your favorite garden books

Ms.Anna · 04-29-2009, 04:24 PM

Hello,
I love books, especially gardening books. What is everyones favorite gardening books and why? I am always looking for more! I just got done re-reading "The New Seed-Starters Handbook" by Nancy Bubel and "Gaia's Garden" by Toby Hemenway.

Thanks!
anna

PapaBear · 04-30-2009, 01:49 AM

I've read many, many gardening books but hands down the most complete and interesting one I have ever found is "How To Grow Vegetables & Fruits by the Organic Method". It's an older book (from the 70s) but it beats most of what is out there. More complete and an almost all encompassing book on gardening. If you can find it, it's worth its weight in gold.

garnetmoth · 04-30-2009, 08:22 AM

I liked both of those Ms. Anna. I also like "How to grow more vegetables" by Jeavons. I still am not at the growing all our compost.

Zurdita · 05-02-2009, 11:31 AM

"Gaia's Garden" was the first book I read that let me see the garden as a system instead of plants in isolation and a series of inputs and outputs. Now I think about the soil as a living thing and carefully trim nandinas to save the canes to support tomato plants or cucumbers. I guess it taught me to "shop" first within the walls around my yard.
"Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver was the book that changed my garden from a hobby to an integral part of my place in an over-burdened world. It also taught me about turkey sex which I had never been inquisitive enough to think about.

I just picked up a copy of "The Rodale Guide to Composting" which is actually more than most people need or want to know; okay, I skipped parts too, but I've discovered that I need to put things in a larger context before I use them.
I also use "Rodale's Vegetable Garden Problem Solver". For a relative beginner like me, it's a good handbook, but I can see that I am already turning to it less and less. However, it is invaluable for practical advice, especially for tips on bringing in beneficial insects.
Zurda

weedwarrior · 05-31-2009, 11:03 PM

Anything by Eliot Coleman.. His New Organic Grower has a wealth of specifics.

Evansmamma123 · 06-10-2009, 04:24 PM

I'm reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle right now! What a great book.

I really like Cubed Foot Gardening: Growing Vegetables in Raised, Intensive Beds by Christopher O. Bird

and Secrets from the Jerry Baker Test Gardens: Over 1,436 Tips, Tricks, and Tonics from America's Master Gardener for Lush Lawns, Amazing Annuals, Eye-Popping ... More! (Jerry Baker's Good Gardening series) by Jerry Baker

Lots of good info in those.

Clover · 06-17-2009, 01:52 PM

Here are a few books I've enjoyed very much. They're not how-tos, but gardens are central figures.

Elizabeth and Her German Garden, by Elizabeth Von Arnim--a funny and enchanting novel

Paths of Desire by Dominique Browning The story of her attempts to make a garden, fights with neighbors, love affair--a great read.

The $64 Tomato by William Alexander Hilarious account of hero's attempts to plant and protect a large vegetable garden his family can eat out of

Enjoy!

americanmutt · 11-02-2009, 07:28 PM

Those are some great books! Let's see:

The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control
The Vegetable Gardener's Bible
Carrots Love Tomatoes

1,001 Ingenious Gardening Ideas: New, Fun and Fabulous That Will Change the Way You Garden - Forever!
Newspaper, Pennies, Cardboard, and Eggs--For Growing a Better Garden: More than 400 New, Fun, and Ingenious Ideas to Keep Your Garden Growing Great All Season Long

Really love Storey and Chelsea Green Publishers. I run across Gardening books that I want all the time, but before I buy I check to see if my local Library has the book so that I can peruse it to make sure I like the layout/paper texture and that the information is useful and not redundant (something I already know or that was offered to me in another book that I already own)

Despite my love of books, esp as reference, what I find most valuable are forums such as this one and local extension PDFs and public information concerning plants offered by Universities.

DeanRIowa · 11-03-2009, 09:12 AM

Two books I have recently purchased and have skimmed(holding for Winter) and look promising are:

Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners by Suzanne Ashworth & Kent Whealy

100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden by Carolyn Male

Dean

smwlindy · 11-04-2009, 01:06 PM

Everything I've read by Eliot Coleman has been great.

Another fabulous reference book is Steve Solomon's "Gardening When It Counts". It is too much information to absorb all at once...I read it, then keep referring back to it on specifics. The COF ("Complete Organic Fertilizer") 'recipe' worked wonderfully for us!

Like americanmutt, "what I find most valuable are forums such as this one and local extension PDFs and public information concerning plants offered by Universities." --Amen!, and many thanks to the folks on this forum for all their help!

Got Worms? · Yesterday, 06:28 PM

Of the 40 or so gardening books that I own; these are the ones that I find myself picking up the most...either for reference or to re read.

"The New Seed-Starters Handbook" By Nancy Bubel
"Root Cellering" By Mike and Nancy Bubel
"Step by Step Organic Gardening" By Shepherd Ogden
"Growing Fruits and Vegetables Organically" ? Rodale Press
"The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening" ? Rodale Press
"The Pepper Garden" By Dave De Witt and Paul Bosland
"The Color Handbook of Garden Insects" By Anna Carr
The Organic Gardeners handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control (Whew!) By Ellis and Bradley
The Audubon Society "Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders"
(another Whew!)

I haven,t bought any new books in quite a while. I believe that (as far as gardening books go) what was once old is now again new.

Charlie

04-29-2009, 04:24 PM	#1
Ms.Anna Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Middle of Iowa Posts: 9	your favorite garden books Hello, I love books, especially gardening books. What is everyones favorite gardening books and why? I am always looking for more! I just got done re-reading "The New Seed-Starters Handbook" by Nancy Bubel and "Gaia's Garden" by Toby Hemenway. Thanks! anna

06-17-2009, 01:52 PM	#7
Clover Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 2	great garden reads Here are a few books I've enjoyed very much. They're not how-tos, but gardens are central figures. Elizabeth and Her German Garden, by Elizabeth Von Arnim--a funny and enchanting novel Paths of Desire by Dominique Browning The story of her attempts to make a garden, fights with neighbors, love affair--a great read. The $64 Tomato by William Alexander Hilarious account of hero's attempts to plant and protect a large vegetable garden his family can eat out of Enjoy!

Yesterday, 06:28 PM	#11
Got Worms? Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 23	Of the 40 or so gardening books that I own; these are the ones that I find myself picking up the most...either for reference or to re read. "The New Seed-Starters Handbook" By Nancy Bubel "Root Cellering" By Mike and Nancy Bubel "Step by Step Organic Gardening" By Shepherd Ogden "Growing Fruits and Vegetables Organically" ? Rodale Press "The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening" ? Rodale Press "The Pepper Garden" By Dave De Witt and Paul Bosland "The Color Handbook of Garden Insects" By Anna Carr The Organic Gardeners handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control (Whew!) By Ellis and Bradley The Audubon Society "Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders" (another Whew!) I haven,t bought any new books in quite a while. I believe that (as far as gardening books go) what was once old is now again new. Charlie __________________ Good gardening is: Doing what you have to do, when you have to do it, whether you want to or not.

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04-30-2009, 01:49 AM	#2
PapaBear Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 140	I've read many, many gardening books but hands down the most complete and interesting one I have ever found is "How To Grow Vegetables & Fruits by the Organic Method". It's an older book (from the 70s) but it beats most of what is out there. More complete and an almost all encompassing book on gardening. If you can find it, it's worth its weight in gold.

04-30-2009, 08:22 AM	#3
garnetmoth Zone 6A OH PL K Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 253	I liked both of those Ms. Anna. I also like "How to grow more vegetables" by Jeavons. I still am not at the growing all our compost.

05-02-2009, 11:31 AM	#4
Zurdita Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Claremont, CA 8b (I think) Posts: 41	"Gaia's Garden" was the first book I read that let me see the garden as a system instead of plants in isolation and a series of inputs and outputs. Now I think about the soil as a living thing and carefully trim nandinas to save the canes to support tomato plants or cucumbers. I guess it taught me to "shop" first within the walls around my yard. "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver was the book that changed my garden from a hobby to an integral part of my place in an over-burdened world. It also taught me about turkey sex which I had never been inquisitive enough to think about. I just picked up a copy of "The Rodale Guide to Composting" which is actually more than most people need or want to know; okay, I skipped parts too, but I've discovered that I need to put things in a larger context before I use them. I also use "Rodale's Vegetable Garden Problem Solver". For a relative beginner like me, it's a good handbook, but I can see that I am already turning to it less and less. However, it is invaluable for practical advice, especially for tips on bringing in beneficial insects. Zurda

05-31-2009, 11:03 PM	#5
weedwarrior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 80	Anything by Eliot Coleman.. His New Organic Grower has a wealth of specifics.

06-10-2009, 04:24 PM	#6
Evansmamma123 Junior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: SE Michigan Zone 5 Posts: 6	I'm reading Animal, Vegetable, Miracle right now! What a great book. I really like Cubed Foot Gardening: Growing Vegetables in Raised, Intensive Beds by Christopher O. Bird and Secrets from the Jerry Baker Test Gardens: Over 1,436 Tips, Tricks, and Tonics from America's Master Gardener for Lush Lawns, Amazing Annuals, Eye-Popping ... More! (Jerry Baker's Good Gardening series) by Jerry Baker Lots of good info in those.

11-02-2009, 07:28 PM	#8
americanmutt Noob Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Des Moines, IA Zone 5a Posts: 29	Those are some great books! Let's see: The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control The Vegetable Gardener's Bible Carrots Love Tomatoes 1,001 Ingenious Gardening Ideas: New, Fun and Fabulous That Will Change the Way You Garden - Forever! Newspaper, Pennies, Cardboard, and Eggs--For Growing a Better Garden: More than 400 New, Fun, and Ingenious Ideas to Keep Your Garden Growing Great All Season Long Really love Storey and Chelsea Green Publishers. I run across Gardening books that I want all the time, but before I buy I check to see if my local Library has the book so that I can peruse it to make sure I like the layout/paper texture and that the information is useful and not redundant (something I already know or that was offered to me in another book that I already own) Despite my love of books, esp as reference, what I find most valuable are forums such as this one and local extension PDFs and public information concerning plants offered by Universities.

11-03-2009, 09:12 AM	#9
DeanRIowa Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Eastern Iowa, 4b/5a Posts: 257	Two books I have recently purchased and have skimmed(holding for Winter) and look promising are: Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners by Suzanne Ashworth & Kent Whealy 100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden by Carolyn Male Dean

11-04-2009, 01:06 PM	#10
smwlindy Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Zone 3b/4a(St. Paul MN) Posts: 141	Everything I've read by Eliot Coleman has been great. Another fabulous reference book is Steve Solomon's "Gardening When It Counts". It is too much information to absorb all at once...I read it, then keep referring back to it on specifics. The COF ("Complete Organic Fertilizer") 'recipe' worked wonderfully for us! Like americanmutt, "what I find most valuable are forums such as this one and local extension PDFs and public information concerning plants offered by Universities." --Amen!, and many thanks to the folks on this forum for all their help!