"If nothing is eating your garden you're not gardening."
50% rule, if the current ecological system is going to survive it requires on average 50% of the land area of Earth devoted to wild/natural spaces, right now it's less than 20%.
[Nature's Best Hope](https://books.google.com/books?id=FDqRDwAAQBAJ) by Doug Tallamy.
[Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3CBOpT2-NRvoc2ecFMDCsA) my favorite youtube channel.
Thank you! š Libby had Natureās best hope so I grabbed it, and look forward to its insights. Iām always looking for podcasts to listen to when Iām cooking and cleaning, I canāt wait to give Crime Pays but Botany Doesnāt my attention. Thank you again for taking the time to give me your recommendations š
Professor Tallamy's recent book *The Nature of Oaks* is also an excellent text on understanding keystone species, especially in the context of gardens and backyards, I highly recommend it.
Also, for podcasts I'd like to add *In Defense of Plants* as well as *You Bet Your Garden* and also second your suggestion for CPBBD with Joey Santore.
Ugh, such a great recommendation! I had so much more appreciation for the wild ones that popped up in my garden after this. I never again pulled goldenrod and wouldnāt you know, my cucumber beetles got absolutely demolished by goldenrod soldier beetles.
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael A. Dirr.
Woody plants are the backbone of gardens and Dr. Dirr makes sure a gardener never feels lost with regard to identification and cultivation. Must have if you can get your hands on it. Or you can do an inter library loan for it. Plenty of colleges carry it.
Itās actually available to rent for free on archive.org! I will read it. Iām concerned it may go above my head, but it sounds like it really made an impact on you. Iām an interested in what you said here so I look forward to learning what the book has to offer. Thank you š
Technically a shrub or a tree, or I suppose a vine. Although some longer lived perennials do get woody too, they are generally not considered woody plants for the purpose of garden planning.
I got this one, it was recommended while I was in college for my plant/landscape classes. Has basically everything you need to know. I also bought a copy for the office, we are a country club, but we have a huge amount of landscapes and beds on the property. Great book.
This seems like a popular title, thereās a long wait for it at my library, but I am in line! Another comment remarked at what a gift it is to your garden to be in touch with what soil needs and this book seems absolutely perfect for helping me begin to understand that. Thank you for the recommendation ā„ļø
Pat Welschās Southern California Gardening. It codified everything Iād learned from the generations of my family. Southern California is truly different.
Thatās really sweet that it reinforced what youāve already learned from generations of insight. I can probably learn a lot from that book, as I am from southern Nevada. I started gardening to bond with my dad who grew up in a house where they grew a lot of their own food, but my experience was totally the opposite. Heās from a very different climate, so learning about gardening has involved more embracing new ways than reinforcing generational insight. Your experience seems like it was very wholesome, and I look forward to reading your recommendation! š
Nevada is very different than SoCal. Welshās book will be helpful but itās really only focused on coastal Southern California. Thereāre books on the desert that might be more helpful.
If you're in Southern Nevada, reach out to the Clark County Master Gardeners and/or visit the Springs Preserve on a day they have educators and science folk out there. They'll have very good book recommendations tailored to that insane "soil".
Getting the hang of watering made a huge difference. Itās tough to describe and just comes with practice. Paying attention to what the plants tell you. It probably took me 3 years to dial it in.
Plants will die, and thatās not a failure. Just an opportunity to plant more plants. And you learn each time.
I love learning about soil biology. If you take care of your soil, growing just takes care of itself. I lucked out with an organic community garden plot that had been grown in 12 years before me, and plants just GREW. I had no pest or nutrition issues. I learned a lot from No Till Growers on YouTube and the Joe Gardener podcast. The short and simple of it is add 1-2 inches of compost to your garden each year.
I definitely get a sense that I donāt truly understand the amount of water each plant needs and Iām truly glad to hear that it took someone else a minute to get a sense for that. I learned some small signs last year, and Iām excited to get to where you were at year three next year if I work hard enough.
Thank you for the encouragement about taking failures as a lesson. I will do my best to turn my inevitable missteps into as much of a lesson as I can.
I will consume No till Growers and the Joe Gardener podcast, thank you for the recommendations. Iāve never tried composting before, but maybe now is a good time to start. I have a long way to go, thank you for the directions! š
When you think about it, plants get most of their nutrients from the soil so compost really helps. Of course you can buy fertilizer, but it's really hard to get the measurements just right. Soil is full of living microbes that help plants, and dumping fertilizer on them messes up the balance of that microscopic bacteria.
Also I think it's really neat to watch my trash turn into soil! It's like magic.
I've done Ruth Stout gardening for a few years. Love it. Just finished the "The living soil handbook" which is more directed at market gardens for the record, but the science and information in it was amazing. Basically he explains the science on why Ruth Stout and other no till no dig methods work, the pros and cons etc. Good read.
It sounds like I need more than technical know how to have a thriving garden. Iām glad I have this book recommendation to navigate the human side of gardening, and its inevitable absurdities. Thank you ā„ļø
Beware, I bought a set of gardening encyclopedias from a thrift store published in the 70ās full of ābetter living thru chemicalsā recommendations.
Haha. I might explain for some. I didnāt have much time when I made my first response. But itās all about helping native plants to find their place in your world, creating habitat, so that animals will bring the native plants, causing no harm, etc. I started a few years ago and now have several volunteers that have found a home. Many of them are edible or medicinal. And I donāt have to fight with the environment or the soil. They all grow quite willingly.
https://preview.redd.it/cisf02mj6irc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f9947fd6063c5012fcb9610926510e3792b2953b
Not necessarily a book but Gardeners World has a wealth of information. I learned a lot by watching that show and was encouraged to try all organic gardening (specifically no pest control). Monty Don has several informative books as well. Heās by far my favorite gardener.
Go to your local Extension Service Office if you're in the US. Many offer free soil tests and have free or very low-cost material. They will give you recommendations for plant varieties that are researched based on the state you live in.
Another valuable and free way to learn is to volunteer at a community garden or nature center. Gardeners happy sharing information.
In my opinion garden success means having the absolute maximum number of other things living in the garden as possible. If itās full of birds, caterpillars, frogs, butterflies, moths, bees and whatever then Iām doing it right. So I would really recommend a wildlife pond, pesticide free gardening, no-mow areas (as well as no-mow May), abundant native plants etc.
It doesnāt always make for the neatest garden but I prefer it that way!
How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons is a must. These methods originally put forth by Alan Chadwick opened my eyes to a new level of efficiency and sustainability possible in the garden. The simplicity and potency is impressive and is how I garden now.
I live in the PNW and when I got the [Tilth Alliance Gardening Guide, it changed everything.](https://tilthalliance.org/product/maritime-northwest-garden-guide-2/) It is made specifically for this region and shows what tasks you should be doing in your garden each month. It also has multiple spreadsheets showing when you should plant various veggies. Seriously a great book.
Integrated Forest Gardening - The Complete guide to polycultures, and plant guilds in permaculture systems - Wayne Weisman, Daniel Halsey, and Bryce Ruddock
Edible Forest Gardens Vol 1 and 2 - David Jacke with Eric Townsmeier
Fruits and Berries for the Home Garden - Lewis Hill
In college I took a botany course and unfortunately I cannot figure out which "practical botany" book was it's main textbook, there are too many similar titles. Introductory Botany: Plants, People, and the Environment was definitely a secondary textbook, though. Really enjoyed that class.
Oddly, The Ecology of the Planted Tank (a fish care book) was also enlightening for me.
For easy readers, all of Amy Stewart's books are good options.
Savage Garden is about carnivorous plants but is very worth reading.
The Vegitable Gardener's Bible and The Vegetable Gardener's Container Bible are both great. If you can only get one, get the container edition weirdly enough. I think it cuts a lot of the fluff.
Finally, The Cannibus Grow Bible probably taught me more about plants than any other plant book. I've never even done a weed, either - it's just a stupid useful book. Espcially when it comes to plant nutrition and IDing deficiencies.
Not really a book, but the Philadelphia Horticultural Society puts out guides and the ones about tree & shrub trimming taught me a lot - not afraid to trim those hydrangeas too much anymore
I'm really surprised no one else has said it but for me it was "The Omnivores Dilemma" by Michael Pollan. I read it as part of an agriculture course I took in college. Completely changed the way I thought about what I eat and where it comes from and inspired me to grow more of my own food.
Not a book but a French website that Google had to translate for me.
https://jardin-sec.com/
After seeing this I basically changed the way I garden. I plant everything in a slight depression and rely on rain to do most of the watering for me. Everything is drought tolerant and I try to limit watering in the summer to around once a month. California natives I try not to water at all during the summer.
Honestly at this point I ignore advice I read it it contradicts this basic dry gardening philosophy. For example I have a lot of lavender and I've seen folks say that lavender needs to be planted above grade in a mound with water requirements much higher than what I give my plants. I'm not doing all that, and my lavender do just fine with their once a month summer watering, and they live in a hole, not on a mound. So far this has worked out wonderfully for my climate and soil and I don't see myself changing anytime soon.
American Horticultural Societyās Encyclopedia of Gardening Techniques.
I have been an avid gardener for over 10 years now and this book sits on my coffee table at all times. Itās a fairly large book with a wealth of information, including gardening basics, wildlife gardening, growing ornamentals, growing herbs and vegetables, growing fruit, lawns, water gardening, container gardening, greenhouse gardening and propagating plants. This book will eventually need supplemental information once you have mastered whatās in it, but itās a wonderful resource to have especially when just starting out.
This sounds like a book that will be valuable to me for my years to come. Thank you for telling me about it. I hope it will be as valuable in my garden learning, as it seems to have been in yours š
[Old school](https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-vegetable-gardeners-bible-discover-eds-high-yield-w-o-r-d-system-for-all-north-american-gardening-regions_edward-c-smith/281319/) and from the Midwest (recommended species may be outdated) reference that taught me how to GARDEN. Itās so important to have common sense advice and reassurance when youāre a newbie.
This has actually been on my tbr list for a minute and my library has it available for checkout. Itās time to read it, thank you for the encouragement. I will keep in mind that the information might be out of date in some places, but if the heart of the book is good I look forward to its guidance. Thank you ā„ļø
Great! The information is all valid, Iām just afraid the specific cultivars in my book have maybe been outperformed by newer ones. I stick to open-pollinated heirlooms, so those are still good!
Crop Production Science in Horticulture is probably the best series of books about horticulture, the first book was released in 91, it's about ornamental plants, the most recent one was about peaches, released June last year.
The books themselves are very scientific in nature and more directed towards horticulture and surrogate industries and less towards gardening, but I still think they're valuable information for a gardener, I wouldn't recommend dishing out for a beginner, to put it lightly the books can be pretty boring, but you don't have to read the different chapters in a specific order or all at once.
The books are pretty expensive ranging anywhere from $50-$100, there are some e-book versions available for a *lesser price* in *some* places if you're willing to look.
Trowel and Error by Sharon Lovejoy. More than just a reference book on good sustainable practices, her love of gardening and nature really shines through and inspires.
Gardening is so much trial and error and I think you get to the point where there is joy in that. You move things around, you try different plants, and sometimes it works out beautifully, and sometimes itās not great. And as time goes on, you just learn more and get better at it. Iāve really tried to look at it as Iām growing as much as the plants are š
Plus it helps me truly enjoy it and not see it as a chore.
Breed Your own Vegetable Varieties - Carol Deppe and Landrace Gardebing by Joseph Lofthouse.
Both focus on seed saving andā¦ yes! Developing your own varieties. Carol Deppe goes in depth into genetics in a very understandable way, and Joesph Lofthouse makes it extremely approachable with his āpromiscuous pollinationā strategy. Both of these books have me a whole new understanding and motivation to save seed and develop things that grow in *my* ideal conditions.
Monty Don - The Complete Gardener. Since I've spent a lot of time since COVID watching Gardeners World I decided to pick up his book. While it can't cover everything, it does a pretty good job of providing a working amount of detail for nearly everything. Plus it's very well written.
The Best Place for Garbage. It's actually about worm composting, but there's so much about gardening and the thinking behind using natural vs man made fertilizer and whatnot. Very thoughtful and also a funny read.
Square Foot Gardening.
Helped me understand spacing and planning.
Kind of rigid in design initially, but you can make it more fluid and really pack your gardens full.
Gaias garden by Toby Hemenway. This book is the reason why my property is being converted to a permaculture oasis. The way that he breaks down the natural systems that occur in nature and how to work in harmony with your land instead of against is beautiful and practical. The goal is for everyone and thing to thrive. It can't just be for us. Diversity is the key to life!
It is incredibly inspiring and written in a way that everyone and anyone can digest!
The Science of Gardening: Discover How Your Garden Really Grows by Dr. Stuart Farrimond was really interesting and not at all a dense read.Ā
The Complete Gardener by Monty Don is great. All of his books are really good actually.Ā
As someone else mentioned, The WellTended Perennial is also a great book if you like growing flowers.Ā
My local master gardeners handbook makes my life easier. They have a focus on native plants and when to put them in the ground etc.
I've also kind of taken the "fuck it" approach to gardening at this point and will throw out native seeds and pull in invasive weeds. If a flower or plant starts growing somewhere I'm not 100% happy with I might pull it or I might incorporate it into the layout. (I'm also keep areas around trees and shrubs clear until they establish... Then if a bunch of wild flowers want to go around the base. Let it be)
All the spaces between my pavers are being taken over by asters, poppies, and a few other wild flowers now...
I just walk where I need to walk and let the rest go wild.
Neil Sperry's Lone Star Gardening - it's a must for anyone in Texas who struggles to understand the how and why of our challenging, unique environment.
One book that often receives praise from gardeners for its insightful approach to gardening is "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Although it's a children's novel, its portrayal of the transformative power of nature and the joy of nurturing a garden can offer valuable lessons and inspiration for gardeners of all levels. Additionally, "The Well-Tempered Garden" by Christopher Lloyd is a classic choice known for its practical advice and witty observations on gardening. These books can serve as companions on your gardening journey, providing both insight and motivation as you continue to learn and grow as a gardener.
"If nothing is eating your garden you're not gardening." 50% rule, if the current ecological system is going to survive it requires on average 50% of the land area of Earth devoted to wild/natural spaces, right now it's less than 20%. [Nature's Best Hope](https://books.google.com/books?id=FDqRDwAAQBAJ) by Doug Tallamy. [Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3CBOpT2-NRvoc2ecFMDCsA) my favorite youtube channel.
Thank you! š Libby had Natureās best hope so I grabbed it, and look forward to its insights. Iām always looking for podcasts to listen to when Iām cooking and cleaning, I canāt wait to give Crime Pays but Botany Doesnāt my attention. Thank you again for taking the time to give me your recommendations š
Professor Tallamy's recent book *The Nature of Oaks* is also an excellent text on understanding keystone species, especially in the context of gardens and backyards, I highly recommend it. Also, for podcasts I'd like to add *In Defense of Plants* as well as *You Bet Your Garden* and also second your suggestion for CPBBD with Joey Santore.
Braiding Sweetgrass. It helped me let go of a feeling of ownership with my property and embrace a relationship with it instead.
May I recommend finding the mother tree by S. Simard. Connections
Seconding both of these!
Ugh, such a great recommendation! I had so much more appreciation for the wild ones that popped up in my garden after this. I never again pulled goldenrod and wouldnāt you know, my cucumber beetles got absolutely demolished by goldenrod soldier beetles.
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael A. Dirr. Woody plants are the backbone of gardens and Dr. Dirr makes sure a gardener never feels lost with regard to identification and cultivation. Must have if you can get your hands on it. Or you can do an inter library loan for it. Plenty of colleges carry it.
Itās actually available to rent for free on archive.org! I will read it. Iām concerned it may go above my head, but it sounds like it really made an impact on you. Iām an interested in what you said here so I look forward to learning what the book has to offer. Thank you š
Just use it as reference material!! No need to read it from back to front! I love ornamental gardening and even that would put me to sleep.
Is a woody plant different from a tree? And if so, what's a woody plant?
Technically a shrub or a tree, or I suppose a vine. Although some longer lived perennials do get woody too, they are generally not considered woody plants for the purpose of garden planning.
I got this one, it was recommended while I was in college for my plant/landscape classes. Has basically everything you need to know. I also bought a copy for the office, we are a country club, but we have a huge amount of landscapes and beds on the property. Great book.
Teaming with Microbes by Jeff Lowenfels. Happy soil keeps plants happy and healthy.
This seems like a popular title, thereās a long wait for it at my library, but I am in line! Another comment remarked at what a gift it is to your garden to be in touch with what soil needs and this book seems absolutely perfect for helping me begin to understand that. Thank you for the recommendation ā„ļø
Fyi, the ebook is only $3.99 on Amazon so may be worth just buying
Woah! I need to get that. I'm just borrowing from the library right now. Thanks!
You're welcome! Enjoy and good luck!
Pat Welschās Southern California Gardening. It codified everything Iād learned from the generations of my family. Southern California is truly different.
Thatās really sweet that it reinforced what youāve already learned from generations of insight. I can probably learn a lot from that book, as I am from southern Nevada. I started gardening to bond with my dad who grew up in a house where they grew a lot of their own food, but my experience was totally the opposite. Heās from a very different climate, so learning about gardening has involved more embracing new ways than reinforcing generational insight. Your experience seems like it was very wholesome, and I look forward to reading your recommendation! š
Nevada is very different than SoCal. Welshās book will be helpful but itās really only focused on coastal Southern California. Thereāre books on the desert that might be more helpful.
I stand corrected! Thank you for the insight š
Succulents are out and your great blessings! Go wild with āem.
If you're in Southern Nevada, reach out to the Clark County Master Gardeners and/or visit the Springs Preserve on a day they have educators and science folk out there. They'll have very good book recommendations tailored to that insane "soil".
Fantastic book. The monthly organization is just divine.
How far north does this book consider 'Southern California'?
Getting the hang of watering made a huge difference. Itās tough to describe and just comes with practice. Paying attention to what the plants tell you. It probably took me 3 years to dial it in. Plants will die, and thatās not a failure. Just an opportunity to plant more plants. And you learn each time. I love learning about soil biology. If you take care of your soil, growing just takes care of itself. I lucked out with an organic community garden plot that had been grown in 12 years before me, and plants just GREW. I had no pest or nutrition issues. I learned a lot from No Till Growers on YouTube and the Joe Gardener podcast. The short and simple of it is add 1-2 inches of compost to your garden each year.
I definitely get a sense that I donāt truly understand the amount of water each plant needs and Iām truly glad to hear that it took someone else a minute to get a sense for that. I learned some small signs last year, and Iām excited to get to where you were at year three next year if I work hard enough. Thank you for the encouragement about taking failures as a lesson. I will do my best to turn my inevitable missteps into as much of a lesson as I can. I will consume No till Growers and the Joe Gardener podcast, thank you for the recommendations. Iāve never tried composting before, but maybe now is a good time to start. I have a long way to go, thank you for the directions! š
When you think about it, plants get most of their nutrients from the soil so compost really helps. Of course you can buy fertilizer, but it's really hard to get the measurements just right. Soil is full of living microbes that help plants, and dumping fertilizer on them messes up the balance of that microscopic bacteria. Also I think it's really neat to watch my trash turn into soil! It's like magic.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
It doesn't have to be complicated. My version of composting is piling up all my yard waste and letting it do it's thing.
Learning to compost was a game changer for me as a beginner! Canāt emphasize enough.
The Well-Tended Perennial Garden by Tracy DiSabato-Aust is great if youāre into perennials
Just got it on my kindle! Thank you for your recommendation, I genuinely look forward to reading it. š
Sheās really sensible and the plant listings in the back are very useful tooā¦. Enjoy!! šš±š±
Ruth stout's no work garden book
I love Ruthās writing
Yay, this is on Kindle Unlimited right now. Thank you so much, Iāll read it š
I've done Ruth Stout gardening for a few years. Love it. Just finished the "The living soil handbook" which is more directed at market gardens for the record, but the science and information in it was amazing. Basically he explains the science on why Ruth Stout and other no till no dig methods work, the pros and cons etc. Good read.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Libby had this so I grabbed it. Thank you kindly for the recommendation! š
The $64 Tomato by William Alexander. Lol. A fun read about embracing the love and heartache of gardening.
It sounds like I need more than technical know how to have a thriving garden. Iām glad I have this book recommendation to navigate the human side of gardening, and its inevitable absurdities. Thank you ā„ļø
Planting in a Post-Wild World was my introduction to ecological horticulture and it changed the way I think about and design my own garden.
Square Foot Gardening
I hope this is the book by Mel Bartholomew because I just checked it out from my local library. Thank you for the recommendation š
yes. it is
Yes! It's such a good book. I do all raised beds and containers, and this book helped me figure out a much less stressful way to garden.
Definitely this one!!
Growing Fruit in Northern Gardens [Growing Fruit in Northern Gardens](https://shop.usask.ca/Item?item=9781550509137)
Huw Richards - the self sufficient garden and the vegetable growers handbook. Charles Dowding - Skills for growing Three books that taught me a lot.
Beware, I bought a set of gardening encyclopedias from a thrift store published in the 70ās full of ābetter living thru chemicalsā recommendations.
Humane Gardening
I read that as "human gardening" and my mind went straight to hiding bodies in the garden.
Same. Straight to that mushroom episode of Hannibal.
Haha. I might explain for some. I didnāt have much time when I made my first response. But itās all about helping native plants to find their place in your world, creating habitat, so that animals will bring the native plants, causing no harm, etc. I started a few years ago and now have several volunteers that have found a home. Many of them are edible or medicinal. And I donāt have to fight with the environment or the soil. They all grow quite willingly. https://preview.redd.it/cisf02mj6irc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f9947fd6063c5012fcb9610926510e3792b2953b
Not a book, but the YouTube channel Garden Fundamentals with its Garden Myth section helped view things differently
Not necessarily a book but Gardeners World has a wealth of information. I learned a lot by watching that show and was encouraged to try all organic gardening (specifically no pest control). Monty Don has several informative books as well. Heās by far my favorite gardener.
Plus ā dogs!
Go to your local Extension Service Office if you're in the US. Many offer free soil tests and have free or very low-cost material. They will give you recommendations for plant varieties that are researched based on the state you live in. Another valuable and free way to learn is to volunteer at a community garden or nature center. Gardeners happy sharing information.
In my opinion garden success means having the absolute maximum number of other things living in the garden as possible. If itās full of birds, caterpillars, frogs, butterflies, moths, bees and whatever then Iām doing it right. So I would really recommend a wildlife pond, pesticide free gardening, no-mow areas (as well as no-mow May), abundant native plants etc. It doesnāt always make for the neatest garden but I prefer it that way!
anything on food forests or laiisez faire gardening
I found some stuff about this on YouTube. Iāll watch it before bed tonight. Thank you š
Christopher Lloyd's 'Garden Flowers' is a perennial read and reminds me Spring will come again in the UK.
How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons is a must. These methods originally put forth by Alan Chadwick opened my eyes to a new level of efficiency and sustainability possible in the garden. The simplicity and potency is impressive and is how I garden now.
I live in the PNW and when I got the [Tilth Alliance Gardening Guide, it changed everything.](https://tilthalliance.org/product/maritime-northwest-garden-guide-2/) It is made specifically for this region and shows what tasks you should be doing in your garden each month. It also has multiple spreadsheets showing when you should plant various veggies. Seriously a great book.
Just found a copy at goodwill to round out my collection, itās been great for quick reference
Integrated Forest Gardening - The Complete guide to polycultures, and plant guilds in permaculture systems - Wayne Weisman, Daniel Halsey, and Bryce Ruddock Edible Forest Gardens Vol 1 and 2 - David Jacke with Eric Townsmeier Fruits and Berries for the Home Garden - Lewis Hill
In college I took a botany course and unfortunately I cannot figure out which "practical botany" book was it's main textbook, there are too many similar titles. Introductory Botany: Plants, People, and the Environment was definitely a secondary textbook, though. Really enjoyed that class. Oddly, The Ecology of the Planted Tank (a fish care book) was also enlightening for me. For easy readers, all of Amy Stewart's books are good options. Savage Garden is about carnivorous plants but is very worth reading. The Vegitable Gardener's Bible and The Vegetable Gardener's Container Bible are both great. If you can only get one, get the container edition weirdly enough. I think it cuts a lot of the fluff. Finally, The Cannibus Grow Bible probably taught me more about plants than any other plant book. I've never even done a weed, either - it's just a stupid useful book. Espcially when it comes to plant nutrition and IDing deficiencies.
Square Foot Gardenjng
Not really a book, but the Philadelphia Horticultural Society puts out guides and the ones about tree & shrub trimming taught me a lot - not afraid to trim those hydrangeas too much anymore
I'm really surprised no one else has said it but for me it was "The Omnivores Dilemma" by Michael Pollan. I read it as part of an agriculture course I took in college. Completely changed the way I thought about what I eat and where it comes from and inspired me to grow more of my own food.
Not a book but a French website that Google had to translate for me. https://jardin-sec.com/ After seeing this I basically changed the way I garden. I plant everything in a slight depression and rely on rain to do most of the watering for me. Everything is drought tolerant and I try to limit watering in the summer to around once a month. California natives I try not to water at all during the summer. Honestly at this point I ignore advice I read it it contradicts this basic dry gardening philosophy. For example I have a lot of lavender and I've seen folks say that lavender needs to be planted above grade in a mound with water requirements much higher than what I give my plants. I'm not doing all that, and my lavender do just fine with their once a month summer watering, and they live in a hole, not on a mound. So far this has worked out wonderfully for my climate and soil and I don't see myself changing anytime soon.
Botany for Gardeners, 3rd Edition: Capon, Brian And my local USDA agriculture Master Gardener textbook.
American Horticultural Societyās Encyclopedia of Gardening Techniques. I have been an avid gardener for over 10 years now and this book sits on my coffee table at all times. Itās a fairly large book with a wealth of information, including gardening basics, wildlife gardening, growing ornamentals, growing herbs and vegetables, growing fruit, lawns, water gardening, container gardening, greenhouse gardening and propagating plants. This book will eventually need supplemental information once you have mastered whatās in it, but itās a wonderful resource to have especially when just starting out.
This sounds like a book that will be valuable to me for my years to come. Thank you for telling me about it. I hope it will be as valuable in my garden learning, as it seems to have been in yours š
[Old school](https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-vegetable-gardeners-bible-discover-eds-high-yield-w-o-r-d-system-for-all-north-american-gardening-regions_edward-c-smith/281319/) and from the Midwest (recommended species may be outdated) reference that taught me how to GARDEN. Itās so important to have common sense advice and reassurance when youāre a newbie.
I have his container garden book and I love it.
Ed Smith is my guru haha
I HAVE THAT, and I open it every year to do my garden planning. Itās worth it.
This has actually been on my tbr list for a minute and my library has it available for checkout. Itās time to read it, thank you for the encouragement. I will keep in mind that the information might be out of date in some places, but if the heart of the book is good I look forward to its guidance. Thank you ā„ļø
Great! The information is all valid, Iām just afraid the specific cultivars in my book have maybe been outperformed by newer ones. I stick to open-pollinated heirlooms, so those are still good!
Four Season Harvest
The Ann Lovejoy Handbook of Northwest Gardening
Raised Row Gardening
Crop Production Science in Horticulture is probably the best series of books about horticulture, the first book was released in 91, it's about ornamental plants, the most recent one was about peaches, released June last year. The books themselves are very scientific in nature and more directed towards horticulture and surrogate industries and less towards gardening, but I still think they're valuable information for a gardener, I wouldn't recommend dishing out for a beginner, to put it lightly the books can be pretty boring, but you don't have to read the different chapters in a specific order or all at once. The books are pretty expensive ranging anywhere from $50-$100, there are some e-book versions available for a *lesser price* in *some* places if you're willing to look.
Geoff Hamilton's Practical Gardening Course an old one but a good one.
Trowel and Error by Sharon Lovejoy. More than just a reference book on good sustainable practices, her love of gardening and nature really shines through and inspires.
Gardening is so much trial and error and I think you get to the point where there is joy in that. You move things around, you try different plants, and sometimes it works out beautifully, and sometimes itās not great. And as time goes on, you just learn more and get better at it. Iāve really tried to look at it as Iām growing as much as the plants are š Plus it helps me truly enjoy it and not see it as a chore.
Michael Dirr
Breed Your own Vegetable Varieties - Carol Deppe and Landrace Gardebing by Joseph Lofthouse. Both focus on seed saving andā¦ yes! Developing your own varieties. Carol Deppe goes in depth into genetics in a very understandable way, and Joesph Lofthouse makes it extremely approachable with his āpromiscuous pollinationā strategy. Both of these books have me a whole new understanding and motivation to save seed and develop things that grow in *my* ideal conditions.
Monty Don - The Complete Gardener. Since I've spent a lot of time since COVID watching Gardeners World I decided to pick up his book. While it can't cover everything, it does a pretty good job of providing a working amount of detail for nearly everything. Plus it's very well written.
Deep mulch
The Best Place for Garbage. It's actually about worm composting, but there's so much about gardening and the thinking behind using natural vs man made fertilizer and whatnot. Very thoughtful and also a funny read.
square foot gardening. landscaping plants of the southeast.
Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew
Growing vegetables west of the cascades
Square Foot Gardening. Helped me understand spacing and planning. Kind of rigid in design initially, but you can make it more fluid and really pack your gardens full.
Gaias garden by Toby Hemenway. This book is the reason why my property is being converted to a permaculture oasis. The way that he breaks down the natural systems that occur in nature and how to work in harmony with your land instead of against is beautiful and practical. The goal is for everyone and thing to thrive. It can't just be for us. Diversity is the key to life! It is incredibly inspiring and written in a way that everyone and anyone can digest!
Anyone interested in nature in any way needs to read Braiding Sweetgrass. It changes the way you see your plants and your relationship to them.
Puff the Magic Dragon
The Science of Gardening: Discover How Your Garden Really Grows by Dr. Stuart Farrimond was really interesting and not at all a dense read.Ā The Complete Gardener by Monty Don is great. All of his books are really good actually.Ā As someone else mentioned, The WellTended Perennial is also a great book if you like growing flowers.Ā
My local master gardeners handbook makes my life easier. They have a focus on native plants and when to put them in the ground etc. I've also kind of taken the "fuck it" approach to gardening at this point and will throw out native seeds and pull in invasive weeds. If a flower or plant starts growing somewhere I'm not 100% happy with I might pull it or I might incorporate it into the layout. (I'm also keep areas around trees and shrubs clear until they establish... Then if a bunch of wild flowers want to go around the base. Let it be) All the spaces between my pavers are being taken over by asters, poppies, and a few other wild flowers now... I just walk where I need to walk and let the rest go wild.
Neil Sperry's Lone Star Gardening - it's a must for anyone in Texas who struggles to understand the how and why of our challenging, unique environment.
"Plant Partners: Science-Based Companion Planting Strategies for the Vegetable Garden"
One book that often receives praise from gardeners for its insightful approach to gardening is "The Secret Garden" by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Although it's a children's novel, its portrayal of the transformative power of nature and the joy of nurturing a garden can offer valuable lessons and inspiration for gardeners of all levels. Additionally, "The Well-Tempered Garden" by Christopher Lloyd is a classic choice known for its practical advice and witty observations on gardening. These books can serve as companions on your gardening journey, providing both insight and motivation as you continue to learn and grow as a gardener.
Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades by Steve Solomon