Starting your own garden can seem overwhelming at first. But with a little bit of knowledge and know-how, you'll easily be able to set up your own backyard garden. There are plenty of books out there to choose from, but here are 5 good books that will help get you started.
All New Square Foot Gardening, 2nd Edition: The Revolutionary Way to Grow More in Less Space
by Mel Bartholomew
Square foot gardening is one of the most practical and foolproof ways to grow your own home garden. It's space saving techniques also make it ideal for those who live in urban areas with less space to work with. Mel Bartholomew developed his techniques back in the early 1980s and has been teaching them around the world ever since. He also continues to make improvements and refinements as well as continually adapting his practices to keep pace with modern times.
In this latest edition, Bartholomew furthers his discussion on one of today's most popular gardening trends: vertical gardening. He also looks at how you can make gardening fun for children and how to teach them the square foot method. You'll also read about creating a soil mix, evaluating space and controlling pests. With colorful images and updated tips for selecting materials, this book will help both beginners and expert gardeners alike.
The Grow Your Own Food Handbook: A Back to Basics Guide to Planting, Growing and Harvesting Fruits and Vegetables
by Monte Burch
With this book, you'll learn how to grow veggies, fruits and even grains on your own land or any small space, harvest and store all your home-grown produce. It's perfect for both the novice and the expert and is very user friendly. It also includes information on specific health benefits, vitamins and minerals for each food as well as detailed instructions for extending the gardening season.
The Vegetable Gardener's Bible, 2nd Edition
by Edward C. Smith
Considered an invaluable resource for home gardeners, Ed Smith's W-O-R-D system has helped countless to grow their own abundance of veggies and herbs. Here, you'll find friendly and accessible language perfect for the newbie, full-color photography, an A to Z section with comprehensive veggie information and organic methods.
This 10th Anniversary Edition includes some new material, including coverage of 15 additional vegetables and an expanded section on salad greens. Growing information on fruits and herbs is also included as well as a section on extending the season into the winter months. This book will answer your questions and get you on the path to an abundant harvest while the anecdotes and stories make it a fun read.
The New Seed Starter's Handbook (Rodale Organic Gardening)
by Nancy Bubel and Jean Nick
Nancy Bubel has written for a variety of publications including Organic Gardening, Mother Earth News and Horticulture just to name a few. She is also a life member of the Seed Savers Exchange and the Friends of Trees Society. Jean Nick is a lifelong organic gardener, scientist and author. Together, they give you one of the most complete and up-to-date guides on starting plants from seed.
By starting plants from seed, you'll be able to achieve earlier harvests, greater variety and healthier seedlings all at a lower cost. Included in this book is the latest research in seed starting, how to chose your materials, solutions to seed-starting problems, tips to repel pests and a source list for seeds and those hard-to-find gardening supplies. The encyclopedia section along lists more than 200 plants from veggies and fruits to garden flowers, wildflowers and herbs to trees and shrubs--all with details on how to start each from seed!
Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting, 3rd Edition
by Stu Campbell
Called the "composter's bible" by Horticulture Review, this classic guide will help you turn household waste into soil-nourishing compost. With this book, you'll learn how to set up a composting system using leaves, grass and kitchen scraps. Though the book is comprehensive and detailed, it is still an easy and entertaining read. It covers various composting methods, types of containers, where to locate your compost heap, procedures and how to use the finished product. After reading this book, you'll change the way you look at your garbage.
From seed starting to gardening techniques to harvesting and storage, these books will help you get your first garden, no matter how small, started with confidence! You'll also be able to compost like a pro and even extend your gardening season. So dig in! It's time to get started on that veggie garden you've always wanted.