Any good books?

I recently bought "The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: planting & pruning techniques" by Tracy DiSabato Aust and I love it. Great info for beginners like me. Do you have any suggestions for other books to supplement this one?

One I want to get is Seed to Seed by Ashworth

http://tinyurl.com/32tpf8
(it'll be a gift for my daughter - wonder how she feels about gently 'used' books?)

;^)




We have the 'new' Square Foot Gardening - it's helped us a lot.

http://www.squarefootgardening.com/



Carl

I loved Aust's book too. I'm not sure if this is what you're looking for, but here are my other favorite gardening books so far, mostly about choosing plants and designing your garden:

Perennial Combinations by C. Colston Burrell
Perennials for Every Purpose by Larry Hodgson
Perennial All-Stars by Jeff Cox
No-Fail Flower Garden

Have any of you heard of Jerry Baker? He is from Mich. and he writes all kinds of gardening books with home remedies for your garden. Insect problems, Thatch in your lawn, etc...

My all time favorite book ever is

Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Perennials published 2004 which I may have to pick up another I use it so much. It's the only one I know that lists the most perennials but most importantly tells you what companion plants to plant with each. For example, you want to plant an Echinops Ritro, (globe thistle). Very hardy plant, with harsh spikey weed looking leaves, can't be grown in too rich a place. So, what plants will compliment it? Look up Echinops Ritro in the book, read about it, and then it'll tell you it's a harsh plant with course rough leaves and should be combined with white Achillea, Sedum, Perovskia, or Coreopsis which also grow well in dry, poor soil but have soft delicate leaves which balance out the harsh leaves of Echinops Ritro. Great! And, that's exactly what I did!

It just takes so much stress out of trying to figure out what will go with what.

This message was edited Jun 14, 2007 9:25 AM

That Square foot garden site looks good....I grow all my salad greens- cut and come again type...in polystyrene boxes (from the fruit market) and it is terrific looks like the same principal.Also the herbs and green onions.What sort of things have you tried in this
style of gardening? 1_Lucky_Texan.....or anyone else;)

chrissy - this is our first experience with the SFG (really, I think the 'grid' parts aren't necessary though we have them - http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/710489/ )

So far we have had good luck with a variety of vegetables and flowers. Mostly, it's a little expensive making your own 'soil' but, in the long run, maybe cheaper/better than 'ameliorating' your yard's soil.

If you already enjoy 'row' gardening successfully - no reason to switch.

But, if you have questionable soil, I think SFG works well enough.

2 Things I might do differently, I might try 1/3 composts as he suggests for Mels Mix but I'd like to try substitutiing coconut coir (fiber) for the peat moss and perlite for the vermiculite. The vermiculite was difficult to find in coarse grade. OH, and I'd put the trellis upright supports on the inside of the frame so I don't hit 'em with the string trimmer!

Carl (just enjoyed a salad with SFG grown oinions and cucumbers in it last night!)

This message was edited Jun 14, 2007 9:40 AM

Thanks 1_Lucky _Texan...Exactly...isn't that what's all about?eating food you grew yourself?.I use a mix of washed river sand for drainage and potting mix...I throw in some old manure usually cow poo and it works like magic! I add stuff as I go along if the veggies require it.I have a couple of boxes of garlic too (just stick the cloves in in Winter) and this grow lots of yummy green tops to snip (like green onions) and throw into the fried rice /stir fry/scrambled egg etc.I grow non hearting leafy greens (salad ones) very close together and just snip the tops off as soon as they are about thee inches.Any other clues? hmmm that salad sounded good! ;)

had a smoked turkey wrap tonight with 'speckled lettuce' and cucumber from the sfg. Also , we harvested our first tomato, not quite completely red yet, though there appears to be a small hole in one side - dunno if it will be edible.

fun stuff


Carl

Well we are into Winter here and we are eating spinach,radiccio,
lettuce still...green onions/various herbs.etc...out of the "normal " garden we are eating spuds/chockos/cape gooseberries/rhubarb/last of the passionfruit...panama gold and panama red/ passionfruit elata/persimmons/figs/pumpkins /rockmelon ( I think you call them cantelopes) chillies/the end of the tomatoes.It is flooding a bit at the moment...so no gardening today...great after a very long drought and water restrictions! bye mate happy gardening (and eating:)

Being new to New England, gardening and landscaping I heard about this book and love it. Home Landscaping: Northeast Region: Including Southeast Canada.

Love that the plants they suggest in the plans are made for the weather here! Also love that is shows many variations of the same plan in different settings shade and sun, fall color and spring.

Check out this bookseller for gardening books.
www.edwardrhamilton.com
Their books are very inexpensive. I have purchased fourhundred page gardening books for five to seven dollars. I have a gardening library of fifty or more books and most of the books were purchased from them. They sell overstock and out of print books. They stock all types of books,so check out the gardening section. Also,ask for a catalog.
Another bonus from this company is that shipping is $3.50 no matter how many books are ordered. Orders may be placed by mail or on the internet. A small fee is added for internet purchases.

I think I'll give the Rosedale one a try. It sounds great. Thanks!