5 comments about Home Gardener's Problem Solver: Symptoms and Solutions for More Than 1,500 Garden Pests and Plant Ailments (Ortho Home Gardener's Problem Solver).

1. This is the paperback version of the hardback you will find at most gardening stores. You will find all answers. You look up the plant you are having troubles with in the index. Then go to the plant page. It gives the typical pests/ailment with photos for clear identification. And an easy fix. Great for someone just getting into gardening.



2. I bought this book and the pictures are outstanding. They are all life like, not sketches. It is very easy to read. This book talks about insects, climate and soil and other topics to numerous to remember.



3. Being a certified nurseryman,I have found this book to be an invaluable tool for customer service and to boost sales. I just wish Ortho would take the professional edition and split it into maybe four books to make it more manageable.



4. It is a wonderful reference book! The pictures are great and it is easy to identify the culprit in the garden. The recomended treatments are easy to understand. It is a must have book for every gardner.
   I also feel that the price for this book is fair for the information that it contains.



5. Fair as a gardening resource, but is basically a very large instruction manual for the line of Ortho gardening chemicals. Its whole purpose is to tell you which of their products to use for which pest or fungus or nutrient difficientcy.

1 comments about Marijuana Buds for Less: Grow 8 oz. of Bud for Less Than $100.

1. This book was wonderful. Short, concise, with pictures! I found it extremely helpful. Go SeeMoreBuds.

5 comments about Seed Sowing and Saving: Step-by-Step Techniques for Collecting and Growing More Than 100 Vegetables, Flowers, and Herbs (Storey's Gardening Skills Illustrated).

1. Judging by the table of contents, this book appears to cover all the basics for seed saving from your garden for flowers, vegetables and herbs. It also has over 300 photos of flowers, vegetables and herbs. This will help in identifying plants in your garden. The book comes in both paperback and hardcover and is reasonably priced. The author appears to be well-educated on gardening matters. My only negative is I had wished a more complex review access to information about the book.



2. I bought this after seeing it as one of the few books offered by Vesseys Seeds (vesseys.com). (It was listed at[money] - lucky for me I often comparison shop.) Many propagation books contain information on seed starting, but because this one concentrates on seed propagation, it has more room to expand on the topic and gives more than books that have to save space to discuss other techniques like cuttings, dividing, layering etc. It discusses seed saving plant by plant, and contained an entry for nearly every plant I looked up.



3. I liked the fact that this book not only contained information on saving & sowing seeds for EACH type of flower of vegetable, but also contained info about starting seeds in general. It contains VERY, VERY, VERY useful info. I thought I was an advanced gardener, but I learned some things from this book.



4. I purchased two books at the same time. This one is excellant for a beginner in gardening as well as an old timer. Easy to use and understand.



5. Book was ok but not was I was looking for. It has no real pictures of the plants to see what to take off of each plant at harvest time it just has drawn in pictures of say-a flower. I purchased a lot of heirloom seeds this year so that I could start harvesting my own seeds and I am no more knowledgeable now than before I read the book.-sorry

4 comments about Growing Fruit (RHS Encyclopedia of Practical Gardening).

1. I have an extensive home orchard with 56 trees (18 varietals) of fruit and nut trees. This little volume covered everything I needed in a short, erudite and amazingly well-detailed volume. I live in the Southeastern US and this book was spot on everything from blueberries to stone fruits and pears and apples, (not to mention Walnuts and Filberts). It covers everything from soil preparation, pruning, fertilization, pests and diseases, propagation, healing-in, ad infinitum. I have nearly every book available on fruit and nut production for the home orchard. This is the best one I own by leaps and bounds.



2. This is an informative book without being boring. Lots of diagrams. The book is laid out well and it's easy to find the information.



3. I am very glad I purchased this book before I started planting my fruit trees. I did not realize what needed to be done, for best results, before the trees were planted. I also got a better idea of the size fruit trees I needed for our use. The book is very informative. I look forward to studying it during the summer and, hopefully, starting the planting of trees in late fall when everything is prepared. It is a little complicated to follow and I found I needed real quiet to get the details lined out. I had to take many notes in order get everything into a easy format to follow.



4. I never tire of looking through my Growing Fruit book, and find endless new things about fruit everytime I do read it. The subject is fascinating and the drawings well executed. I work in a garden nursery, am a horticulture student, and have a small garden of my own; helping customers with their fruit tree problems and small garden fruit needs is one of my tasks. Some people are looking at fruit trees for their smaller gardens, having never been able to consider them before due to size issues and the like. This is a small career investment I am glad I made.

No comments about The Marie Selby Botanical Gardens Illustrated Dictionary of Orchid Genera (Comstock Book).

4 comments about Introduction to Permaculture.

1. Takes you from wo to go and is packed full of ideas. Great bedtime reading



2. A reviewer is well advised to be mindful of the arrogance that is intrinsic to criticizing another's work.

   Intro to Permaculture is a book of breath-taking scope. I can only write with authority about those parts that apply to my middle-class, Mid-Western (US) frame-of-reference.

   While reading the book, I carried it to work and to my daughter's soccer practice. I have never had so many people ask, "What's that?", pick up the book and start leafing through it. *Every* person who picked it up found some illustration that resonated with them and they started reading. I never had THAT happen before. Observation #1, World-class illustrations that are well linked to the text.

   This is a good book to read with a highlighter (pen). These are just a few of the lines I highlighted:

   Chapter 1:

   "-harmony with nature is possible only if we abandon the idea of superiority over the natural world.

   -The core of permaculture is design...To enable a design component we must put it in the right place...Each important function is supported by many elements...The key to using biological resources is management...

   -the importance of diversity is not so much the number of elements in a system; rather it is the number of functional connections between these elements. It is not the number of things, but the number of ways things work....

   -Edges are places of varied ecology. Productivity increases at the boundary between two ecologies because resources from both systems can be used...There is hardly a sustainable traditional human settlement that is not sited on those critical junctions of two natural economies."

   Chapter 2

   "All designs that involve life forms undergo a long-term process of change; even the "climax" state of a forest is an imagined concept.

   -The site is full of information on every natural subject, and we must learn to read it...By observing the landscape we draw inspiration from the survival strategies followed by natural systems, and imitate them using species of more direct use to us.

   -external resources are often critical..in establishing a (biological) system...It is also important to take your own resources into account...skills

   -Two properties, located only a few miles apart, can vary in rainfall, wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity...This important basic step can mean the difference between living in pleasant surroundings or in miserable conditions on a property that will probably change hands every few years.

   -Vegetation has a profound effect on microclimate. it is the planting and use of vegetation (forest, woodland, windbreak, shrubs, and vines) that most shapes the microclimate of the site.

   -The most common errors in house siting are: Building at the top of an exposed ridge or hill...Locating a house in the bush, setting up a conflict..for light, nutrients, and space...Building..anywhere inevitable disaster threatens."

   There are a total of eight chapters and five appendices. In the past, I have spent twice as much for books with half as much useful information (although never from Amazon ;-) ). I feel that I got more than my money's worth. I (Joe) take full responsibility for any creative spelling cause by my fat fingers or spurious line "breaks" caused by my word processor.




3. A lot of fellow americans it seems are rating other books authored by Americans on this subject higher than the two original books on this concept. If its not written expressly for the american market local consumers seem willing to ignore this and other outstanding titles. While there are books written purely for American and British Permaculturists these books are not necessarily better for people buying for that area. This book and its companion, A Designers Manual are too well written to be applied to just one region. These books are applicable to any climate or geology of any area of the planet, and that includes anywhere in the U.S. including Alaska and Hawaii. Read the reveiw below mine he explains more eloquently why this book and the more in depth version, Peramculture a Designers Manual, are perhaps the most important books you will ever read. The original and best books on Permaculture this book and, Permaculture a Designers Manual... if you are serious about helping the environment and saving money on your food bill at the same time then do yourself a favour and get one or both of these books.



4. Introduction To Permaculture is currently sold by Seeds Of Change seed company for the publishers' list price[...]. I trial lots of seeds every year (zone 7)and can recommend three varieties they sell as truly remarkable- Zapotec Pleated tomato, Satsuki Madori cucumber, and Red Ruffled pimento pepper.

4 comments about The Essential Garden Book.

1. The pictures are inspirational and the advise is practical and lyrical. The authors write well and LOVE gardens of all kinds. Everything is covered from balconys to estates, minimal to extravagant, and covered thoughly with many idea engendering photos.



2. One of the most useful and innovative garden books. If you are looking for inspiration, this is a good one to buy.



3. This book is a beautifully photographed, well written book about landscaping. It is like owning a pictoral encyclopedia for gardeners.



4. This is, without a doubt, one of the finest gardening design books I have come across. It shows many different styles of gardens with distinct flair. If you want to be inspired by innovative ideas, buy it. It is one of my two favorite gardening books---and I have many.

5 comments about New Illustrated Guide to Gardening.

1. For all new to gardening, this book is wonderful. It will give you a basic overview of all aspects of gardening to flowers, foliage, fruits and veggies.
   
   I had no clue before I bought this book and now I'm hooked and getting better every year



2. I'm new to gardening after entering retirement. My son gave me this book as a gift, and I've found it invaluable. You can teach an old dog new tricks...



3. Last year, my partner managed to get a wild hair up his backside and insisted that the balcony outside our home be somewhat more "green". To be honest, I'm incapable of telling a rose from a pansy, and, since I knew that the comprehensive task of planting and, more importantly, maintaining the d**ned thing once it was put into place would fall on my shoulders, I quickly started a search for the best text I could find.
   
   I've relied on Readers' Digest in the past for such, and there was no disappointment in this case. The book is usefully divided into sections by plant category and use - i.e. roses get their own chapter and section while pansies are listed under another amongst others similar to its appearance and use. The voluminous book's text and information is highly useful, but the fact that it is heavily illustrated and filled with photographs is invaluable. This is particularly true in the sections dealing with diseases and a malady of the plant - I mean, how "yellow" is that already yellowish-green plant when it's unhealthy from over-watering, disease or some such? Anyway, long and short, we won the "balcony" award for the flat complex last year - despite being first timers and all.
   
   What's more, this book has actually made the whole process somewhat fun. This year, when it was announced that it was time to start the balcony again, I was actually quite looking forward to it, and even have a few ideas of my own.
   
   The subject matter is neccessarily broad, and a more experienced gardner will likely find much of the material too basic to be more than a reference book. However, for gardening novices like myself, it's perfect!



4. Great book for vegetables, trees, bushes, flowers, etc. The sections on diseases and pests were extremely beneficial in detecting what was going wrong in my yard. My only complaint was that some of the pictures were in black and white and I prefer color.



5. Everything you need to know about gardening. A great reference for the beginner. Would make a nice housewarming gift. Excellent price on Amazon.

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.

5 comments about The Worm Book: The Complete Guide to Worms in Your Garden.

1. This is one of the two books most recommended by the vermiculture sites that I have visited. It is a comprehensive guide. It is a great book for children and adults who want to raise worms. It's easy to understand. It is a "most" before you buy the redworms. The only reason I give it a 4 is because it is so basic that young children can understand it and I am quite a bit older.



2. Really now... What is there to say about a worm book? Can it actually be INTERESTING? Well, this book held my attention well, taught me many things I did not know, did not burden me with super technical bunk that I do not need or want to know, and was a detailed, well rounded book on the topic.
   
   That said, I think the book was excellent.
   
   Of course, a more recent publication would be better (for instance: no mention of european nightcrawlers -- something rather recent on the American worm market)... but this book gave me ALL the information that I needed to begin raising worms and understanding the HOW's and WHY's of worms and vermiculture.



3. Quick read. Interesting book. Yes worms are helpful in the garden..sometimes. Had a Tif bermuda lawn in La Jolla that became a sea of worm castings. Flushed them all out with Ivory Liquid soap and water. They came screaming up out of the ground--a bit cruel but entertaining. Tried washing them off and saving them. Mostly they died. Worms are like weeds. A weed is a plant that is growing where you don't want it to grow. Worms in the compost pile are good and even amongst the veggies but in a Tiff Bermuda lawn, you gotta kill them.



4. I used this book as second verification information on the best treating of my worm population. Has great advice and different ideas. I have a modular worm station and this book helped with worm advancement thru the stages of vermicomposting.



5. Excellent book for starting a vermicomposting project, I found the adequate climate specs for common composting species very useful. As well as the "bug visitor" information that will allow you to get an insight of the micro environment that you may decide to create for your invertebrate friends after reading this guide.
   
   Happy vermicomposting, cheers!!