5 comments about Texas Bug Book: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

1. This behemothian piece of excrement is a slap in the face of any ligitimate work on insects in general, or growing organic gardens specifically. The book is fraught with inaccuracies and outright misinformation. Case in point, the kissing bug did not get its name from biting people when it accidently flies into your face, it got it from its habit of biting sleeping people on the lips. This information is not critical to the book, but it exemplifies the slothful approach to gathering information the authors obviously used to write this book. The "Stories" are nothing more than opinionted drivel, although some of them are slightly humorous. The authors have no credentials in Entomology (they state that in the Introduction) and although they claim to have consulted "...many other books and research papers..." on the subject, nowhere did I find a reference to such information when something other than common fact was stated (as is necessary in REAL science books), such as aphids "...help to eliminate unfit plants." That is the single most ludicrous thing I have heard in a decade or more! Fortunately for me I didn't buy this waste of sawdust or recycled paper (whatever the case may be), but obviously some did because this "thing" is now in its fourth printing. The one good thing about this book is that the authors advocate the use non-chemical control. Believe me, save your money, you can get much better, less opinionated, advice from a simple Internet search.



2. My wife and I agree this book is worthless as a reference book, but it does have some pretty pictures. Great as a coffee table book, but you will never use it as a reference book.



3. It is important to know what bugs are beneficial and which are harmful. This book does just that! Not only does this book include many great photos, it also provides wonderful recommendations on how to manage the ones that are pests.
   As for the only spiders one should be weary of in North America: the Brown Recluse and the Black Widow, this book has great photos for proper identification. Furthermore, valuable information is included on the nature of these two spiders and has great suggestions on what to do should you happen to encounter one.



4. I've been an organic gardener for years and this book is one of my "Bibles". You cannot maintain an organic garden or landscape without knowing the beneficial bugs from the harmful ones. My husband and I really enjoy being able to identify what's in our landscape and seeing them in action. The world around us is a remarkable, complex place and sometimes you have to look at bugs to have it really hit home. This is a great book, along with all of Howard Garrett's others.



5. While this book includes common arachnids that are not truly "bugs" along with the insects, it is the one book I would want to have if I could have only one for use by non-scientists. It is engaging, good science that is written and illustrated in a way that the layman can understand, use and enjoy. A key strength, in my opinion, is that color illustrations are included on the same page as the text, making it easy to identify and associate a particular type of insect with a discussion of it. A second strength is that the multiple common names of Texas insects are included and indexed, which makes the book very easy to use.
   
   The authors focus heavily on a completely organic approach to Texas wildlife and gardening, with a substantial amount of information about organic methods of pest management. This may be useful to the reader; however, for the reader not ready to go organic, this information does not in any way detract from the value of the book as an extremely useful guide to Texas insects.

3 comments about Natural Gardening in Small Spaces.

1. I have a townhouse and very little room to garden, but I've long desired to plan a garden that would blend in with the woods that back up to our house. This book has given me my inspiration and has cemented my decision to plan a garden that will be both natural, peaceful and beautiful. It may take a while, but I'll do it thanks to this book. Have no garden space at all? They even cover that in the "Natural Gardening without a Garden".



2. Kingsbury writes of creating habitat for insects and hedgehogs as well as people, of selecting plants for your soil and water conditions. (He even writes on what grows best in gravel and in bogs.) This book encourages gardeners to be curious and to experiment. It is for those artists who create with plants.



3. Of the too many gardening books I've purchased, this one has transformed me. It opened my eyes to plant groupings that are natural (often native) and pleasing the year round. The illustrations are very beautiful and really do convey what Kingsbury describes. There is also plenty of useful data to help identify the plants that suit each environment. I bought this years ago and continue to return to it for both inspiration and information.

5 comments about Perennials for Every Purpose: Choose the Right Plants for Your Conditions, Your Garden, and Your Taste (A Rodale Organic Gardening Book).

1. If you are confused and overwhelmed by the large number of perennials available to you, then you might want to take this book along with you on your next trip to the nursery.
   
   The first part of the book covers the basics such as getting started, creating a design, growing perennials and keeping them healthy. The last section of the book profiles perennials that can be used in specific situations, such as dry, wet, sunny or shady areas. Each plant profile includes a photograph, a sidebar listing plant characteristics, and suggestions for companion plantings. Also, the top varities for each plant are listed. Seven garden designs are included if you don't want to design your garden yourself. A very informative and helpful book!



2. A great reference that I turn to time and time again. And frequently peruse leisurely at bedtime. Especially nice for wintertime dreaming of next season's garden!
   
   There are only a few paragraphs per plant (facing pages, large-ish print), plus a table; but the info is presented concisely enough that I get what I need most of the time. If not, I move on to other resources.
   
   Author's style is very readable, pleasant and good-natured.
   
   The only downside is that more photos would have made a better reference (although probably a more expensive one). One picture -- which could be a flower close-up or a wider shot -- really isn't sufficient if the reader is not familiar with the plant.
   
   Oh, and too often the table information will say "varies by species" (or "cultivar") for entries like size, etc. I think that could have been handled better.
   
   But having said those things, I have to reiterate that I love this book (and its partner, "Annuals for Every Purpose"). So much so that I felt compelled to write this review/recommendation when the title crossed my browsing path... and despite shopping at Amazon for years, I've never done so before.
   
   Enjoy and happy gardening!



3. I'm a Master Gardener who bought this book for my newly married 26 year old daughter who is planning her first garden. This book has great pictures of PLANTS--not just the flowers on them--as well as garden plans for small doable gardens--9 x 7--as well as larger undertakings. The descriptions of each plant are well done and the book is fun to browse. Good investment for any gardener!



4. There just isn't anything to dislike about this book or it's author.
   
   The book contains a vast spectrum of useful information for the novice & veteran gardener alike. Mr. Hodgson is very transparent on his views about 100's of perennials & specific cultivars. He doesn't paint a pretty picture when there's not one to paint. He's honest & up front about the woes of various plants & the nightmares they can haunt us unsuspecting gardeners with. He also shares a wealth of positive examples about those that are a great pleasure to grow in any garden & encourages the reader to find a place in our yard for those special ones.
   
   The authors down to earth approach is a pleasure to experience & he certainly has a gift for sharing his many years of travels around the world & testing thousands of plants.
   
   This is the kind of book that should be in every gardeners library as this kind of information is altogether valuable & beneficial at all levels.
   
   My only disappointment with this book...was that it wasn't much longer to include another few thousand perennials & the authors advice on them.
   
   The author has so much to impart...the reader will be delighted in their purchase of this book. A wise investment indeed!!!!



5. Perennials for Every Purpose is truly an encyclopedia of perennials catagorized in groups such as Everblooming, Sunshine, etc. Quick and informative reading. A real treasure of information.

5 comments about Organic Gardening in Cold Climates.

1. I'm 20 and in college and have a small (8' by 12') vegetable garden in Vermont and this book is perfect for anyone interested in doing the same sort of thing. It introduced me into many concepts I had never heard of including how to make a compost pile, companion planting, and season extenders such as hotbeds. One thing I liked was that it gave a number of ways to do each thing...it didn't demand that there was one best way to do things...it lets you choose what's best for you. The second half of the book lists a number of different varieties of each vege/herb and when/where you should plant them and how they should be cared for.



2. In this newly revised and expanded edition of Organic Gardening In Cold Climates, gardening expert Sandra Perrin draws upon her more than thirty years of experience gardening year-round in Montana to teach aspiring gardeners in the upper states of the U.S. and the provinces of Canada how to adapt to cold weather and early frosts when raising their garden vegetables. There are special sections devoted to "companion planting", season extenders, composting, natural pest and disease control, and "French Intensive Gardening". Every aspect of gardening in a northern climate is clearly addressed from planning the garden, to preparing the soil, to planting, to tending what has been planted, and harvesting. Enhanced with chapters devoted to fruit and vegetable seeds, growing herbs in a garden setting,, gardening and therapy, a listing of seed companies, and a bibliography of useful literature, Organic Gardening In Cold Climates is the perfect instructional reference for the novice gardener in a colder climate.



3. Terrific book! Very, very helpful. I love it.



4. Some terrific points of interest and knowledge, but there could have been some better referencing and classification of information to make this a more respectable volume. Nevertheless, the feel-good aspect - as if you were reading your auntie's gardening book - makes for an enjoyable and insightful read. A keeper!



5. The thing that struck me most strongly about this book was the common-sense approach the author uses. This isn't some idealistic "greenie" trying to further her cause; but a woman who has spent her entire life caring for the soil and garden that feeds her and her family.
   
   The sections on companion planting and rotation are invaluable for anyone attempting to reduce pests and disease in their garden without using pesticides, herbicides and fungicides. The fact that these methods also tend to increase your harvest yield is just a happy coincidence!
   
   One of the most distinctive differences with this organic gardening book is that it focuses on cold climates, in some cases even very cold climates, where we don't have the luxury of a long growing season or temperate winters. It's easier to be organic when you have 180+ days in your growing season and you don't have to worry about your compost pile freezing... it's a little more difficult when your "guaranteed" season is more like 60-90 days, and it gets so cold and for long enough that the ground freezes solid (not just your compost pile).
   
   By far, this is one of the best organic gardening "primers" I've read, the fact that it focuses on latitudes north of 40 is a special treat. Just the right amount of information to get you thinking and growing without being proscriptive.

3 comments about Compost: The natural way to make food for your garden.

1. I was thoroughly excited when I received my copy of this book through the mail. Having not been able to find it in the local book stores, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect. The design/layout and content exceeded my expectations. Previously, I hadn't been able to get through the huge books I had on the subject which looked like they were from the 80's. This book however, is thoroughly modern. The pictures and typography make it interesting and a quick read. My only complaint was that it seemed a bit disorganized, the author kept referring to things and would refer to them later in a different example and it was a bit confusing, if not contradictory. Perhaps we just organize our thoughts in different ways. For example, he repeatedly talks about woody waste, in about ten or fifteen different instances and can't seem to make up his mind on exactly how he feels. I understand that the decision to use this type of material is dependent on many other factors, which he explains, but it would have been more helpful to me, if he had said five pages on woody waste all at once rather than the one page he has specifically devoted to it and four others spread throughout the book. That said, it is probably the best organized and most user-friendly book available on the subject.



2. After reading this book I had a simple plan to start my own compost pile. What was refreshing was a lack of endorsements for specific products, and the beautiful pictures provided. Now I know how to compost!



3. Just picked up this book yesterday afternoon and had it finished today. It's an easy quick read and a great introduction to composting. If you are looking at composting your garden and kitchen waste and are just getting started this is for you. Even if you have been doing it a while you will have a better understanding of which ingredients work best and why.

No comments about Principles of Biodynamic Spray And Compost Preparations.

1 comments about Composting: An Easy Household Guide (The Chelsea Green Guides).

1. It is a little book, but has really great infomation for composting. The ideas in the book will keep the stink from the compost down to nothing If you are going to compost, I suggest you read this first.

1 comments about Lasagna Gardening with Herbs: Enjoy Fresh Flavor, Fragrance, and Beauty with No Digging, No Tilling, No Weeding, No Kidding!.

1. First things first, this book was great fun to read. The author writes with passion on her subject and clearly has a great love of this topic. It really does shine through. The description of different herbs is workman like and covers off on all the kitchen herbs in everyday use.
   
   The book is punctuated by some interesting recipes. Those that I have tried I like.
   
   Now getting down in the dirt: lasagna gardening is a combination of using composted materials coupled with a layer of news papers between the soil and the compost to eliminate weeds. Preparing rich compost from kitchen waste is something I do already, the use of newspaper as a weed suppressant is something I would never of thought of (very logical though). I love the thought of minimal work.
   
   In general herbs can do very well in dry sandy soil and will tolerate poor conditions. My main problems are countering winter cold.
   
   The technique outlined should be great for raised bed and limited space gardening. I plan to try out the technique on a small area, for growing annual herbs. I plan to document my progress on my blog page (check out if interested):
   
   http://mysite.verizon.net/herbgardeners/id1.html
   
   Great book, well worth a read if you want to try something different. Very out of the box thinking.

5 comments about Mike McGrath's Book of Compost.

1. Makes composting and gardening easier and more rewarding for beginers or experts. lots of fun ways to improve your garden.



2. Mike McGrath's Book of CompostThis is an excellent book, especially for beginners. It's entertaining and informative. The only source you'll need for composting.



3. McGrath tells us how easy composting is. He scales it down to where your not affraid to try it.



4. BUY THIS BOOK. You'll never regret it, and you'll read it to tatters. Turn your household garbage into beautiful rich loam. Mr. McGrath tells you what you need to know, in simple but funny language, about composting. This is an excellent gift book, written by someone who knows how to make plain old information fascinating and funny. Although we've never met, I sense a kindred soul who understands how to save the planet by intelligently recycling garbage to create a home for flowers and vegetables.
   
   Composting is an art. This book will tell you how to learn it.



5. Has the needed info in it, but could have been 60 pages instead of 120 pages. I just wanted the facts and a library to go to. The author sounds like a 60s guy trying to make jokes. Seems like every other sentence then has parenthesis with some joke or wise crack. For me it got old. If you like that kind of thing, then you will like the book. Like i said, i would have rather had 60 pages of facts that i could find again.

1 comments about Growing and Using Garlic: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-183 (Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin).

1. Literally, a little thin. Not much info on Garlic; just the basic knowledge.
   
   Some good recipes, though.