation coverage, and exposure to wind and sunlight.

Local conditions matter. In northern Arizona, elevation, slope, and nearby buildings can create distinct microclimates. A sheltered garden may have a longer growing season than an exposed bed just a short distance away. Photographs taken throughout the season can reveal patterns that are difficult to remember months later. Water deserves particular attention in our dry climate. Consider how your garden responded to summer heat and rainfall. Which beds dried out first? Did containers require more attention than expected? Were there periods when plants showed signs of water stress?

Simple tools can help answer these questions. A rain gauge measures precipitation, while a trowel can help you check soil moisture below the surface. A basic watering log can reveal patterns that are easy to overlook during a busy growing season. Gardeners interested in technology might experiment with soil-moisture sensors or programmable irrigation timers. These tools can help manage watering, but they work best alongside regular observations of soil conditions and plant health. The goal is not to collect data for its own sake, but to make better decisions about when and how much to water.

A garden audit isn't just about identifying problems. It's also an opportunity to decide where your time and resources were best spent. Which plants produced worthwhile harvests with little effort? Which projects demanded more attention than they were worth? Before buying another tool or fertilizer, consider whether it addresses a problem you actually observed. Sometimes, changing a planting location or adjusting watering practices is more useful than making another purchase.

As you plan for next spring, consider three priorities: one practice to repeat, one to change, and one to experiment with. You might grow a successful vegetable variety again, adjust a planting date, and test a new mulching method. Changing one major factor at a time makes it easier to determine what works.

Keep your records simple. A notebook, calendar, spreadsheet, or collection of labeled photographs can help you remember planting dates, harvests, pest problems, and notable weather conditions. Saving seed packets or plant labels can help you remember which varieties performed well. The best system is the one you will actually use.

Not every gardening problem has an obvious explanation, and not every experiment will succeed. Conditions change, plants respond unpredictably, and experience comes from observing the results and adjusting your approach. Before next year's seed catalogs arrive, take a moment to review the garden you already have. Record your successes, consider the disappointments, and identify a few changes worth making. A little reflection now can save time, money, and frustration when the next growing season begins.  This month, a better understanding of your garden could be the most valuable thing you grow.

Richard McCormick, University of Arizona Master Gardener, is a computer scientist born in Flagstaff with a passion for gardening and technology. Gardening Etcetera is written for the community by certified Master Gardeners of the University of Arizona's Coconino County Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Program. To learn more, visit extension.arizona.edu/programs/coconino-county-master-gardener.