4 comments about The Veggie Gardener's Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face Answers to Every Question You'll Ever Ask (Answer Book (Storey)).

1. I love this book! I saw it at Barnes + Noble yesterday, looked at it for five minutes and had to have it! I've been reading it since and am very pleased. For years I've been wanting to plant a vegetable garden, but have been intimidated.
   
   Barbara Ellis has written this book to remove the fears of planting. The layout is great, with questions and answers laid out in a logical format.
   
   The book is jammed pack with information, tips, problem solving techniques and it's all about organic!
   
   I even like the size and feel of the book.It's just over 4" x 6" and over an inch thick and over 400 pages long. The cover is really sturdy--something I like, as I tend to be rough with my "how to" books. The illustrations are simple but good, too.
   
   I highly recommend this book!
   
   By the award winning author of Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify and Energize Your Life, Your Home and Your Planet



2. I spotted this in a Border's bookstore about 2 weeks ago and immediately bought it. Although it doesn't mention lasagna gardening, which is what I do (Google the term for more info) the rest of the book is filled with outstanding information in an easy-to-find format. Within minutes I found answers to dozens of questions, and I'm a lifelong gardener with tons of experience although I haven't gardened in about 5 years so I needed the help. Gives a good concise outline, pros/cons and dos/don'ts of different crop types--it really helped me decide what to plant and when. Though thick, the book itself is small enough to put in a large pocket to carry with you while gardening. I highly recommend this book for experienced and new gardeners alike.



3. This is my first year of starting my own garden. Though my mother has been doing it for years. I know that I have her as a backup but this book is helping me to understand the veggie gardening when I don't have her around.



4. This book is very helpful. I am excited about planting my garden next year.

3 comments about Organic Gardening.

1. I am a beginning gardener who wants to learn to garden without chemicals or pesticides. After using this book for one season, I can't recommend it enough. It is easy to use and full of information that has kept our gardens healthy and beautiful. It has answered all of my questions and kept me excited about trying new things in the next season. Well written, well illustrated, and a great index.



2. This is the best general-knowledge gardening book in my collection, and definitely the best organic book I've found. The thing I like the most about this volume is that it's *practical.* The author doesn't act like weeds will magically leave you alone or that gardening is a carefree and perfect existance. He offers real world advice that deals with the real, mundane problems of the chemical-free gardener, or any gardener for that matter.
   
   It also contains lots of pictures and is easy to browse for whatever information you're after.



3. Beautiful illustrations and all the companion planting and natural pest control information I was wanting.
   
   I'm introducing some friends to raised bed, square foot and organic gardening, and it has served me well as a guide in illustrating the ease with which one can garden on an Earth-friendly basis.

5 comments about Organic Marijuana, Soma Style: The Pleasures of Cultivating Connoisseur Cannabis (Marijuana Tips).

1. ..I learned to respect the plant as a living object. I really enjoyed this book. This is not for the beginner but should greatly improve someone who has a basic understanding. I think it's more for turning the hobby into a form of artwork. He teaches you how to look for body language in your garden and grow the healthiest organic medicine you can.



2. Good book, but not comprehensive.
   
   If you're just starting out and want a good book that covers the fundamentals I would start with either "Grow Great Marijuana" or "The Cannabis Grow Bible". Both are are good introductory books with GGM as a Dummies book and TCGB as a great intro to genetics and breeding.
   
   However, this book makes a good addition to the library and it's worth the price.



3. I was pleasantly surprised that a such a small book could deliver so much information. I have yet to discover a better book on Organic Cannibis cultivation. Even if you are not growing in Soil or totally organic it will still give you some great growing ideas.



4. I was really pleased with the outlook this book gave me on growing medical cannabis. It contain lots of helpful imformation and it simplified my approach to growing Cannabis. SOMA actually speaks of the Cannabis plant with a respect and reverance that is rare in American culture where the plant is categorized negatively and used as a symbol for rebellion. I suggest this book to all of my friends and all those interested in growing and I hope that this kind of reverance for this perfect plant becomes contagious in our society.



5. This book was a good read. Everything I want to know about growing and cultivating my plants was there. Along with some great tips for my plants and thier health.

4 comments about Organic Gardening for Dummies.

1. Good primer for a beginning organic gardener. You can read it cover to cover or skip around to find information on your specific organic gardening needs. The book takes a pragmatic look at the challenges of organic gardening while keeping the "first, do no harm" philosophy in tact. The technical information and references are comprehensive without being overwhelming.



2. This is an easy to read, easy to understand book on organic gardening. It is very straight forward and doesn't assume more than basic gardening knowledge - just as it should.



3. This book is great for the organic gardener. We've enjoyed all of the information in this book. We highly recommend it onto others. :)



4. This is a straight forward manual on how to maximize your garden's potential without pesticides or store bought fertilizers. Additionally, there are many factoids on the "old fashioned" methods of gardening that were learned by trial and error over the history of humans.
   It's a great source for "use what you have" gardening. For some things, like insect control, there can be more than one or two solutions depending on your area and what you're growing.
   A handy guide for the beginner or intermediate gardener.
   ~Kendra Wesner, MLIS / Michigan

5 comments about The Truth About Organic Gardening: Benefits, Drawbacks, and the Bottom Line.

1. Don't assume that organic practices are always good and synthetic products are always bad -- get the facts. Gillman points out that plant-derived Rotenone, an organic pesticide, is highly toxic to aquatic life and causes tremors in rats. Other organics, such as Neem Oil, are often overused despite links to reproductive problems in rats and potential carcinogens. Conversely, not all synthetics are bad. Using a synthetic fertilizer in appropriate amounts once or twice a year in not harmful (if you generally attend to soil development by adding organic materials like compost and mulch). And a foliar spray made from (organic) liquified seaweed may be easier and just as helpful as making compost tea to spray on your plants. So make your gardening decisions based on knowledge, not on a bias for or against organics.



2. This book is timely as increasingly large numbers of us react to health, environmental and market conditions by growing more of our own food but wonder about the trade-offs of natural versus synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. The information offered here will be useful whether you are a neophyte or seasoned gardener.
   
   I've been gardening for most of my 72 years and have nearly100 gardening books in my library. I learned many new things here. For instance, regarding companion planting, I have long thought that fragrances were the most important condition to repel unwanted insects. Not so--color seems to be the best indicator of whether a plant would be an effective companion. In fact, an aroma may make things worse.
   
   Author Jeff Gillman is a knowledgeable referee on the sometimes near-hysterical fight between organic enthusiasts and those who favor synthetic garden inputs. He gained his doctorate at the University of Georgia and is currently an associate professor of horticulture at the University of Minnesota where in addition to teaching courses on nursery production and pesticide use he also runs the experimental nurseries and orchards there.
   
   Gillman is an organic advocate but recognizes that many gardeners want the fast response of commercial products such as pesticides, so he goes through the list of both organic and synthetic choices. Effectiveness, environmental impact quotients, and toxicological effects are all covered.
   
   Here you will learn the trade-offs between natural and synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and much more. Subjects covered are fertilization, weed control, insect control, disease control, and the control of birds, deer, rodents, and mollusks.
   
   Throughout the book, after discussing each subject, the author synopsizes with bulleted Benefits, Drawbacks, and The Bottom Line, which is the subtitle of the book. For those who want the fewest possible words, this may be all you need to read to get the information you desire.
   
   In the chapter on fertilization are discussed the well-known benefits of organic matter in the soil, compost and manure. Less well known, but covered here is the issue of pathogens in manure and compost, especially compost tea and manure tea. The section on natural versus synthetic fertilizers provided the news to me that while most of us believe that synthetic fertilizers contain petrochemicals, "that's rarely the case." It turns out the nitrogen is in fact drawn from the air by a process invented by Fritz Haber and Carl Bosch, both of whom received Nobel prizes. Those of us concerned about energy depletion and costs, however, will note that both coal and natural gas are used in the process.
   
   Phosphorous and potassium are obtained from mines in several states, an energy-intensive extraction and delivery process. In The Bottom Line, the author states his preference for organic fertilizers but notes that he uses synthetic fertilizers "for certain applications because they're cheap, readily available, and very effective."
   
   The longest and perhaps most important chapter is on insect control. There is solid info on organic cultural practices such as bagging fruit, choosing resistant plants, using floating row covers, handpicking and hosing, nectaries, companion planting, physical, visual and pheromone traps of various design for various pests, sticky cards and paste, and beneficial insects.
   
   Organic insecticides and synthetic insecticides receive twelve pages each, a balanced treatment comparing effectiveness and danger to both gardeners and the environment. In the chapter wrap-up the author "is siding with the organic choices right up until you start looking at the pesticides. Once these things enter the picture, all bets are off for me." Should the gardener decide to use pesticides, this chapter provides the scientifically known pros and cons. He strongly recommends the organic cultural practices. One of the few strategies that Gillman does not offer is simply growing more plants than you need--if you need the produce from three tomato plants, why, just grow five or six; if insects or disease reduce yield, you may well still have enough for your purposes.
   
   The final chapter is on the question of organic food. Is it really superior? And just how reliable are the USDA's organic growing standards? Some of the surprises: organic food is not pesticide free; some organic producers use poison, too; organic pesticides may be worse because they require frequent reapplication, resulting in more residue; carcinogens are examples of "the dose makes the poison."
   
   The Truth About Organic Gardening clears up much misunderstanding about natural and synthetic strategies for dealing with the many challenges of gardening. Not all synthetic pesticides are awful. Not all organic pesticides are safe. If, like me, you are an organic enthusiast, expect to have some of your beliefs challenged.
   
   Gardening is an ongoing learning process. Each garden is unique. Each gardener is unique. To garden successfully and to produce healthful food for you and your family you will necessarily make many choices. This book will be very helpful in making those choices.



3. 
   I received the book in good time and I was very pleased with it.



4. A surprisingly easy read, Jeff Gillman presents the pros and cons of organic and synthetic techniques for gardening, including soil management and pest control of all kinds (bugs, weeds, fungus, etc.). A good reference book and one I want to give my friend who covers everything in pesticide dust! Will not help with identification of gardening problems, but provides an understanding of the impact of all applications.



5. Excellent information about organic gardening, and does a great job of dispelling various myths. It also debunks people like Jerry Baker, who would have you fertilizing your garden with ammonia -- gak. Highly recommend this book.

5 comments about The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide to Raising and Selling Cut Flowers, Revised and Expanded.

1. The author spends a great deal of time telling you how to plant, transplant, fertilize, etc. She spends way too much space on basics of horticulture. Surely, anyone interested in selling flowers already knows how to grow them! The Ball RedBook would be a better reference for plant-specific growing advice. This book has extensive information about marketing and field yields, but I would take her advice with a grain of salt. I do not agree with some of her calculations and her other information is so far off the mark that I do not trust her opinions in this regard either.
   
   The best info in this book is from her "case studies". The farmers she interviews give good information about their methods and mistakes, but very few specifics about the most important topic: preservation. Just as top chefs will alter recipes so that no one can duplicate their materpieces exactly, most flower growers are very tight-lipped about their secrets and will write pages and pages without giving specifics. This book is true to form. "Proper contitioning" tips go no farther than adding sugar or asprin, or buying commercial (and expensive!) potions.
   
   My greatest complaint has to do with her guide to cut flowers at the end of the book. Some flowers that keep beautifully (after conditioning) are dismissed as having "no vase life". For example: Poppies and Cleome are dismissed as lasting a day or two, but using certain methods my Cleome lasted 2 WEEKS in the vase and won a blue ribbon at the county fair, and poppies can fetch $5 a stem and last 7-10 days if you do it right. "Flowers for Sale" by Lee Sturdivant has much better conditioning and plant selection information.



2. Lynn Byczynski's book is terrific! It has all the information that you need to pursue a career as a flower farmer. It has given me the information that I was seeking to make a career change and become a farmer's market flower grower. Especially appreciated the "Source and references" section.



3. When they think of farming, most folk conjure up images of grains, vegetables, and livestock. One very active and lucrative area of specialized farming is the growing and harvesting of flowers -- mostly for the ubiquitous flower shops that are to be found in very town and village. Now in a newly revised and significantly expanded edition, "The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide To Raising And Selling Cut Flowers" by Lynn Byczynski (who draws upon her considerable experience and expertise as the publisher and editor of the monthly industry newsletter 'Growing for Market' and her operation of the Wild Onion Farm in Lawrence Kansas) is the ideal instruction manual and guide for novice and experienced gardeners and farmers alike who wish to take full advantage of new techniques for prolonging their harvests, utilizing greenhouses, selecting flower cultivars, and post-harvest handling for growers throughout North American supplying commercial markets with their flowers. Enhanced with a resource directory, complete with sources for seeds, plants, supplies, and expert information on organic production under the guidelines and standards of the National Organic Program, "The Flower Farmer" will prove to be as valuable as it is indispensable whether growing flowers for fun, family and friends in the back garden, or for commercial profit on the acres of a farm.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



4. This book is a great resource if you want to grow flowers for a living. I have to warn you, if you love flowers as much as I do, you may have a problem cutting and selling them. Oh, well. I still do sell tomatoes.



5. This is the greatest book. It has answered all my questions and the ones I didn't know to ask. Highly recommended to anyone starting a business in flowers.

5 comments about The Rodale Bookof Composting: Easy Methods for Every Gardener.

1. What a great book! Easy to read, lots of information and even gives you idea's on building your compost bins. If you are a gardener and are planning on composting you really should buy this book.



2. As a serious gardener I appreciate well written books that I can own and have in my book shelf for yearly reading. And Rodale is a well respected publisher of gardening books.The subtitle says it all 'Easy methods for every gardener'.
   
   This means even apartment dwellers with a porch or patio can have a small compost setup. The book covers numerous ways to construct a composter as well as the many types of organic or natural materials one can compost. Even cardboard in moderation, as well as the traditional eggshells, coffee grounds, banana peels, vegetable and fruit scraps.
   
   The book also discusses year round composting and how and why composting works and the positive environmental impact of everyone have some type of a compost set up. This is one of those books every serious gardener should have or at least buy, read and donate to ones public library.



3. This is the most thumbed-through book on composting I have. Easily 90% of anything you would want to know about composting is inside this book. A small amount of the material may not be useful to the typical gardener, but it is interesting none the less. An excellent guide for the beginner and a good reference for the advanced composter.



4. If all you plan to do is improve your garden using kitchen scraps and some yard waste, this book is not for you. It is very technical, and best-suited to those with lots of space and time on their hands to manage large composting projects. Don't let this be your first book on the subject, since it will probably (wrongly) convince you that you need a Masters in Agriculture or Ecology to do accomplish what will naturally happen if you get any of a number of inexpensive composting bins, toss in some banana peels, coffee grinds and dead leaves, mix in some dirt and let the microbes get to work.



5. I was looking for a basic "how to" book on composting, while still interesting enough to hold my attention. Sadly, this wasn't it. The black and white pages read like a school book. And the information is pretty vague. I am new to gardening/composting, so this book could simply be too advanced for me.

4 comments about Texas Organic Vegetable Gardening: The Total Guide to Growing Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, and Other Edible Plants the Natural Way.

1. Howard covers the essentials of Basic Organic Gardening as well as the how to's. I bought the book at Rohde's for about the same price before shipping. If you can't get to Garland; but it here. We just completed our 20'x20' raised bed garden. Our front yard is the lushest greenest yard in the neighborhood with NO CHEMICALS. We have been a fan of Howard for a few years now.

   Grant Wiscour Irving, TX




2. This book has been indispensable to me!!! This book, along with The Vegetable Gardener's Bible, have been my "text books" in starting a garden. Without them, I wouldn't have such a great garden. These books take the guess work out of what to do. Thanks Mr. Garrett and Mr Beck!!!



3. This book is nothing more than a compilation of information that can be had for free from the county extension agents. I found nothing new in it. Your time would be better spent talking to the county agent and getting specific information for you county, as it would be easier to find that way, than in this book.



4. If you are intending to grow vegetables in Central Texas, you MUST buy this book! It is the only book out there that realistically tells you how (and WHEN) to grow vegetables in this, very difficult part of zone 8. ALmost tropical...and yet, so dry......and hot.....and such awful soil we have here! (Well, for the most part.)
   
   It has been THE most useful Gardening book in my collection for the last eight years, and though I buy many gardening books, no other book can begin to touch it (mainly because what they have to say just doesn't relate to Central Texas!)

5 comments about Perennial Vegetables: From Artichokes to Zuiki Taro, A Gardener's Guide to Over 100 Delicious and Easy to Grow Edibles.

1. I very seldom buy new books, and even more seldom buy books as expensive as this. But I had a $25 Amazon gift certificate, so I went ahead and bought it, and I'm very glad I did.
   
   The first section of the book is useful information on growing perennial vegetables (and other perennials, for that matter), and on landscaping using these plants, many of which have great ornamental value.
   
   Part Two is a listing of each of the more than 100 (I didn't count) perennial vegtables, with information on each species. About half the listed plants have quite extensive growing information, and about half have shorter descriptions. A map is included for each species, showing where it will grow as a perennial and where it can be grown as an annual. Toensmeier has not included plant 'thugs' such as kudzu or Japanese knotweed, and warns the reader if any of the other plants may naturalize.
   
   The author's inclusions of certain species (as vegetables) may be slightly questionable: we are more apt to think of them as fruit or as herbs, for example, rhubarb and lovage. (However, my daughter cooks a lot of Persian food, and uses rhubarb as a vegetable in a meat and vegetable stew.) Also, this book will be of even more use to people who live in a warmer climate than I do (northern Pennsylvania in the mountains, with Zone 4 weather). I actually already grow four of the vegetables in the book: rhubarb, lovage, Good King Henry, and sorrel. I discovered some others that I'll definitely try - two of which I had never even heard of before. Those who live considerably further south than I will find a wealth of species to try.
   
   The book is well written, and carefully edited. It includes a list of recommended reading, a list of recommended web sites, a list of sources for seeds and plants, a list of sources for garden supplies and equipment, a bibliography, an index by both scientific and common names, and a really valuable list of perennial vegetables that will grow in each of the various climate types in the USA (including Hawaii).
   
   If you're at all interested in growing perennial vegetables - or in permaculture in general - I think you'll want to read this book and probably to own it. I think it's a very useful book and a pleasure to read. I recommend it most highly.



2. I have to give it 5 stars for being the first real comprehensive review of perennial vegetables, and the organization of this book is fabulous. Some of the information I found at odds with my own experience, such as that I have found hardy varieties of clumping bamboo available. Also, I question the sustainability of some of the quarantine methods for more invasive varieties he suggests (what happens if someone stops mowing?). Overall a fantastic book for gardeners who love perennials!



3. I have spent a lot of time with this book. It is very well done and the standard of excellence is very high. Like many, I think we face the real possibility of having to be largely self-reliant as many different global crises converge, water, oil, climate change, etc. The antidote to despair is getting busy and one of the very best core strategies is to plant perennial vegetables and do edible landscaping.
   
   As noted above, not only is this book very thorough and very complete, it will point the reader to seed, plant, and other resources to implement their ideas. I consider it a master work and far more valuable than its very reasonable price. Get it, it will be one cornerstone of your self reliance toolkit.



4. This is an interesting book with nice photos, but of limited use to me here in USDA zone 5. Most of these plants require much warmer weather than I have, and from those I have grown, I'd say that while some may be easy enough to grow there are reasons they're not in widescale commercial production.
   
   Take the sunchoke, or Jerusalem artichoke, for instance. It's currently growing like a weed in a corner of my garden from six tubers I planted last year. I thought I had dug up the majority of what had grown last year - apparently not from the volume of new growth that sprouted this year. A friend of mine told me he had had a patch that got completely out of control before he mowed it into submission and gave up on harvesting it. I found the tubers really didn't have much taste until after frost, which meant there was only a narrow window available for harvest in the late fall/early winter before the ground froze but not completely. They are small and knobby and a pain to peel, and don't store all that well once they've been dug up out of the ground. All in all, easy to grow but not easy to use and certainly as likely as not to become a pest in the garden. I've tried New Zealand Spinach, too, and I'd have to say it was not very tasty - very tough and bitter. I'm glad it didn't survive the winter.
   
   So, while it's a lovely coffee-table book and an interesting conversation piece, I'd say it's "buyer beware" on the actual "veggies" featured in the book itself.



5. This is a good book well worth owning. I personally think that the layout could have been done better. There is a section at the end with lists of plants by climate zone, that really needed to give page numbers for the plants. Also the grouping by family, well very scientific, can make it hard to find what you are looking for. If you don't happen to know what family it is in you have to look in the index. Be prepared to become very friendly with the index if you are looking for a certain plant. Also don't take the maps too much to heart, the delineation of zones on the maps are wrong (he puts Vancouver WA as a Cold Temperate Climate type... we are zone 8 and rarely get snow.) but that is probley more a printer error then anything else. Add in the fact that the author has a HEAVY bias toward the warmer climes (like my zone 8 garden). Although a good part of that slant could very well be that there is a lack of research on edible perennials for the colder areas.
   
   All that said I don't regret buying this book, it is a good book with lots of interesting information.

5 comments about Harvest for Hope: A Guide to Mindful Eating.

1. This book is always next to my chair. I review it always. I have bought and given this wonderful book to friends and family. My why of passing the word. This book is an Eye opener for what we put in our mouths & how we are hurting our selfs and our plant.



2. As a huge fan of Ms. Goodall, I was delighted to discover this book just recently. I purchased it right away and read it over a weekend. I have always respected her opinions and was prepared to learn. This book changed my life!
   
   As an environmentalist, I have always wanted to reduce my impact on the planet but thought buying organic was too expensive. Ms. Goodall's expose' showed me that it was not expensive in the long run. After reading about factory farming and its use in the fast food industry, I cut out fast food and was able to purchase organic. Not only does one get the satisfaction of doing something good for themselves and the Earth, but the food taste SO MUCH BETTER! This is how we were meant to nourish our bodies - without chemicals, fertilizers, or frank o foods!
   
   Her coverage of genetically modified foods that bombard the grocery aisles was extremely eye opening. I now find myself shopping only at EarthFare (our regional version of the Whole Foods grocery chain), farmer's markets, and local co-ops for certified organic products.
   
   I loved the reference section which gives the reader website links to learn more about the topics Ms. Goodall covers in the book. I spent two whole days reading more in depth about a variety of topics.
   
   I highly recommend this book to everyone! The reader will walk away realizing that we are but a thread in the web of life and that in our quest to receive nourishment, we shouldn't destroy our natural world.



3. Jane Goodall, the chimpanzee lady, gives an overview of the issues with food, water, transportation of the food, etc. in this book. She does a good general job of explaining the issues. She discusses how crops are raised and used, how animals are raised and treated, genetic engineering, organic growing practices, how food is distributed, fast food and water! She uses an anecdotal style with facts and studies to back the stories up. However, the facts are not always referenced in a way the one could easily follow up. Overall, I liked the amount of information she conveyed in a very readable way.



4. This book was more about Jane's views on food than on food itself. Good book if you are a fan of her work. Bad choice if you are buying it for any insight regarding the culinary industry.



5. This book by Jane Goodall really speaks to how interconnected our health is to the foods we choose to eat.