OG Grow Journal - User Guide

1. Tap + to create a new grow
2. Enter strain name and plant count
3. Pick type (Autoflower/Photoperiod)
4. Set germination date
5. Choose veg/flower durations
6. Tap Save 🎉

Top-down view of your grow tent:

• Colored squares = Pots (drag to arrange)
• Red border = Pot doesn't fit

⚡ Auto-Arrange

Tap ⚡ Arrange to automatically position all pots:

• Optimizes space using smart bin-packing algorithm
• Places largest pots first, then fits smaller ones
• Maintains gaps between pots for airflow
• Tap again to try different arrangements

Your grow timeline shows all phases and entries:

Phase Colors

• 🟣 Purple = Germination
• 🟢 Light Green = Seedling
• 🟢 Green = Vegetative
• 🟣 Pink = Flowering
• 🟠 Orange = Flush
• 🟡 Yellow = Harvest

View Modes

• List view = Chronological week-by-week
• Grid view = Current week prominent, others in 2-column grid
• Toggle with the 📋/🔲 buttons in the toolbar

Week Navigation

• Tap week headers to expand/collapse
• Current week auto-expands with "TODAY" badge
• Scroll marker in progress bar shows your position

View your grow journey as a fullscreen slideshow. Tap 🖼️ Gallery in the header.

Navigation

• Swipe left/right or use arrow buttons
• Dots at bottom = jump to any slide
• Keyboard: ← → arrows, Escape to close

Auto-Play Slideshow

• Tap ▶ to start automatic playback (3-sec per slide)
• Tap ⏸ or Space to pause
• Great for reviewing progress or showing off your grow!

Phase Timeline

• Colored bar shows all grow phases
• Moving marker indicates current slide position
• See exactly where each photo falls in your grow journey

Slide Info

Each slide shows: Day number, Week, Phase, Entry title & notes

Quick Way

Tap + and choose: 💧 Water, 🌿 Feed, ✂️ Top, 🪴 Transplant, 🍃 Defol, 🌀 LST, 🌸 Pistils, 🚿 Flush

Detailed Entry

Tap any day on timeline → fill title, notes, photo → Save

Keep track of important tasks:

1. Open a grow → Tap ⚙️ Settings
2. Tap "Reminders"
3. Add task, date, and buffer days (1-7 early notification)
4. Save and get notified in advance

When a reminder appears, mark it as done to complete the task or dismiss it if not needed. Perfect for staying on top of watering, feeding, and milestones.

• DLI Calculator: In the entry form, click the 💡 Calc button next to DLI to open the calculator. Enter PPFD and hours, then "Use This Value" to set it automatically.
• Photos: Add weekly for an amazing timelapse in the gallery
• Quick add: Use the + button shortcuts instead of typing
• Multiple plants: Select which plant each note is about
• Grid view: Great for seeing the current week at a glance
• Reports: Generate a shareable HTML report of your entire grow
• Reminders: Set buffer days for tasks like watering and feeding to stay on schedule

Your data saves automatically in the browser.

📤 Export Options

Tap 📤 Export in the grow header:

📊 Full HTML Report

• Standalone webpage - works offline, share anywhere
• Cover section with strain, dates, and key stats
• Journey overview - timeline of all phases
• Plant cards with individual details
• Statistics - entry counts, activity breakdown
• Phase-by-phase story with all entries and photos
• Photo gallery grid with all grow images
• Lessons learned section for notes

📝 Markdown Export

• Forum-ready format for grow diaries
• Copy/paste to Reddit, forums, Discord
• Image placeholders for manual upload

💾 Backup & Restore

• Backup: Settings ⚙️ → Download JSON
• Restore: Settings ⚙️ → Import Backup

The diary works completely without an account — that stays true. Sync is an extra you switch on yourself if you want the same diary on your phone, tablet and computer, and a copy that survives a lost phone or a cleared browser.

🔐 What happens to your data

• Encrypted on your device before anything is uploaded (AES-256), with a key derived from your password.
• We cannot read your diary. Not the notes, not the photos. What lies on the server is a block of ciphertext — also for anyone who ever got hold of that database.
• Servers in the EU (Frankfurt). Only your email address is needed, no real name.
• You are asked first: nothing is uploaded until you tick the consent box.

🔑 Your recovery key

When you turn sync on, the app shows a recovery key once — it looks like RCVR-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX. Write it down.

• It is the only way back into the cloud copy if you forget your password.
• Not even we can reopen it for you — that is the point of the encryption.
• Lost both? Your diary on your devices is untouched. The app offers to throw the unreadable copy away and start a fresh one.
• You can hand yourself a new key any time: Settings ⚙️ → ☁️ Sync → 🔑 New recovery key.

📱 Setting it up

• Settings ⚙️ → ☁️ Sync across devices → create a free account
• Tick the consent box → the first upload starts, photos are compressed on the way
• On the second device: sign in, enter your password once to unlock the copy — your grows arrive

🗑️ Turning it off again

• Delete synced data: removes the copy and the photos from the server. Everything on your devices stays exactly as it is.
• Delete my account permanently: account, cloud copy and photos are gone for good. Your diary stays on your devices.
• Switch sync off and the copy is deleted by itself after 60 days.

Where is data saved? → In your browser, persists between sessions

Works on mobile? → Yes, phones, tablets, computers

Delete a grow? → Open grow → 🗑️ trash icon

Edit an entry? → Tap it in the timeline

Red pot border? → Pot too big, resize or move it

Do I need an account? → No. Everything works offline without one; sync is optional

Can you read my diary when I sync? → No, it is encrypted on your device first

Forgot my password? → Reset it, then unlock the cloud copy with your recovery key

Lost the recovery key too? → Your diary on this device is fine; start a fresh cloud copy

App not working? → Refresh page (F5 or pull down)

Lost data? → Restore from Settings → Import Backup

"Unlock your cloud copy"? → This device has no key yet — enter your password, or your recovery key

Sync says "offline"? → Nothing is lost, it catches up by itself once you are back online

OG Grow Journal Assistant is part of the Overgrow growing community — one of the oldest and friendliest places on the web to talk about growing.

Questions, feedback, or want to show off your grow? Head over to overgrow.com and join the conversation with fellow growers.

Share a grow in one tap: open a grow → 📤 Export → Post to Overgrow. The app pre-fills a forum topic with your grow report, photos placeholders, and stats — you just review and post.