1 comments about Pest-Proofing Your Garden: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-15.

1. No nonsense, practical-sounding ideas on dealing with rabbits, groundhog, woodchuck, birds, moles, deer, raccoons, opossum, squirrels, mice, skunks and slugs. Some ideas are time-honored and tested true; others I have no personal experience with. I DO know that electro-net fencing works well against almost every varmint listed above, except for birds, slugs and moles. Actually, it will also zap, even kill, a few birds, and once the rest of them get the word they DO seem to thin out a bit as time goes by. The electro-netting is available from Premier 1 Supplies. It costs, as of early '08, about $130 for a 164' roll. It also comes in a half roll of 82' and in various heights and configurations. You can spend a few bucks and get a solar/battery fence charger, or get a cheap little $30 model like I use, but it requires AC power. I recommend you get the newer model they have which has a step-in prong at the bottom of the posts. It makes installation a snap. I love the electro-netting and also recommend this little book for some very good advice. Good luck.

No comments about Taylor's Guide to Ground Covers: More than 400 Flowering and Foliage Ground Covers for Every Garden Situation - Flexible Binding (Taylor's Gardening Guides).

2 comments about The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses: How to Grow and Use Over 250 Beautiful and Versatile Plants.

1. This is a great book with clear, concise information and photographs of grasses, sedges, rushes, etc., but there is one important thing missing: bamboo! I was disappointed to find that family missing completely, but very satisfied with the rest of the book.



2. Greenlee did his homework and that shows when you browse through this friendly, yet exhaustive and descriptive work. Ornamental grass is growing in popularity and this is a good reference book for the novice and professional alike.

   Climate info, decent photography throughout and even a list of mail order suppliers make it a must have for a burgeoning landscape designer...

2 comments about Growing Marijuana Hydroponically.

1. Had very little resources on harvesting and preparing the buds. The book was worth reading and was good for beginers starting out on growing.



2. The book, sorry to say, is not worth the investment. there is nothing new there, nothing that any other book on growing in this method would not provide.

5 comments about Agaves, Yuccas, and Related Plants: A Gardener's Guide.

1. A complete description, history, guide and care to this plant group. Not a coffee table book for sure but very informative for the serious gardener.



2. This is the book to have if you are interested in growing agaves, and yuccas particularly if you have an interest in growing them as landscape plants and want to know how hardy a particular species is likely to be. It has rapidly become the Bible for growers of these plants.



3. This was also a Mother's Day present, so yet again my review is based on the impressions of another trusted source.
   *************
   HUGE amount of information - for the enthusiast of all levels
   Excellent pictures
   Comprehensive
   Great price
   Good Binding
   Good size
   *************



4. A very nice referral source for a beginner with these types of plants. Nice pictures which help as well. Enjoyable and well written.



5. Our landscape is filled with yuccas, agave and cactus. This book helps me to expand my knowledge of the varities of these plants and the zones they work in. An excellent book.

3 comments about The Biodynamic Sowing and Planting Calendar.

1. I have been an avid gardener for years, but when I discovered "Gardening the Biodynamic Way", it challenged me to think in new ways. I have since read more on the suject, and have found this booklet to be an invaluable companion to other readings. I found the information to be accessable and interesting. I have been challenged to run my own trials as well. So far, peas, potatoes, tomatoes and peppers have been planted biodynamically! Now the wait and see begins.



2. Helpful, and instructive. Wish I'd known that this was all I needed to order, and wouldn't have wasted my money and time on Hugh Lovel's book.



3. This is mostly a functional manual for bio-dynamic gardeners. A "how to" book. As a gardener, I have found it very useful. My only complaint is that there is no mention of asparagus, the second most important crop in my garden. Is asparagus a leaf,a fruit or a root? I found this omission surprising as there is such a vast array of vegetables mentioned.
   
   Other than the practical application of this book, I found it fascinating to read the studies of isolated planetary light on the individual plant parts. It is sad that the materialistic ideology of today makes people unable to accept these practices in spite of scientific studies. I mentioned bio-dynamics to our local agricultural extension agent who nodded his head approvingly and said that he also believed in the importance of astrological influences, but this was not a practice he could provide information on if he was to keep his job.
   
   I hope for the sake of humanity's future that works such as these will gain wider acceptance.

5 comments about Botanical Latin.

1. As the quote says: "This book aims to provide a working guide to the special kind of Latin internationally used by botanists for the description and naming of plants." As such it has little or no competition and by itself sets the standard in the field.

   Obviously it is not a dictionary, nor is it about plant names. For those wanting to look up current plants and their taxonomic status there is the invaluable "The plant-book" by D.J.Mabberley. For the derivation of botanical names there is "Stearn's dictionary of plant names for gardeners" by this same W.T.Stearn. Another very commendable dictionary (for a related field) is "Composition of Scientific Words" by R.W.Brown.




2. Ever wonder what those Latin botanical names actually mean? Well, this book will reveal it all. It's thick and heavy, but that's to be expected of such a thorough and exhaustive treatment of the subject. Not only are there dictionaries, but also chapters on grammar, syntax, and history, and even a section on Greek words in botanical Latin. Whether you're a professional botanist, a student, or a serious amateur, this learned tome will be a valuable reference book for your library.



3. I was given this book by a 'fellow plant person' as a helpful hand through grad 'skool'. I truly wish I'd had known about this book years ago when I starting to ID plants, lichens and mosses!! It would have made the process of learning a new language less intimidating! Knowing the definition of a root word is so important and applicable in areas outside of botany. - Knowing the meaning of a root word has been helpful to my English as a second langauge students. Don't let the word 'Latin' scare ya, this book is the dictionary. It is a tool not a great story unless you're into the development and history of language. It has come to be a great reference book, even my grad advisor is interested in it.



4. This is the best book readily available on scientific Latin, not just botanical Latin. Great lists, glossary, etc.



5. This is a great book, but much understanding of the subject is needed before hand for a person to really get much out of it. It is a great purchase for serious horticulturists, but if you are just a weekend gardener this is not the book for you. If you specialize in a certain Genera and more knowledge of specie name basis is what you want this is a good buy.

5 comments about The Book of Bamboo: A Comprehensive Guide to This Remarkable Plant, Its Uses, and Its History.

1. Written by the one of the few people in the world qualified to produce a monograph on bamboo, it is as comprehensive as it gets. David Farrelly has spent more than a decade planting, harvesting, and building with bamboo in Mexico, Nicaragua, and the United States. If you are only interested in the growing of bamboo as an ornamental, then this book may not be exactly what you expect, but it still serves up more information on bamboo growing, propagation and care, and bamboo species and description then any other currently available books on bamboo. Don't expect grossy pictures either, but line drawings and old black and white photographs somehow seems to fit well in this book. Grossy pictures would have been out of place here. What really makes this book a must read is the other non-botanical, non-horticultural information on bamboo that the book includes - it's history, it's multiple of uses, it's interaction with mankind through the ages.

   If you are into bamboo beyond it's aesthietics, this is a "must read". If you are only into ornamental bamboos, this is still a good reference, and reading it will change your respect for what must be truly the most useful of all plants on planet earth.




2. I bought this book awhile ago. . . .and unfortunately, have enough going on that I can't just sit down and read it beginning to end, but already I know a LOT more about a plant I've always been fascinated with. Lots of definitions, and pictures, and illustrations. If there's anything that could be considered a detraction, there's maybe TOO much information on the plant and its uses.
   
   a thoroughly great book to add to a collection for anyone into herbal knowledge or lore, interested in plants, or wants to just know more about bamboo.
   
   Recommended reading :)



3. In a World in which only three countries have doubled their forest resources while the rest of the nations are working on depleting theirs; a global crisis waiting to happen because of our irresponsible handling of our natural resources, bamboo offers a solution that could definately take us back to a healthy equilibrium. This book gives a glance of its many uses and benefits. Anybody interested in life has got to take a dive into this amazing research. This book is literally, "the top of the iceberg."



4. I bought this for information on growing, fertilizing, diseases and such about the bamboo I already have, but quickly found that there is so much more, almost an extended poem on bamboo, history, legends, uses, etc. A marvelous reference for all lovers of bamboo.



5. This is a comprehensive treatise written with passion, and reminds me of "The Whole Earth Catalog" of the '60's, Mother Earth News, and various underground comics. Done in the best tradition of the good ole days. If you find info that is not in this book, you can write it on a sticky note and attach it to an inside cover.

1 comments about Plant Propagation (RHS Encyclopedia of Practical Gardening).

1. This is an excellent propagation book. The propagation methods include step-by-step drawings and some suggested plant material. I use it for the greenhouse I just started running. This book shows you everything from scoring and sowing seed, cutting techniques, layering methods, grafting techniques, plus more. It also includes instruction on how to propagate shrubs and trees. I would recommend it as a great resource even for the more advanced.

5 comments about Marijuana Grower's Handbook: The Indoor High Yield Cultivation Grow Guide.

1. This is an okay reference book. I found this book easier to navigate than Indoor marijuana Horticulture by Jorge Cervantes which is packed with information but not well presented. Between both of these guides I was able to improve on my cultivation techniques but there are gaps still not covered by both works. If you find yourself in this kind of a situation then I recommend that you look for normal botany books on growing. I have a collection of other readings which helped. You might have to go down that route too.

   Well worth the read but you will need much more than just these two books.




2. This is a great starter book for any grower. I still refer to this book many times. The information is great and useful. A book for people who are starting to grow.



3. I read 90% of this book front to back when I first recieved it. It could have been organized better, and yes it did seem to jump around a bit, but it had some quality information that are the building blocks for the best techniques available.



4. I have been useing Ed's books for years. I follow his column in heads magazine and Cannabis Culture magazine. He knows what he is talking about. This book is the ultimate handbook. It tells you everything you need to know to get a garden started. I think this book is very easy to follow and is a great buy. Theinformation is priceless. I trust Ed and this book.



5. A good all purpose book, very useful but nothing new to an experienced reader.