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.

The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible
by Edward C. Smith

The updated, best-selling gardening book The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible (Storey Publishing, 352 pages, $24.95) includes coverage of 15 additional vegetables; an expanded section on salad greens; more attention to European and Asian vegetables; growing information on more fruits and herbs; new cultivar photographs; a much-requested section on extending the growing season into the winter months; and more. Each food lists information on the growing site, sowing, growing, harvest, and varieties. Soil issues, watering guidelines, seed tips, pest control and plant diseases are also addressed in a practical approach.

Wide rows, organic methods, raised beds, and deep soil is the advice given to create the W-O-R-D system and is credited for the high-yield results described. Sustainable and healthier eating is an underlying theme throughout the book. Also, solutions for small-space gardens are provided. The author tends a garden of over 1,500 square feet filled with raspberries, blueberries, flowers, herbs, and nearly 100 varieties of vegetables.

Click here to purchase from Amazon

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.

The Gossler Guide to the Best Hardy Shrubs:
More than 350 Expert Choices for Your Garden
by Roger, Eric, and Marjory Gossler

For most homeowners, shrubs are an essential part of the yard or garden because they provide flowers and foliage from spring through fall. The Gossler Guide to the Best Hardy Shrubs (Timber Press, 204 pages, $34.95) shows you how the superior plants available today can transform ho-hum gardens into scenes of beauty and serenity. For decades, the Gossler family has tested, propagated, and sold the best hardy shrubs from around the world. The book starts with personal, common sense advice about climate, care and maintenance, plant categories, and learning from other people’s gardens. The remainder of the book is a guide to more than 350 beautiful, versatile, and easy-to-grow shrubs. Plant profiles describe the plant’s main characteristics, give height and spread, and list the growing conditions needed to thrive. Colorful photographs also provide examples of the shrubs and how they can compliment landscape design.

Click here to purchase from Amazon

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.

The Dirt Cheap Green Thumb
by Rhonda Massingham Hart

Gardening is experiencing a surge in interest as more people want chemical-free, inexpensive produce, and a healthier and more economical lifestyle. Without planning and knowledge, however, even experienced gardeners can make costly mistakes. And even if you’re not frugal, there is nothing more valuable than our time. The Dirt Cheap Green Thumb (Storey Publishing, 288 pages, $10.95) provides practical advice on successfully growing both edibles and ornamentals, helping gardeners save money without compromising the crop or their garden’s beauty. This easy-to-browse guide is full of smart ideas, quick tips, and advice for beginners. Specific topics range from improving your soil, watering, and mulching, to essential garden tools and accessories, plant propagation, seed saving, preservation of food crops, and more. Dozens of helpful lists make the information easy to find.

Click here to purchase from Amazon