Creating Diary Entries - Document Care

🎯 What You'll Learn

• Quick entries - Log activities in 30 seconds
• Detailed entries - Comprehensive documentation
• Bulk entries - Log multiple plants at once
• Entry templates - Speed up repetitive logging

⚡ Quick Start

Create your first diary entry in 30 seconds:

1. Plant Details → Diary tab
2. Click "Add Entry"
3. Select type: 💧 Watering
4. Entry created with timestamp!
5. Optional: Add notes or photo

Result: First diary entry logged with automatic timestamp and entry type!

📚 Complete Guide

Quick Entry (30 Seconds)

Best For: Fast logging when you don't have time for details

How to Create Quick Entry

Steps:

1. Navigate to plant → Diary tab
2. Click "Add Entry" button
3. Select entry type from dropdown:
   • 💧 Watering
   • 🧪 Fertilizing
   • ✂️ Pruning
   • 🪴 Repotting
   • (+ 15 more types - see Entry Types)
4. Entry created automatically!

What's Included:

• ✓ Entry type
• ✓ Timestamp (current date/time)
• ✓ Your account (author)
• ✓ Plant linked

Optional Quick Additions:

• Quick note (one line: "Soil was still moist")
• Photo (tap camera icon)
• Tags (add custom labels)

Time: 30 seconds
Perfect for: Routine care logging without interrupting your workflow

Quick Entry from Quick Actions

Even Faster (From Dashboard):

Water Button:

1. Dashboard → Plant card → 💧 Water button
2. Click button
3. Diary entry auto-created 💧 "Watered"

Fertilize Button:

1. Dashboard → Plant card → 🧪 Fertilize button
2. Click button
3. Diary entry auto-created 🧪 "Fertilized"

Auto-Entry Details:

• Type: Matches button action
• Time: Immediate (when clicked)
• Note: Can add details later by editing entry

Benefit: Log care without even opening plant details page!

Detailed Entry (3-5 Minutes)

Best For: Comprehensive documentation, special events, troubleshooting

How to Create Detailed Entry

Steps:

1. Diary Tab → "Add Detailed Entry" button
2. Fill comprehensive form (6 sections)

Section 1: Basic Information

Entry Type* (Required):

• Choose from 15+ types
• Determines form fields shown
• See Entry Types for full list

Date/Time* (Required):

• Defaults to now
• Backdate: If logging something from earlier
  • Example: "Watered this morning" (select 9:00 AM)
• Click calendar icon to change

Custom Title (Optional):

• Override default title
• Default: "Watered" → Custom: "Deep Watered After Dry Spell"
• Helps identify entry in timeline

Section 2: Description

Notes Field (500 characters):

What to Include:

• Observations: "Soil was bone dry, leaves slightly droopy"
• Details: "Watered until water drained from bottom hole"
• Context: "First watering after 2-week vacation"
• Questions: "Should I water more often?"

Markdown Support:

• Bold: **text** → text
• Italic: *text* → text
• Lists: - item or 1. item
• Links: [text](url)

Example:

**Watering Notes**:
- Soil was completely dry (lifted pot - very light)
- Leaves starting to droop slightly
- Watered with 500ml filtered water
- Drained well, no standing water

**Next steps**: Monitor recovery, should perk up within 24 hours

Section 3: Photos

Upload Images:

Methods:

1. Camera: Take photo now (mobile)
2. Upload: Browse files (desktop)
3. Drag & Drop: Drag photos to upload zone
4. Multiple: Add up to 5 photos per entry

Photo Best Practices:

• Before/After: Mark photos for comparison
• Close-ups: Show details (pest damage, new growth)
• Full view: Document overall plant state
• Captions: Label each photo (e.g., "New leaf unfurling")

Photo Features:

• Auto-compressed (optimal size)
• EXIF data preserved (date, camera info)
• Linked to entry permanently

Section 4: Type-Specific Details

Fields vary by entry type:

For Watering Entries 💧:

• Amount: "500 ml", "2 cups", "Until drainage"
• Method: Top watering, Bottom watering, Soaking, Misting
• Water Type: Tap (filtered/unfiltered), Rainwater, Distilled
• Soil Condition Before: Bone dry, Slightly dry, Moist, Wet

For Fertilizing Entries 🧪:

• Product Name: "Miracle-Gro All Purpose"
• NPK Ratio: "10-10-10"
• Dilution Rate: "Half strength", "1 tsp per gallon"
• Application Method: Mixed with water, Granular (top-dressed), Foliar spray

For Pest/Disease Entries 🐛:

• Identification: Spider mites, Aphids, Fungal infection, etc.
• Severity: Mild (few bugs), Moderate (noticeable), Severe (heavy infestation)
• Treatment Applied: Neem oil, Insecticidal soap, Fungicide, Manual removal
• Follow-up Date: When to check results (e.g., 7 days)

For Pruning Entries ✂️:

• What Removed: Dead leaves, Leggy stems, Spent flowers
• Amount: "3 leaves", "20cm of growth"
• Reason: Maintenance, Shaping, Propagation, Health
• Before/After Photos: Recommended!

For Repotting Entries 🪴:

• Old Pot Size: 6" → 8"
• New Soil Type: Succulent mix, All-purpose, Custom blend
• Root Condition: Healthy (white), Root bound, Signs of rot
• Amendments Added: Perlite, Orchid bark, Worm castings

Section 5: Metadata

Tags (Custom Labels):

• Add custom keywords
• Examples: "experiment", "success", "problem", "milestone"
• Makes searching easier later
• Create consistent tagging system

Weather (Auto-logged for outdoor plants):

• Temperature
• Conditions (sunny, cloudy, rainy)
• Humidity
• Helps correlate environment with plant response

Mood (How you feel about plant):

• 🟢 Great - Plant thriving, I'm happy!
• 🟡 Concerned - Something's not quite right
• 🔴 Worried - Plant in trouble, need help

Visibility:

• Private (only you)
• Team (shared account members)
• Public (PlantKeeper community - future feature)

Section 6: Follow-Up Actions

Set Follow-Up Reminder (Optional):

• Create reminder to check results
• Example: After pest treatment → "Check for pests in 7 days"
• Auto-links reminder to this entry

Schedule Next Action (Optional):

• Plan next care step
• Example: After fertilizing → "Fertilize again in 1 month"
• Creates proactive reminder

Review & Save

Before Saving:

• Preview entry (how it will look in timeline)
• Check photos uploaded correctly
• Verify date/time
• Ensure all required fields filled

Save Options:

• Save & View - Go to entry in timeline
• Save & Add Another - Create another entry immediately
• Save as Template - Reuse configuration later

Bulk Entry Creation

Log Multiple Plants at Once

When to Use Bulk Entries

Perfect For:

• Watered all living room plants
• Fertilized entire collection
• Treated multiple plants for same pest
• Repotted several plants same day

Saves Time: Log once, applies to many plants!

How to Create Bulk Entries

Steps:

1. Plant Management → Select Multiple Plants

   • Check boxes next to plants
   • Or select by location/tag: "All Living Room Plants"

2. Bulk Actions → "Add Diary Entry"

3. Configure Entry:

   • Entry Type: Choose one type (applies to all)
   • Notes: Same notes for all plants
   • Photos: Optional (same photo added to all entries)
   • Date/Time: Same timestamp for all

4. Review Selection:

   • See list of plants that will receive entry
   • Remove any that don't apply

5. Create Entries:

   • Click "Create XX Entries" (e.g., "Create 12 Entries")
   • One entry per plant created

Time: 2-3 minutes for 10+ plants (vs 10+ minutes individually!)

Bulk Entry Limitations

Not Available:

• Type-specific details (those must be added individually after creation)
• Different photos per plant (add later by editing individual entries)
• Different notes per plant

Workaround: Create bulk entries, then edit individual entries to add specific details.

Entry Templates

Speed Up Repetitive Logging

Why Use Templates?

Scenarios:

• You water the same way every time ("500ml filtered water until drainage")
• You fertilize with same product/dilution ("Miracle-Gro half strength")
• You have standard pest check routine ("Inspect leaves, stems, soil")

Benefit: One-click entry creation with pre-filled details!

Create Template

Steps:

1. Create detailed entry with all typical details
2. Before saving → Click "Save as Template"
3. Name template: "Weekly Watering", "Monthly Fertilize", "Pest Inspection"
4. Save

What's Saved:

• Entry type
• Default notes
• Type-specific details (amount, method, product, etc.)
• Tags

What's NOT saved (always fresh):

• Date/time (uses current when template applied)
• Photos (add new each time)
• Plant (select when using template)

Use Template

Quick Creation:

1. Diary Tab → "From Template" button
2. Select template from list
3. Entry pre-filled with template details
4. Customize if needed (add photos, adjust notes)
5. Save

Time: 15 seconds (vs 2-3 minutes for detailed entry)

Manage Templates

Access: Settings → Diary → "My Templates"

Actions:

• View all templates
• Edit template (updates for future use, doesn't change past entries)
• Delete template (doesn't affect entries already created)
• Share template (export for other users - future feature)

Example Templates

"Weekly Watering":

Type: Watering
Amount: 500ml
Method: Top watering
Water Type: Filtered tap
Notes: "Weekly watering routine. Check soil first - only water if top 2 inches dry."
Tags: routine, weekly

"Monthly Fertilize":

Type: Fertilizing
Product: Miracle-Gro All Purpose
NPK: 10-10-10
Dilution: Half strength (1/2 tsp per gallon)
Method: Mixed with water
Notes: "Monthly feeding during growing season (Mar-Sep)"
Tags: routine, fertilizer

"Pest Inspection":

Type: Inspection
Notes: "Weekly pest check:
- Inspect underside of leaves
- Check stems for scale
- Examine soil surface for fungus gnats
- Look for webbing (spider mites)"
Tags: routine, pests

Auto-Generated Entries

Entries Created Automatically

From Reminders

When reminder completed:

• Entry auto-created matching reminder type
• Includes reminder details (notes, scheduled time)
• Can edit to add photos, more notes

Example:

• Reminder: "Water Monstera" (completed)
• Auto-entry: 💧 "Watered" (timestamp: completion time)

From Quick Actions

Dashboard buttons:

• Water button → 💧 Watering entry
• Fertilize button → 🧪 Fertilizing entry

Auto-entry: Minimal (just type + timestamp), can edit later for details

From Growth Records

When growth measured:

• Entry auto-created: 📏 "Measured growth"
• Links to growth record (height, width, leaf count)
• Includes measurement data

From Plant Doctor

After consultation:

• Entry auto-created: 🏥 "Plant Doctor Visit"
• Includes diagnosis and recommendations
• Links to conversation

Editing Auto-Generated Entries

All auto-entries editable:

1. Find entry in timeline
2. Click "Edit"
3. Add details (photos, notes, type-specific info)
4. Save

Benefit: Quick capture, detailed later!

💡 Tips & Tricks

Log As You Go

Best Practice:

• Create entry immediately after care activity
• Don't rely on memory (you'll forget details!)
• Use quick entry if busy (add details later)

Result: Complete, accurate care history

Use Consistent Tags

Develop Tagging System:

• routine - Regular care activities
• experiment - Trying something new
• problem - Issues encountered
• success - Positive outcomes
• milestone - Special achievements

Benefit: Easy filtering and searching

Photo Everything

Why Photos Matter:

• Visual proof of progress/problems
• Can't remember details? Photo shows it!
• Before/after comparisons invaluable
• Share with Plant Doctor for diagnosis

Rule: When in doubt, take a photo!

Create Templates for Routine Care

Time Saver:

• Template for weekly watering
• Template for monthly fertilizing
• Template for pest inspections

Benefit: 15 seconds to log vs 3 minutes detailed entry

❓ Common Questions

Q: Can I backdate entries?

A: Yes! When creating entry:

1. Click date/time field
2. Select past date/time
3. Save

Use case: Logged care late, want accurate timeline

Q: What happens if I delete an entry?

A: Permanent deletion (cannot be recovered). Consider editing instead if you just need to correct information.

Q: Can I create entries for future care?

A: Not directly (entries are logs of past/present actions). Instead:

• Use Reminders for future planned care
• Reminder completion auto-creates entry

Q: How many photos can I add per entry?

A: Up to 5 photos per entry. For more photos, create multiple entries or use Photos tab.

Q: Can I change entry type after creation?

A: Yes! Edit entry → Change type from dropdown. Type-specific fields will update accordingly.

🔗 Related Topics

Essential Reading

• Entry Types - All 15+ diary entry types explained
• Diary Views - Timeline, calendar, filtered views

Related Features

• Diary Tab - Access diary interface
• Quick Actions - Fast care logging
• Reminders - Auto-create entries

Advanced Topics

• Diary Insights - Statistics and patterns
• Care Analysis - Correlate diary with growth

Last Updated: October 24, 2025
Document Version: 2.0 (Modular Structure)