Advanced Diary Features - Export & Analytics

🎯 What You'll Learn

• Photo galleries - Visual timeline and comparisons
• Entry templates - Save and reuse formats
• Sharing - Export, links, social media
• Statistics - Activity metrics and insights
• Export/Import - Backup and migrate data
• Analytics (Premium) - AI-powered patterns

⚡ Quick Start

Use advanced features in 2 minutes:

1. Photo Gallery - Click "Photos" → Visual timeline
2. Template - Save detailed entry as template
3. Export - Export month as PDF
4. Statistics - View "Diary Stats" dashboard

Result: Unlock powerful diary tools!

📚 Complete Guide

Photo Gallery

Visual Plant History

All diary photos in one beautiful interface.

Gallery View

Photo Timeline:

Access: From diary → Click "Photo Gallery" button

What You See:

• All photos from diary entries in chronological order
• Thumbnail grid (adjustable size)
• Date headers separating time periods
• Entry context below each photo

Features:

• Click photo - Full-screen view
• Arrow keys - Navigate between photos
• Info icon - Show entry details
• Download - Save photo to device

Before/After Comparisons

Visual Progress Tracking:

How It Works:

1. Select two photos from gallery
2. Click "Compare"
3. Side-by-side or slider view
4. Time difference displayed (e.g., "45 days apart")

Comparison Types:

Slider View:

• Drag slider to reveal before/after
• Perfect for subtle changes
• Great for social media posts

Split View:

• Before (left) | After (right)
• Clear visual difference
• Easy to spot growth

Use Cases:

• 📈 Growth progress (monthly photos)
• 🐛 Treatment results (before pest, after recovery)
• 🌸 Flowering timeline (bud → full bloom)
• 🪴 Repotting transformation (root bound → healthy roots)

Photo Slideshows

Automated Presentations:

Create Slideshow:

1. Select photos from gallery (or use all)
2. Click "Slideshow"
3. Configure settings:
   • Duration per photo (2-10 seconds)
   • Transition style (fade, slide, zoom)
   • Background music (optional)
   • Show captions (on/off)
4. Play slideshow

Use Cases:

• Year-in-review for plant
• Share plant journey with friends
• Watch plant grow in time-lapse format
• Screensaver for plant photos

Photo Collections

Organize Visual Themes:

Create Collection:

• Name: "First Year Growth"
• Select relevant photos
• Add collection description
• Set cover photo

Example Collections:

• "Propagation Journey" - Cutting → roots → new plant
• "Pest Battle" - Infestation → treatment → recovery
• "Flowering Cycles" - All bloom photos across years
• "Repotting History" - Root system documentation

Export Collections:

• As photo album PDF
• As image zip file
• To social media gallery post

Photo Enhancement

Improve Photo Quality:

Built-in Tools:

• ☀️ Brightness - Lighten dark photos
• 🎨 Contrast - Make details pop
• 🔄 Rotate - Fix orientation
• ✂️ Crop - Focus on plant detail
• 🏷️ Annotate - Add arrows, circles, text

Auto-Enhance:

• Click "Auto" button
• AI adjusts lighting, color, sharpness
• Compare before/after
• Apply or revert

Use Case: Indoor photos often too dark - enhance before saving to diary.

Entry Templates

Reusable Entry Formats

Save time with pre-configured entry templates.

Template System

How Templates Work:

1. Create detailed entry with all fields
2. Save as template (name it)
3. Reuse template for future entries
4. Fields auto-populate, edit as needed

What Templates Save:

• Entry type
• Default note format
• Type-specific fields
• Tags
• Reminder settings

Templates DON'T save:

• Date/time (always current)
• Photos (add fresh photos each time)
• Specific measurements

Built-in Templates

Pre-Made Templates (included):

1. Weekly Watering

Type: Watering 💧
Notes: "Checked soil moisture (top 2 inches dry).
       Watered with 500ml filtered tap water.
       Drained well, no standing water."
Tags: #routine, #weekly

2. Monthly Fertilize

Type: Fertilizing 🧪
Product: [Your preferred fertilizer]
Dilution: Half strength (1/2 tsp per gallon)
Method: Mixed with water during watering
Notes: "Monthly feeding during growing season."
Tags: #fertilizer, #monthly
Reminder: Set next fertilize in 30 days

3. Pest Check

Type: Inspection 🔍
Checklist:
- [ ] Check underside of leaves for pests
- [ ] Inspect stems for scale
- [ ] Check soil for fungus gnats
- [ ] Look for webbing (spider mites)
- [ ] Examine new growth
Results: [Clean / Issues found]
Notes: [Details of any findings]
Tags: #pest-check, #weekly

4. Progress Photo

Type: Photo 📸
Notes: "Weekly progress documentation.
       Same location, natural light, 10 AM.
       Full plant from 3 feet away."
Tags: #progress, #weekly
Reminder: Take next photo in 7 days

Custom Templates

Create Your Own:

Example: Watering Routine

1. Create detailed watering entry:
   • Type: Watering
   • Amount: 750ml (your typical amount)
   • Method: Bottom watering (your preference)
   • Notes template: "Soil condition: [dry/moist]. Drainage: [good/poor]."
   • Tags: #watering, #routine
2. Click "Save as Template"
3. Name: "My Watering Routine"
4. Use weekly in seconds!

Template Management

Organize Templates:

• Edit - Update template details
• Duplicate - Create variation (e.g., "Summer Watering" vs "Winter Watering")
• Share - Export template for other users
• Delete - Remove unused templates

Template Library (Premium):

• Browse community templates
• Download popular formats
• Share your best templates
• Rate templates (5-star system)

Sharing Options

Share Plant Journey

Multiple ways to share diary entries with others.

Share via Link

Quick Sharing:

How It Works:

1. Select entry or date range
2. Click "Share" → "Link"
3. Copy generated URL
4. Send to anyone

Link Options:

• Public - Anyone with link can view
• Password-protected - Require password
• Expiration - Link expires after 7/30 days
• View-only - Cannot copy or download

Use Cases:

• Ask friend for plant care advice
• Show Plant Doctor symptom progression
• Share success story with community

Export Formats

Download Diary Data:

PDF Export

Best for: Reading, printing, archiving

Options:

• Full entries - All details, photos, notes
• Summary - Compact list format
• Photo book - Photos with captions only
• Timeline - Visual chronological layout

Customization:

• Date range selection
• Entry type filter
• Include/exclude photos
• Page size (A4, Letter, mobile-friendly)

CSV Export

Best for: Data analysis, spreadsheets

What's Exported:

• Date, Time, Entry Type
• Title, Notes (text only)
• Tags (comma-separated)
• Metadata (weather, mood)
• Links to photos (URLs)

Use Cases:

• Import into Excel for analysis
• Backup raw data
• Migrate to another app

JSON Export

Best for: Developers, data scientists

Complete Data:

• All entry fields
• Timestamps (ISO 8601)
• Photo metadata
• Relationships (plant ID, reminders)

Use Case: Custom analysis, app development, complete backup

Markdown Export

Best for: Plain text, note apps

Format:

# Plant Diary - Monstera Deliciosa

## Oct 24, 2025 - Watering
**Amount**: 500ml  
**Method**: Top watering  
**Notes**: Soil was dry, plant looking healthy...

## Oct 20, 2025 - Fertilizing
**Product**: Miracle-Gro 10-10-10  
**Dilution**: Half strength...

Use Case: Import to Obsidian, Notion, Bear, other note apps

Social Media Sharing

Quick Posts:

How It Works:

1. Select diary entry (with photo)
2. Click "Share" → Choose platform
3. Post auto-populated:
   • Photo
   • Caption with care details
   • Hashtags (#plantcare, #plantdiary)
4. Edit and post

Supported Platforms:

• Instagram (photo + caption)
• Twitter/X (text + photo link)
• Facebook (photo album)
• Reddit (r/houseplants formatted post)

Privacy: Only shares selected entry, not entire diary.

Email Reports

Send Diary Summaries:

Automatic Reports:

• Weekly - Last 7 days summary
• Monthly - Previous month overview
• On-demand - Anytime you want

Report Includes:

• Activity count by type
• Photos gallery
• Notable entries (pinned items)
• Care statistics
• Growth summary (if tracked)

Recipients:

• Your email (backup, records)
• Plant-sitter (during vacation)
• Plant community (shared accountability)

Diary Statistics

Activity Insights

Data-driven view of your plant care.

Statistics Dashboard

Access: Diary → "Statistics" tab

Overview Cards:

Total Entries

• Count of all diary entries
• Breakdown by type (% watering, % fertilizing, etc.)
• Comparison to previous month

Activity Frequency

• Entries per day/week/month
• Most active day of week
• Time of day patterns (morning/evening care)

Entry Types Breakdown

• Pie chart of entry categories
• Top 5 most-used types
• Least-used types (missing care activities?)

Content Analysis

• Total photos uploaded
• Total words written
• Average entry length
• Tags used (frequency)

Care Consistency

Track Routine Adherence:

Watering Consistency

• Target: Every 7 days
• Actual: Average 8.2 days
• Status: 🟡 Good (within range)
• Suggestion: Slightly overdue, consider +1 day sooner

Fertilizing Schedule

• Target: Monthly (every 30 days)
• Actual: Every 32 days
• Status: 🟢 Excellent
• Streak: 6 months consistent

Pest Checks

• Target: Weekly
• Actual: Every 10 days
• Status: 🔴 Needs improvement
• Missed checks: 3 in last month

Engagement Metrics

Your Diary Usage:

• Total time spent (cumulative)
• Average entry time (how long to write)
• Most detailed entries (word count)
• Longest care streak (consecutive days)

Time Analysis

When You Care for Plants:

Day of Week:

• Monday: 8 entries
• Sunday: 23 entries ⭐ (most common)
• Friday: 3 entries (least common)

Time of Day:

• 🌅 Morning (6-10 AM): 45% of entries
• ☀️ Afternoon (10 AM-6 PM): 30%
• 🌙 Evening (6 PM-10 PM): 25%

Insight: You care for plants most on Sunday mornings - schedule reminders accordingly!

Export & Import

Backup and Migration

Export Entire Diary

Complete Backup:

1. Diary → Settings → "Export All"
2. Choose format:
   • Database format (.plantkeeper) - Lossless, for reimport
   • Universal format (.zip with JSON + photos) - For other apps
3. Download backup file
4. Store safely (cloud storage, external drive)

What's Included:

• All entries (text, metadata)
• All photos (original resolution)
• Templates
• Saved filters
• Statistics history

Recommended: Export monthly as backup.

Import from Other Apps

Migrate Your Data:

From CSV Files

Use Case: Migrating from spreadsheet or other plant app

Steps:

1. Diary → Import → "CSV"
2. Upload CSV file
3. Map columns:
   • Date → Date column
   • Entry Type → Type column
   • Notes → Notes column
4. Preview import (first 5 entries)
5. Confirm import
6. Entries created with import timestamp

Required Columns: Date, Entry Type Optional Columns: Notes, Tags, Photos (URLs)

From Text Notes

Use Case: Copy-pasted notes from note apps

Smart Parsing:

1. Paste text block:

Oct 24 - Watered plant with 500ml
Oct 20 - Fertilized with Miracle-Gro
Oct 15 - Found spider mites, treated with neem oil

2. AI parses dates, activities, details
3. Preview parsed entries
4. Edit any misinterpretations
5. Import entries

From Other Plant Apps

Supported Imports:

• Planta (CSV export)
• Greg (JSON export)
• PlantNet (observation history)
• Custom JSON (map fields)

Bulk Import Photos

Add Historical Photos:

1. Select multiple photos from device
2. Upload in bulk
3. AI suggests:
   • Entry type (based on image content)
   • Date (from EXIF data)
   • Plant (if visible in photo)
4. Confirm or edit suggestions
5. Create photo entries

Use Case: Importing camera roll photos from before using PlantKeeper.

Premium Analytics

AI-Powered Insights

Unlock advanced analytics with Premium subscription.

Care Pattern Analysis

AI Identifies Patterns:

Watering Patterns:

• Optimal frequency for your plant: Every 7.5 days
• You typically water every 8 days
• Adjust schedule: Water 0.5 days sooner
• Confidence: 92% (based on 52 watering entries)

Seasonal Adjustments:

• Summer: 5-day watering interval
• Winter: 10-day watering interval
• AI suggests: Adjust automatically based on season

Health Correlations

Link Care to Health:

Insights:

• 📊 "Plants watered on 7-day schedule show 23% more new leaf growth"
• 📊 "Fertilizing 2 weeks after pest treatment improves recovery by 40%"
• 📊 "Bottom watering reduces fungus gnat issues by 65%"

Based On: Your diary data + growth records + health events

Plant Comparisons

Multi-Plant Analysis:

Compare Similar Plants:

• You have 3 Pothos plants
• Plant A: Watered every 8 days, 12 new leaves this year
• Plant B: Watered every 6 days, 8 new leaves
• Plant C: Watered every 10 days, 15 new leaves ⭐

AI Insight: "Plant C's longer watering interval correlates with better growth. Consider extending watering interval for Plants A & B."

Predictive Insights

AI Forecasts:

Upcoming Needs:

• 🔮 "Based on care history, plant will need repotting in 3-4 months"
• 🔮 "Pest check recommended this week (9 days since last check, optimal is 7 days)"
• 🔮 "Fertilizer effect wearing off, consider feeding within 5 days"

Seasonal Predictions:

• 🔮 "Spring growth spurt expected in 2 weeks - increase watering frequency by 20%"

Optimization Recommendations

Improve Care Routine:

Based on Success Patterns

AI analyzes your most successful outcomes:

• What conditions led to most new leaf growth?
• Which fertilizer worked best?
• What pest treatment had fastest recovery?
• Which locations had healthiest plants?

Personalized Suggestions

1. Watering: "Try bottom watering for this plant (improved fungus gnat issue for Plant C)"
2. Fertilizing: "Switch to organic fertilizer in spring (better results for similar plants in your collection)"
3. Light: "Move 1 foot closer to window (similar light-seeking behavior as Plant A, which thrived after relocation)"

💡 Tips & Tricks

Use Photo Comparisons for Motivation

Monthly Routine:

• Take same-angle photo every month
• Create before/after comparison at year end
• See how far your plant has come
• Share transformation on social media

Create Templates for Experiments

Track Experiments Consistently:

1. Create "Experiment: [Name]" template
2. Include fields: Hypothesis, Method, Expected result
3. Use template each time you log experiment progress
4. Compare results easily (all entries same format)

Export Before Major Changes

Backup Strategy:

• Before repotting → Export diary
• Before propagation → Export diary
• Before major pruning → Export diary
• If something goes wrong, reference exported version

Share Success Stories

Inspire Others:

1. Filter diary to successful recovery or growth spurt
2. Export as PDF
3. Share with plant community
4. Help others learn from your experience

Use Statistics for Accountability

Weekly Check-in:

• Review care consistency metrics
• Identify missed care activities
• Adjust reminders based on actual behavior
• Improve plant care routine iteratively

❓ Common Questions

Q: Are photo galleries included in free plan?

A: Yes! Photo gallery, comparisons, and slideshows are free. Premium adds AI photo analysis and advanced filtering.

Q: Can I export just one month of diary?

A: Yes! Filter to date range → Export → Only filtered entries exported. Great for monthly backups.

Q: How do I import from Planta app?

A:

1. In Planta: Settings → Export → CSV
2. In PlantKeeper: Import → CSV → Map columns
3. Preview and confirm import

Q: Are templates shared across all plants?

A: Yes! Templates are global - create once, use for any plant. You can also create plant-specific templates.

Q: Can I undo an import?

A: Yes, for 24 hours. Go to Import History → Click imported batch → "Undo Import" removes all entries from that import.

🔗 Related Topics

Essential Reading

• Creating Entries - Log care activities
• Viewing Diary - Timeline, calendar, filters

Data Management

• Growth Tracking - Link growth to care
• Care Analysis - Optimize based on diary

Getting Help

• Plant Doctor - AI diagnosis with diary context
• Troubleshooting - Fix diary issues

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