Growth Tab - Track Plant Development

🎯 What You'll Learn

• Growth charts - Visual trends over time
• Recording measurements - Add new growth data
• Growth analysis - Calculate growth rates
• Milestones - Celebrate achievements

⚡ Quick Start

Record growth in 1 minute:

1. Open plant → Click Growth tab
2. Click "Add Record" button
3. Measure & enter - Height, width, leaf count
4. Save - Data added to chart instantly

Result: Track progress month-over-month!

📚 Complete Guide

Growth Charts

Visual representation of development over time.

Height Over Time Chart

Line Graph Shows:

• X-axis: Date (monthly intervals)
• Y-axis: Height in cm or inches
• Data Points: Each measurement you've recorded
• Trend Line: Average growth trajectory

Features:

• Hover: See exact value at each point
• Zoom: Click-drag to zoom into date range
• Export: Download chart as image

Example Insights:

• "Gained 15 cm in 4 months" (+3.75 cm/month)
• "Growth spurt in May-June" (spring growth)
• "Plateau in winter" (normal dormancy)

Width Over Time Chart

Tracks Spread:

• Plant diameter or widest point
• Bushiness indicator
• Space planning (how much room needed)

Useful For:

• Bushy plants (ferns, calathea)
• Vining plants (pothos, philodendron)
• Planning repotting (outgrows pot)

Leaf Count Over Time Chart

Monitors Health:

• New leaf production rate
• Leaf drop tracking
• Overall vitality indicator

Patterns to Watch:

• Steady increase - Healthy growth ✅
• Fluctuation - Normal (some drop, some grow)
• Declining - Investigate (stress, pests, etc.) ⚠️

Combined Multi-Metric View

All Charts on One Screen:

• Compare height vs leaf count
• Identify correlations
• Example: "Height increased but leaf count dropped" → Plant getting leggy (needs more light)

Toggle Metrics:

• Show/hide individual lines
• Focus on specific metric
• Overlay multiple plants (compare similar species)

Growth Records Table

Detailed log of all measurements.

Table Columns

Sortable: Click column header to sort (e.g., sort by date, height)

Filterable: Date range filter (e.g., "Show 2025 only")

Editable: Click ✏️ to modify record, 🗑️ to delete

Record Details

Each Record Contains:

• Measurement Date - When you measured
• Height - cm or inches (consistent units)
• Width - Diameter or widest point
• Leaf Count - Total leaves (healthy, not dying/dead)
• Notes (Optional) - Observations ("New growth spotted", "Post-pruning")
• Photo (Optional) - Visual reference for that date
• Auto-Calculated:
  • Growth since last record (+3 cm)
  • Days since last record (35 days)
  • Growth rate (0.09 cm/day)

Adding Growth Records

Step-by-step measurement logging.

Quick Add Method

1-Minute Entry:

1. Click "+ Add Record" button (top-right)
2. Measure plant (see Best Practices below)
3. Enter values:
   • Height: 45 cm
   • Width: 35 cm
   • Leaf Count: 12
4. Date: Auto-filled to today (edit if measuring past date)
5. Save

Result: Record added, charts update immediately.

Detailed Add Method

3-Minute Comprehensive Entry:

1. Click "+ Add Record" → Select "Detailed"
2. Measurements (required):
   • Height: 45 cm
   • Width: 35 cm
   • Leaf Count: 12
3. Optional Info:
   • Notes: "2 new leaves since last month, looking healthy"
   • Photo: Upload progress photo (links to Photos tab)
   • Conditions: Light, water, fertilizer status (auto-pulled from logs)
4. Date/Time: Set exact timestamp
5. Save

Result: Rich record for future analysis.

Measurement Best Practices

Consistency is Key:

Height Measurement:

• ✅ Measure from soil surface to tallest point
• ✅ Use same measuring tool (ruler, tape measure)
• ✅ Measure when plant is turgid (well-watered)
• ❌ Don't include pot height
• ❌ Don't measure drooping leaves (water first!)

Width Measurement:

• ✅ Measure widest point of foliage
• ✅ Measure in 2 directions, average them (for even accuracy)
• ✅ Include outermost leaf tips
• ❌ Don't measure pot diameter

Leaf Count:

• ✅ Count only healthy leaves (green, functional)
• ❌ Don't count yellowing/dying leaves
• ❌ Don't count unfurled tiny leaves (wait until fully open)

Timing:

• 📅 Same day each month (e.g., 1st of month)
• ⏰ Same time of day (morning after watering is ideal)
• 🌱 After watering (leaves fully extended)

Growth Analysis

Understanding what the data means.

Growth Rate Calculation

Auto-Calculated Metrics:

Average Growth Rate:

• Example: 15 cm gained over 4 months = 3.75 cm/month
• Shown on chart as trend line

Current vs Initial:

• Initial Height: 30 cm (first record)
• Current Height: 45 cm (latest record)
• Total Growth: +15 cm (+50% increase)

Fastest Growth Period:

• May-June 2025: +8 cm in 2 months (4 cm/month)
• Identifies peak growing season

Growth Patterns

Healthy Growth Indicators:

• ✅ Steady upward trend
• ✅ Seasonal variations (faster in spring/summer)
• ✅ Leaf count increasing
• ✅ Width proportional to height (not leggy)

Concerning Patterns:

• ⚠️ No growth for 3+ months (outside dormancy)
• ⚠️ Height increasing but leaf count decreasing (legginess)
• ⚠️ Sudden drop (measurement error? or health issue?)
• ⚠️ Width not increasing (needs more light? or nutrients?)

Comparison Features

Compare with Species Average:

• Your plant: 3.75 cm/month
• Species average: 2-4 cm/month
• Status: Within normal range ✅

Compare Multiple Plants:

• Overlay growth charts from 2+ plants
• Example: Compare 3 Pothos with different light levels
• See which care method works best

Growth Milestones

Celebrate achievements and set goals.

Auto-Detected Milestones

PlantKeeper Automatically Celebrates:

🎉 Doubled in Size

• Reached 2x original height
• Example: 30 cm → 60 cm

🌿 First New Leaf

• Leaf count increased from initial
• Special for new plant parents!

📏 Centennial Milestone

• Reached 50 cm, 100 cm, etc.

📅 Anniversary

• 6 months, 1 year, 2 years with you

🌱 Propagation Success

• Rooted cutting grew 10+ cm

Custom Milestones

Create Your Own Goals:

Example Goals:

• "Reach 1 meter tall" - Target height
• "20 leaves by end of year" - Leaf goal
• "Survive winter" - Seasonal challenge
• "Outgrow current pot" - Repotting indicator

Setting Custom Milestone:

1. Click "+ Add Milestone"
2. Name: "Reach 1 meter tall"
3. Type: Height goal
4. Target: 100 cm
5. Deadline: Dec 31, 2025 (optional)
6. Save

Progress Tracking:

• Shows progress bar (e.g., "45/100 cm - 45% complete")
• Estimated completion date (based on growth rate)
• Notification when achieved!

Milestone History

View Past Achievements:

• Timeline: See all milestones chronologically
• Photos: Associated progress photos
• Stats: How long it took to achieve
• Share: Celebrate on social media

Export & Reporting

Get your data out of PlantKeeper.

Export Options

CSV Export:

• All growth records in spreadsheet format
• Open in Excel, Google Sheets
• Columns: Date, Height, Width, Leaf Count, Notes

Chart Export:

• Download chart as PNG image
• Share on social media
• Print for plant journal

Growth Report PDF:

• Comprehensive report with:
  • All charts
  • Growth rate analysis
  • Milestone achievements
  • Care correlation (e.g., fertilizer coinciding with growth spurts)

💡 Tips & Tricks

Monthly Measurement Routine

1st of Every Month:

1. Water plants thoroughly (evening before)
2. Morning: Measure all plants
3. Add records to PlantKeeper
4. Take progress photos
5. Review charts for any concerns

Consistency = Better Data

Use Photos as Proof

Visual Verification:

• Did you really measure correctly?
• Photo shows actual size vs ruler/tape measure
• Catch measurement errors before they skew data

Seasonal Expectations

Don't Panic in Winter:

• Many plants don't grow Oct-Mar
• Dormancy is normal
• Flat growth chart in winter ≠ problem

Expect Spring Spurts:

• March-June often shows fastest growth
• Double-check measurements (rapid change)

Correlate with Care

Growth Dropped? Check Diary:

• Did you change watering frequency?
• Move plant to different location?
• Stop fertilizing?
• Diary tab shows what changed when

Propagation Tracking

Document Cuttings:

• Create new plant entry for cutting
• First record: Day 1 (cutting taken)
• Track from 0 cm → Current size
• See how fast cuttings root and grow

❓ Common Questions

Q: How often should I measure my plants?

A: Monthly is ideal for most plants:

• Frequent enough to catch issues
• Not so often that small changes aren't visible
• Matches typical care routines (fertilization, inspection)

Faster-growing plants: Bi-weekly (spring/summer)
Slow growers: Quarterly (succulents, cacti)

Q: I forgot to measure for 3 months. Can I estimate past records?

A: Not recommended:

• Estimates skew data and charts
• Can't accurately remember exact measurements
• Better to resume from today forward

Alternative: Mark gap in chart, note "Not tracked" in notes.

Q: My plant got pruned. How do I record that?

A: Two approaches:

1. Record Pre-Pruning Measurement:

• Measure before pruning
• Add record with note: "Pre-prune: 50 cm"
• Immediately add second record: "Post-prune: 35 cm"
• Chart shows drop (expected)

2. Note in Diary Only:

• Don't add growth record
• Document in Diary: "Pruned 15 cm, new height ~35 cm"
• Next regular measurement will show new baseline

Q: Can I track multiple plants on one chart?

A: Not directly on individual plant's Growth tab (shows only that plant).

Workaround: Use Collections feature:

1. Create collection: "Pothos Comparison"
2. Add 3 Pothos plants
3. Collection view → Growth Comparison Chart
4. See all 3 plants overlaid

Q: My growth rate seems slow. Is something wrong?

A: Compare with species average (shown below your chart):

• Within range: Plant is fine! Some species grow slowly.
• Below range: Check care (light, water, nutrients), health status, root-bound pot.

Slow growers: Many houseplants grow 1-2 cm/month (totally normal).

🔗 Related Topics

Essential Reading

• Recording Growth - Detailed measurement guide
• Growth Charts - Advanced chart features

Related Tracking

• Diary Tab - Correlate care with growth
• Photos Tab - Visual growth documentation

Analysis

• Growth Analysis - Interpret patterns
• Milestones - Goal setting strategies

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