In no particular order, we’re recapping 15 great books from 2010 for the gardener on your holiday shopping list. Any one of them would be a great holiday gift for the green thumb on your list. We’ll feature a book a day starting December 7.
Starter Vegetable Gardens:
24 No-Fail Plans for Small Organic Gardens
by Barbara Pleasant
The idea of where to begin with a vegetable garden can cause anxiety for any new gardener. Starter Vegetable Gardens (Storey Publishing, 179 pages, $19.95) takes the guesswork out of growing food. Using simple language the author explains exactly how to start, maintain, and eventually expand an organic vegetable garden. What to buy, where to plant, and how to care for your garden are all discussed in this resource.
The 24 small-scale garden plans provide the reader with many options for growing your own fresh food. Some of the plans include: Backyard Veggie Border, Front-Yard Food Supply, Family Food Factory, Sweet Corn and Company, Marinara Medley, and the Managed Mulch Garden. Each plan includes a labeled chart in color, along with a supply and tool inventory, and a to-do list for each season. Intertwined in each chapter are color photographs and valuable information such as watering tips, plant supports, and insect issues. The book concludes with a dictionary of 46 common vegetables and a glossary of gardener’s basic lingo.