I've been doing a bit of gardening lately (our veggies are mostly in and the cleanup of my herb beds is complete, but the flower beds still need (a lot of) work). So, naturally, I've also been browsing thru the gardening and cookbook sections on rainy days (like yesterday). Here are a few of the finds I've turned up.
The Heirloom Life Gardener: The Baker Creek Way of Growing Your Own Food Easily and Naturally (
$1.99 Kindle,
B&N), by Jere And Emilee Gettle [Hyperion]. If you raise veggies and have done any mail order shopping for seeds, you know who Baker Creek is; if you garden now or plan to, buy this book!
Book Description
Tired of genetically modified food every day, Americans are moving more toward eating natural, locally grown food that is free of pesticides and preservatives—and there is no better way to ensure this than to grow it yourself. Anyone can start a garden, whether in a backyard or on a city rooftop; but what they need to truly succeed is The Heirloom Life Gardener, a comprehensive guide to cultivating heirloom vegetables.
In this invaluable resource, Jere and Emilee Gettle, cofounders of the Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company, offer a wealth of knowledge to every kind of gardener—experienced pros and novices alike. In his friendly voice, complemented by gorgeous photographs, Jere gives planting, growing, harvesting, and seed saving tips. In addition, an extensive A to Z Growing Guide includes amazing heirloom varieties that many people have never even seen. From seed collecting to the history of seed varieties and name origins, Jere takes you far beyond the heirloom tomato. This is the first book of its kind that is not only a guide to growing beautiful and delicious vegetables, but also a way to join the movement of people who long for real food and a truer way of living.
The Dirt-Cheap Green Thumb: 400 Thrifty Tips for Saving Money, Time, and Resources as You Garden (
$2.99 Kindle,
B&N,
Kobo), by Rhonda Massingham Hart [Storey Publishing]. Storey has been a source of gardening books that I've read for many years (long before ebooks were around) and several of today's picks are from this publisher. I suspect that if you can't save at least the price of the book by using it's tips, you weren't trying very hard.
Book Description
Now gardeners don’t have to choose between frugal and fantastic! In The Dirt-Cheap Green Thumb, Rhonda Massingham Hart provides practical, time-tested solutions that will stretch your dollar farther than you ever thought possible, even as they yield beautiful, bountiful plants. From starting seeds to preserving produce, from composting to conserving water, Hart's advice ensures that you won't waste a scrap of time or money. Perfect for everyone from novices to experts, whether you are growing food, flowers, house plants, or landscape plants.
Don't Throw It, Grow It!: 68 windowsill plants from kitchen scraps (
$2.99 Kindle,
B&N,
Kobo), by Deborah Peterson [Storey Publishing]. If you've shopped for plants lately, you know that just saving the cost of one plant will pay for the book (not to mention: how often do you even see culinary ginger for sale?).
Book Description
Magic and wonder hide in unexpected places — a leftover piece of ginger, a wrinkled potato left too long in its bag, a humdrum kitchen spice rack. In Don't Throw It, Grow It! Deborah Peterson reveals the hidden possibilities in everyday foods.
Peterson, former president of the American Pit Gardening Society, shows how common kitchen staples — pits, nuts, beans, seeds, and tubers — can be coaxed into lush, vibrant houseplants that are as attractive as they are fascinating. With Peterson's help, a sweet potato turns into a blooming vine; chickpeas transform into cheery hanging baskets; the humble beet becomes a dramatic centerpiece; and gingerroot grows into a 3-foot, bamboo-like stalk. In some cases the transformation happens overnight!
Don't Throw It, Grow It! offers growing instructions for 68 plants in four broad categories — vegetables; fruits and nuts; herbs and spices; and more exotic plants from ethnic markets. The book is enhanced with beautiful illustrations, and its at-a-glance format makes it a quick and easy reference. Best of all, every featured plant can be grown in a kitchen, making this handy guide a must-have for avid gardeners and apartment-dwellers alike.
Vertical Vegetables & Fruit: Creative Gardening Techniques for Growing Up in Small Spaces (
$2.99 Kindle,
B&N,
Kobo), by Rhonda Massingham Hart [Storey Publishing]. Other than some fruit vines kept on trellises, we've never really done any vertical gardening (and I HIGHLY recommend you install a much stouter support than a clothesline, if you are growing kiwis ... and pay closer attention to the 20' recommended distance between than I did!), so I haven't decided to get this one ... yet.
Book Description
At last, an innovative solution for urbanites, apartment dwellers, and anyone who wants to grow food in small spaces — grow up!
Vertical Vegetables & Fruit shows how easy and fun small-footprint food gardening can be. Low maintenance and big harvests are just two of the benefits of using teepees, trellises, cages, hanging baskets, wall pockets, stacking pots, and multilevel raised beds to grow vegetables and fruit.
Whether your soon-to-be garden is an alley, a balcony, a rooftop, or just a windowsill, master gardener Rhonda Massingham Hart provides expert advice for constructing the site, preparing the soil, and planting and caring for vegetables and fruits to produce a hearty harvest. From beans on a tepee to tomatoes on a wire archway, melons on a slanted fence to cucumbers on a trellis, kiwis on a clothesline to strawberries in a pot, there are simple growing guidelines here to fit every gardener’s favorite tastes and site.
For experienced gardeners looking to try new techniques as well as first-time growers with tiny growing spaces, Vertical Vegetables & Fruit is the space-saving, harvest-enhancing guide to producing a bounty of fresh food in any location.
The Veggie Gardener's Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face; Answers to Every Question You'll Ever Ask (
$2.51 Kindle, $2.99
B&N,
Kobo), by Barbara W. Ellis [Storey Publishing], looks like the perfect starter book for beginners (and should be helpful even for "experts" ... unless you are already writing your own books on this subject).
Book Description
For all of your gardening questions, The Veggie Gardener's Answer Book has the answers, gathered together in a sturdy little book for handy in-the-garden reference. You'll find helpful information on everything from planning and planting a vegetable garden to improving soil, caring for crops, organically controlling pests and diseases, and harvesting.
Starting Seeds: How to Grow Healthy, Productive Vegetables, Herbs, and Flowers from Seed (
$2.99 Kindle,
B&N,
Kobo), by Barbara Ellis [Storey Publishing]. Despite the size of those several gallon potted tomato plants at your local Home & Garden store (which cost more, I suspect, than the tomatoes you'll get from them are worth), it's not to late to grow quite a bit of this year's garden from seed. It's a bit late for peppers, true, but just skip those sections now and read them this winter (when it is time to get those long-season plants started).
Book Description
Growing plants from seeds isn’t difficult; it just takes a little know-how. Now, gardeners of any experience level can get a jump on the growing season with this concise, straightforward guide. Expert gardener Barbara Ellis provides the basic information that you need and teaches you foolproof starting techniques for a variety of vegetables, herbs, and flowers.
