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Books on Gardening Methods
Four Season Gardening / Winter Harvest
I have become a HUGE fan of Eliot Coleman! I started with his book, 'Four Season Harvest', published in 1999, and just purchased his most recent book, 'The Winter Harvest Handbook', which just came out last April.
In his books, Eliot gives an interesting history of winter gardening; methods, crops, history and why we stopped doing it, but he does so in a way that easily holds your attention and convinces you that anyone can succeed with a winter garden. The scientific and historical background to this method are laid out in a way that is very easy to grasp and will make you think 'why did we stop doing this?'
These books are very easy to read and follow, and they are very encouraging. The methods are proven, and presented in a way that makes the reader confident of their own success.
This isn't a new fad that Eliot conceived and is trying to push on gardeners. This is how gardening was done before transportation methods developed to the point where we could just ship in fresh produce from warmer climates. This is how it was done when we had to provide for ourselves.
After reading the first book, I immediately purchased the second, and it is already out on loan to my best friend, who also gardens. These books have made me so enthusiastic about this winter that I am almost in a hurry for summer to be over (almost lol)!
I have become a HUGE fan of Eliot Coleman! I started with his book, 'Four Season Harvest', published in 1999, and just purchased his most recent book, 'The Winter Harvest Handbook', which just came out last April.
In his books, Eliot gives an interesting history of winter gardening; methods, crops, history and why we stopped doing it, but he does so in a way that easily holds your attention and convinces you that anyone can succeed with a winter garden. The scientific and historical background to this method are laid out in a way that is very easy to grasp and will make you think 'why did we stop doing this?'
These books are very easy to read and follow, and they are very encouraging. The methods are proven, and presented in a way that makes the reader confident of their own success.
This isn't a new fad that Eliot conceived and is trying to push on gardeners. This is how gardening was done before transportation methods developed to the point where we could just ship in fresh produce from warmer climates. This is how it was done when we had to provide for ourselves.
After reading the first book, I immediately purchased the second, and it is already out on loan to my best friend, who also gardens. These books have made me so enthusiastic about this winter that I am almost in a hurry for summer to be over (almost lol)!
Views: 5
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Barbara, zone 8 VA on -
I agree about Eliot Coleman. I have the broadfork that he adapted from the French one, described in his earlier book, "The New Organic Grower", which might be great for you to look at as he talks a lot about methods for the market grower. Using the broadfork is a very easy manual way to till the garden. I loved "Four Season Harvest" and didn't realize he had a new book out. Does it expand on his ideas or just restate his ideas from the earlier book? I also loved the book, "Great Garden Companions" by Sally Jean Cunningham mentioned on the main page. Lots of great practical advice pulled together in one book. Another idea that has really interested me is forest gardening. There are several books that discuss this idea, "Gaia's Garden" by Toby Hemenway and "Edible Forest Gardening" by Jacke Toensmeier. The former book also discusses some permaculture ideas on a very readable level. Many thanks for starting this discussion!
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Permalink Reply by Julie Grinnell z5 MI on -
The new book expands on the ideas. I definitely did not feel like I had heard it all already. I felt like he gave more history behind winter gardening, which I really liked. He also goes into his own garden setup a little more.
Forest gardening sounds very interesting. You've piqued my curiosity lol. I am going to do some googling, and see if I can get some of those books from our library. I'll also look for Eliot's first book. Thanks :)
Barbara, zone 8 VA said:I agree about Eliot Coleman. I have the broadfork that he adapted from the French one, described in his earlier book, "The New Organic Grower", which might be great for you to look at as he talks a lot about methods for the market grower. Using the broadfork is a very easy manual way to till the garden. I loved "Four Season Harvest" and didn't realize he had a new book out. Does it expand on his ideas or just restate his ideas from the earlier book? I also loved the book, "Great Garden Companions" by Sally Jean Cunningham mentioned on the main page. Lots of great practical advice pulled together in one book. Another idea that has really interested me is forest gardening. There are several books that discuss this idea, "Gaia's Garden" by Toby Hemenway and "Edible Forest Gardening" by Jacke Toensmeier. The former book also discusses some permaculture ideas on a very readable level. Many thanks for starting this discussion! -
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Permalink Reply by Melody Leftwich z8 TX on -
Wonderful suggestions, both of you. I'll be tracking those down. Now for my mainstay gardening books:
Since I'm in Texas:
Texas Gardening the Natural Way by Howard Garrett (The Dirt Doctor)
http://www.amazon.com/Texas-Gardening-Natural-Way-Complete/dp/02927...
Gives a plant by plant breakdown of what grows in gardens here in Texas with lots of color photos, tips on their benefits and problems and ways to deal with their problems organically. Even tells you what not to bother trying--avocados for instance, no way to keep 'em alive through the winters without a very tall greenhouse or orchard heaters. Many folks proudly grow an avocado tree from it's seed only to be dismayed that it freezes to death before you get to harvest any!
Herbs for Texas by Howard Garrett
http://www.amazon.com/Herbs-Texas-Howard-Garrett/dp/0292781733/ref=...
Same treatment as the general gardening for Texas book above but in depth on herbs that grow here. Includes their uses both culinary and medicinal. Very interesting book.
Texas Bug Book by Howard Garret and C. Malcolm Beck
http://www.amazon.com/Texas-Bug-Book-Good-Ugly/dp/0292709374/ref=sr...
Photos of every one and full descriptions of their life cycles, habits, habitats and reproduction. Describes their impact on you and advises when to fight them and more importantly, in my opinion, when NOT to fight them. Gives recipes for organic pesticides, repellents and methods of creating barriers. Also covers garden pests that are not insects and how to deter them. Gives excellent information on beneficial insects and why you want to encourage them and what to plant to draw them to your garden.
More generally:
Captain Compost's Way to Sow and Reap Naturally by William Cureton
http://www.amazon.com/Captain-Composts-Way-Reap-Naturally/dp/142574...
Describes no-till gardening and composting in a very down to earth and plain way. This man moderates the compost forum on the dirtdoctor.com website. Very friendly and helpful site.
Lasagna Gardening for Small Spaces by Patricia Lanza
http://www.amazon.com/Lasagna-Gardening-Small-Spaces-Containers/dp/...
What a revelation this book was for me! Gardening without a tiller and virtually without effort. Letting earthworms do your work for you. Ignoring the grass that was where I wanted to put my garden bed. This broke many of the rules my grandmother taught me--and would have made gardening possible for her much later than when she decided she couldn't do it anymore. Wonderful book.
Rodale's Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening by Fern Marshall Bradley
http://www.amazon.com/Lasagna-Gardening-Small-Spaces-Containers/dp/...
I have this one on reserve at my library and plan to post a review later. -
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Permalink Reply by Melody Leftwich z8 TX on
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Thanks for recommending Eric Toensmeier. I wasn't able to get my hands on "Edible Forest Gardening" but I did find "Perennial Vegetables"--a very interesting book.
Barbara, zone 8 VA said:I agree about Eliot Coleman. I have the broadfork that he adapted from the French one, described in his earlier book, "The New Organic Grower", which might be great for you to look at as he talks a lot about methods for the market grower. Using the broadfork is a very easy manual way to till the garden. I loved "Four Season Harvest" and didn't realize he had a new book out. Does it expand on his ideas or just restate his ideas from the earlier book? I also loved the book, "Great Garden Companions" by Sally Jean Cunningham mentioned on the main page. Lots of great practical advice pulled together in one book. Another idea that has really interested me is forest gardening. There are several books that discuss this idea, "Gaia's Garden" by Toby Hemenway and "Edible Forest Gardening" by Jacke Toensmeier. The former book also discusses some permaculture ideas on a very readable level. Many thanks for starting this discussion! -
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Permalink Reply by Melody Leftwich z8 TX on
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Rodale's Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening http://www.amazon.com/Rodales-Ultimate-Encyclopedia-Organic-Gardeni...
Well, this came in last week from my reserve at the library. I've found another keeper! This is a great primer on organic gardening and covers the subject in a more frugal manner than many others I've seen. Simple solutions and good explanations. I've decided to order this one for myself so that I've got a more generalized text on the subject than my previous ones that focused more on organic gardening in Texas. -
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Permalink Reply by Jean P. Harvey on -
A handy book is Simon & Schuster's complete guide to PLANTS & FLOWERS . This paperback was published in 1974. It contains pictures and general information: Family, Origin, Description, Use, Propagation, Environment and Light, Soil, Soil Moisture: on over 500 plants and flowers. It's excellent for identification of nearly all plants that crosses your path.
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Permalink Reply by Jean P. Harvey on
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This neat hardback book is called THE TOOL BOOK by William Bryant Logan. It has colorful pictures and descriptions of oodles of tools for the well-tendered garden. Whether you are looking for that perfect digger, cultivater, propagator, waterer, cutter, planter or lawn care, holder or hauling, or raking and sweeping, it's in here. Even covers clothing and protection for the gardener, and care and storage for the tools. I've also found the Action Hoe, Scuttle Hoe in this book. It's a book about the love of tools. Where would we be without our tools of the trade?
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Permalink Reply by Jean P. Harvey on
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A GARDENER'S GUIDE to FLORIDA'S NATIVE PLANTS by Rufino Osorio. Since Florida is pushing native Florida plants for water conservation, and for food for the wildlife, this is the book to purchase. It had detailed pictures of 350 interesting native plants with discussion of where to view these plants in the wild. It is a key to landscaping your land using these plants that grow and survive with God's care. After looking through this book you'll find yourself saying, "I didn't know that was a Florida Native Plant!
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Permalink Reply by Jean P. Harvey on
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Now for my flower guide that I carry with me always. It's called FLORIDA WILD FLOWERS and Roadside Plants, written by C. Ritchie Bell and Bryan J. Taylor. This is a goldmine with a small scale map of Florida showing in what location the plant can be found. The pictures are clear . Each specimen has it's own description and general information, location and season it blooms. It is a wonderful teaching guide. Some of these plants grow only in Florida, but the majority can be found nationwide.
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Permalink Reply by Melody Leftwich z8 TX on
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Good stuff Jean. I too love native plants but the central place I look for info on them is The Lady Bird Johnson National Wildflower Center at http://www.wildflower.org/ An absolutely irreplaceable resource for all native plants.
My wildflower book I carry around with me is titled: Texas Wildflowers. -
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Permalink Reply by Melody Leftwich z8 TX on
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I sent this one to my Mother-in-Law in Beaumont:
It's by my mentor, Howard Garrett and I can't recommend it more highly for anyone living along the gulf coast.
http://www.amazon.com/Plants-Houston-Coast-Howard-Garrett/dp/029271... -
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Permalink Reply by Rachel on -
I'm a HUGE vegetable gardening fan. My go-to book is The Vegetable Gardener's Bible by Edward C. Smith. I LOVE this book!
Other books that I enjoy are:
The Gardener's A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food
How to Grow More Vegetables and Fruits (and Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops) Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine
and
Vegetable Gardening: From Planting to Picking - The Complete Guide to Creating a Bountiful Garden
Now one book that I tried because it had great reviews was Square Foot Gardening. I followed his instructions completely and had the WORST growing season I've ever had. Out of 6 tomato plants we only got 4 fruit. We had majore pest and disease problems due to the spacing he recommends being too close. The peat moss he pushes as a soil amendment is ecologically irresponsible and even though we did use it (I found out how bad it was after we bought it) I found that some vegetables don't take to it very well. Because it holds on to water so much, our garlic completely rotted away. Our onions and potatoes didn't fare much better. I have heard it works for some, but we didn't have any luck. -
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