Container Food Gardening by Pamela Farley

Container Food Gardening
by Pamela Farley

ISBN-13: 9780760378137
Paperback: 176 pages
Publisher: Cool Springs Press
Released: March 7, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Growing your own fresh food in containers is a great way to begin your gardening journey! Container gardens can take up as much or as little room as you’d like. They’re portable, so you can locate them wherever conditions are optimal for plant growth. And, you can grow just about any veggie in pots, as long as you have the right container, the right soil blend, and the right care tips. In these pages, author Pam Farley of BrownThumbMama.com lines the path to container food gardening success in clear, simple steps.

Not only will you learn how to get started, you’ll also discover what size container you need for each different veggie, why filling the pot with the perfect soil blend matters so much, when to fertilize and how often to water, where to locate your container food garden for optimum production, what to do if problems arise and how to fix them, and tips for everything from staking and pruning your veggie plants to knowing when it’s time to harvest.


My Review:
Container Food Gardening is a gardening book for beginners. It started with basics like step-by-step illustrated instructions for planting a seed or transplanting a seedling. The author also provided the basics for container food gardening, like what size of container to use for different plants, what types of fruits and veggies grow well in containers, how much soil is needed for the various sizes of containers, and the different types of container materials. She also suggested different plant combinations for a larger container, like an herbal mix or a "spaghetti sauce" or "salad greens" garden. She then covered preparing repurposed containers (disinfecting, adding drainage holes, etc.), where to put the containers (considering sun, wind, buildings creating microclimates), how and when to water (with troubleshooting tips), what type of potting mix to get (or make your own), choosing and using fertilizers, mulch, and soil amendments, and troubleshooting plant, insect, and animal problems. A least half of the book was pictures of various container gardens, demonstrations of how to do something, or illustrations of the suggested gardens, mulches, etc. Overall, I'd recommend this book, especially to first-time gardeners interested in container gardening.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Raised Bed Revolution by Tara Nolan

Raised Bed Revolution
by Tara Nolan

ISBN-13: 9780593197882
Paperback: 272 pages
Publisher: Cool Springs Press
Released: September 20th 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Raised Bed Revolution provides you with information on size requirements for constructing raised beds, height suggestions, types of materials you can use, and creative tips for fitting the maximum garden capacity into small spaces—including vertical gardening.

Enhanced with gorgeous photography, this book covers subjects such as growing-medium options, rooftop gardening, cost-effective gardening solutions, planting tips, watering strategies (automatic water drip systems and hand watering), and more. The process of creating and building raised beds is a cinch, too, thanks to the extensive gallery of design ideas and step-by-step projects.

This gardening strategy is taking serious root. Why? Several reasons: Raised beds allow gardeners to practice space efficiency as well as accessibility (the beds can be customized to be any height). Raised beds permit gardeners to use their own soil, and they can be designed with wheels for easy portability if partial sunlight is a problem. Water conservation is easier for gardeners who use raised beds. Pest control is assisted because most garden pests can’t make the leap up into the raised bed. For yards that struggle with drainage, raised bed gardening offers a no-brainer solution.


My Review:
Raised Bed Revolution is about gardening using raised garden beds. The author described why you might want to use raised beds and a wide variety of different ways to do raised beds, from different heights to the various materials that can be used. The book included several step-by-step projects for creating your own raised beds, from materials to finished project. She also included many colorful pictures of raised beds to inspire the reader with ideas. The projects included a basic raised bed placed just above the ground to garden beds tall enough to sit on the edges to a vertical garden. Overall, I'd recommend the book if you're serious about trying this way of gardening.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Weed-Free Gardening by Tasha Greer

Weed-Free Gardening
by Tasha Greer

ISBN-13: 9780760373231
Paperback: 192 pages
Publisher: Cool Springs Press
Released: April 12th 2022

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Spraying chemical herbicides isn’t a smart solution for eco-conscious homeowners or pet parents. If that’s the case for you, the weed control prevention and control strategies outlined here by author Tasha Greer will have you growing flowers, vegetables, shrubs, and trees with little to no weed competition. Tasha’s organic approach hands you methods for both preventing weeds early in the growing season and managing weedy intruders year-round.

Control annual weeds by disrupting their natural lifecycle. Learn the whys, hows, and whens of weed-inhibiting mulching techniques. Eliminate deep-rooted perennial weeds by eradicating them at their source. Meet the best and most effective weeding tools available to homeowners. Discover many ways to keep weeds out of the vegetable garden while ensuring healthy and productive soil. Implement a practical plan to gain long-term control over weeds. In addition, you’ll find resources for weed identification, tips for getting rid of invasive plants, useful ideas for handling areas completely overtaken by weeds, and dozens of “weed hacks” to make life in the garden so much more beautiful.


My Review:
Weed-Free Gardening is a guide to organic gardening methods to control weeds. In the introduction, she talked about what a weed is and a history of weeds. She talked about different categories of weeds, from plants that you didn't intend to grow there but which might be helpful to plants that will take over your garden if you don't get rid of them quickly. She talked about a wide variety of techniques and tools that you might try out, but this was more of an overview of different things to try and why they work. She explained how these techniques disrupt the weed's lifecycle, starting with preventing germination with things like mulches or no-till techniques. There's enough information to be able to try out these techniques and see which ones work best for your situation. Overall, I'd recommend this gardening book.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Garden Allies by Frederique Lavoipierre

Garden Allies
by Frederique Lavoipierre

ISBN-13: 9781643260082
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Timber Press
Released: Sept. 28, 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
The birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects that inhabit our yards and gardens are overwhelmingly on our side—they are not our enemies, but instead our allies. They pollinate our flowers and vegetable crops, and they keep pests in check.

In Garden Allies, Frédérique Lavoipierre shares fascinating portraits of these creatures, describing their life cycles and showing how they keep the garden’s ecology in balance. Also included is helpful information on how to nurture and welcome these valuable creatures into your garden. With beautiful pen-and-ink drawings by Craig Latker, Garden Allies invites you to make friends with the creatures that fill your garden.


My Review:
Garden Allies talks about the different types of insects and animals that you might find in a garden. It's not really a practical, how-to gardening guide since the focus wasn't really on the garden but on the animals that you might find there (and elsewhere). The author talked about various categories of animals and wrote a few pages about each category (like worms, bees, wasps, flies, beetles, etc.). It covered things like nesting habits, what they eat, social behavior, and why gardeners might appreciate having them in the garden. Each section ended with profile-type information: their official names, what they look like, etc. Black and white drawings of the mentioned critters were sometimes included, but I didn't find them particularly helpful in terms of insect identification. Overall, I'd recommend this book to those interested in learning more about garden animals.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Zero Waste Garden by Ben Raskin

The Zero Waste Garden
by Ben Raskin

ISBN-13: 9780711262331
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: White Lion Publishing
Released: April 20th 2021

Source: Review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Organic gardening expert, Ben Raskin, shares over 60 unique planning-for-yield guides for key crops. Work out how to make the most of the green space you have got, what to grow easily in it, and how much you will harvest seasonally for zero waste.

Learn how to plant waste-free for any size plot, from balcony containers to 5-metre-square yards. Peppered with root-to-stalk cooking tips, including which crops you can eat straight away, this is a plot-to-plate book for everyone with a green-thumb. Perfect for new and experienced growers, vegans, zero-food waste followers, city gardeners, and the ecologically minded.


My Review:
Hot Button focused on how to make the most of your gardening space and minimalize the waste when using the plants. The author very briefly covered a lot of different gardening techniques. It's enough to get you interested but you'd have to read other books to really learn how to do these techniques. He talked about crop rotation, green manure, interplanting, undersowing, choosing efficient crops, and correct spacing for the crops (including estimates of how closely they can be planted and still give a good yield). He also talked about ways to store the plants after harvest (freezing, drying, fermenting). He then gave profiles on a lot of common garden plants and included information on how much space each plant takes, how much food you get off the plant, growing tips, when do harvest, how to use every useful part of the plant, and how to store the excess harvest for future use. I felt like this was more for a beginner gardener, especially one with limited space, but it doesn't really go into pest or disease control. Its strength is information on minimalizing food waste.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Herbal Houseplants by Susan Betz

Herbal Houseplants
by Susan Betz

ISBN-13: 9780760369555
Hardcover: 176 pages
Publisher: Cool Springs Press
Released: April 27th 2021

Source: review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Inside the beautifully illustrated pages, author and expert herbalist Susan Betz lets you in on a little secret: Herbs make great houseplants. And, you don’t need fancy grow lights, expensive potting soil, or high-end equipment to grow them. All you need is a sunny windowsill and the right plant. Learn which herbs perform best as houseplants, how to care for them, and even how to harvest and use your homegrown herbs for culinary creations, household cleaning products, herbal teas, handmade crafts, and more. In Herbal Houseplants you’ll learn the basics of caring for herbs indoors, how to keep indoor herbs productive and pest free, tips for choosing the best herbs for indoor growing, and essential advice for watering, fertilizing, and harvesting. How to grow exotic herbs, like patchouli, tulsi, and Corsican mint. From parsley and thyme to sage and lemongrass—and many herbs in between—tending and enjoying herbal houseplants pays big rewards for little effort.


My Review:
Herbal Houseplants provides some tips about growing herbs indoors in containers. The author started by briefly describing how to take care of herbs in general (how much light, temperature, humidity, watering, fertilizing, pruning, dealing with pests, and how to propagate them). She then provided herbal profiles for various herbs that do well indoors. The profiles included the common name, Latin name, a quote about that herb, a description of the herb and how it is used, good varieties for indoor growing, what it means in floral language, what growing conditions are needed, the best way to propagate it, what plant parts are used, how to harvest and store it, and what pests might be a problem. She talked about herbs for use in the kitchen, for fragrance and beauty, and a bunch of varieties of geraniums. She also talked about preserving and storing your herbs. Overall, I recommend this as a guide to what herbs grow well indoors.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook by Susan Mulvihill

The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook
by Susan Mulvihill

ISBN-13: 9780760370063
Paperback: 208 pages
Publisher: Cool Springs Press
Released: April 27th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook, you’ll find the simple, straightforward resources and tools you need to identify common pests of edible gardens and manage them without the use of synthetic chemical pesticides.

Climate change and newly introduced insect pests are changing the world of gardening. Pests that once produced a single generation per year are now producing two or even three, and accidentally imported pest insects have no natural predators to keep them in check. These leaf-munching critters can cause significant damage in short order, reducing your yields and costing you time and money, especially if your garden is out of balance or your plants are stressed and vulnerable.

Whether you’re a new or seasoned gardener, author and garden pro Susan Mulvihill shows you how to handle pest issues by growing healthier plants, properly identifying the culprit, and nurturing the overall ecosystem of the garden. With easy-to-use charts, you’ll learn how to identify common vegetable garden pests based on both the damage they cause and their physical appearance.

DIY pest-control projects, coupled with up-to-date info on the best natural products, physical pest-control tricks, and tips for managing pests with the use of traps and barriers, all lead to a garden where beneficial insects and pollinators are preserved while pest populations are kept in check.


My Review:
The Vegetable Garden Pest Handbook explains various organic gardening approaches to pest management. The author started by describing how to create an environment that encourages beneficial insects and plant health. She then provided charts showing which insects might bother which garden plants and the damage that you'll see for each type of insect. Next were the insect profiles, describing each insect: their life cycle, what plants they attack, what type of damage they cause, their natural predators, and tips on how to control them. Each profile also had a close-up illustration of the insect as well as color photographs of the insect and the damage they do to a plant (to help with identification). She also provided shorter profiles on the beneficial insects: a picture, what it looks like, what it eats, and how to encourage it to stay near your garden.

Then she described various organic pest control methods: what they're good for and how to use them. She also included instructions on how to make relatively simple DIY traps or protective barriers (though some require more construction skill than others). Overall, I'd highly recommend this resource for those gardeners who want to stop pests without using synthetic chemical pesticides.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Grow Your Own Spices by Tasha Greer

Grow Your Own Spices
by Tasha Greer

ISBN-13: 9780760368022
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Cool Springs Press
Released: January 5th 2021

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In Grow Your Own Spices, author and spice-growing gardener Tasha Greer hands you everything you need to know to grow a thriving spice garden, with practical tips and in-depth advice on cultivating over 30 different spices.

Unlike herbs, which consist of the green leaves of certain plants, spices come from the seeds, roots, bark, or berries of plants, which means growing, harvesting, and preparing spices is a lot more nuanced than growing leafy herbs. Start with easy-to-grow seed spices first, such as sesame seeds, fennel, and cumin, then graduate to more challenging spice varieties, such as star anise, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Spices not only offer culinary flare, there’s also increasing evidence of their ability to fight inflammation and reduce various health risks. Medical usage tips from expert herbalist Lindsey Feldpausch are found throughout the book and offer well-researched advice on how to use homegrown spices to improve your well-being.

In Grow Your Own Spices, you’ll learn how to cultivate your own saffron, the world’s most expensive spice; the best way to tend tropical spices, like ginger, turmeric, and cardamom, even if you live in a cold climate; easy-to-grow spices that are perfect for beginners; the unique way certain spices, such as wasabi, cloves, and cinnamon, are grown and harvested; how to cultivate root spices, including horseradish and chicory; and tips for harvesting your own capers, mustard, sesame seeds, and even paprika.


My Review:
Grow Your Own Spices provides basic planting, care, and harvesting instructions for growing your own spices. The author started with general care information, but then she gave specific advice along with plant profiles. She started with spices that are easier to grow but also included more difficult ones that need more controlled climates and a long period of time before producing. She included spices grown from seed, from roots, and more. Each plant profile included information about that spice, information about growing it and harvesting it, and some information about how to use it or prepare it for storage. While she included some very good information, I think that a beginner gardener would have trouble with the trickier spices without having more experience or advice provided. I've already grown some of the spices from seed, and they're reasonably easy even for a beginner. Overall, I'd recommend this book to any gardener interested in trying to grow their own spices.

She included information on growing allspice, annatto, bay laurel, caper, cardamom, cinnamon, celery, caraway, chicory, cloves, nutmeg, anise, horseradish, ginger, garlic, lemongrass, galangal, fenugreek, dill, fennel, cumin, coriander, juniper berry, lavender, licorice, mustard, nigella, paprika, peppercorns, poppy, wasabi, vanilla, tamarind, turmeric, sumac, sesame seed, saffron.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Plant Partners by Jessica Walliser

Plant Partners
by Jessica Walliser

ISBN-13: 9781635861334
Paperback: 224 pages
Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC
Released: December 22nd 2020


Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Companion planting has a long history of use by gardeners, but the explanation of why it works has been filled with folklore and conjecture. Plant Partners delivers a research-based rationale for this ever-popular growing technique, offering dozens of ways you can use scientifically tested plant partnerships to benefit your whole garden. Through an enhanced understanding of how plants interact with and influence each other, this guide suggests specific plant combinations that improve soil health and weed control, decrease pest damage, and increase biodiversity, resulting in real and measurable impacts in the garden.


My Review:
Plant Partners is a very informative book about garden plant pairings that help improve the yield and health of your harvest crops. The author talked about cover crops, living mulches, using allelopathy to combat weeds, plants that can be used as living trellises, plants that can be used to lure pests away from harvest crops, plants that help suppress disease in their plant partners, plants that attract beneficial insects, and plants that bring in more pollinators to the garden for an increased crop. She focused on plant pairings that have been studied at universities and such for their effectiveness.

She also talked about related issues, like no-till gardening or studies suggesting the reasons behind why these plant partners work well. The many pictures usually showed how the plants can be planted near each other (interplanted or planted in alternating rows). Her description of how to implement these plant partnerships (when to plant, where to plant, etc.) was also clear to me. Overall, I was so impressed with this book and its usefulness for a home gardener that I bought a physical copy because I'll be referring to it often. We're going to try some living mulch this year along with a couple of the plant partners that were suggested to bring in beneficial insects. I'd highly recommend this book to home gardeners.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

The No-Till Organic Vegetable Farm by Daniel Mays

The No-Till Organic Vegetable Farm by Daniel Mays ISBN-13: 9781635861891 Harcover: 256 pages Publisher: Storey Publishing, LLC Released: October 13th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
No-till farming — a method of growing crops and providing pasture without disturbing the soil with tillage — has become a proven and enormously important alternative to standard farming practices. In this comprehensive guide to no-till vegetable farming for aspiring and beginning farmers, author Daniel Mays — himself the owner and manager of a no-till farm in Maine — details the many benefits of this system, along with how to establish no-till beds, intensive crop planning, mulching strategies, techniques and timing of occultation and solarization, selection and timing of no-till cover crops, holistic approaches to weed management, and efficient methods of harvest and post-harvest handling.

The book presents innovative labor structures that replace reliance on expensive machinery, as well as streamlined planning and record-keeping tools, marketing strategies, and the value of community engagement through programs like CSA, food justice initiatives, and on-farm education. It shows farmers concerned about the future of their profession and the planet that, together, all of these elements form a cohesive system that works toward the health of the soil, the farm as a whole, the natural environment, and the people it feeds and employs.


My Review:
The No-Till Organic Vegetable Farm details how to start and run a successful market garden using organic and no-till methods. The focus of the book was more on teaching a beginner the details needed to successfully buy a farm and start a market garden. However, the author also included details about how to do this using an organic, no-till method. He covered topics like:

What to look for when buying land, things to think about when designing the farm layout, how to break ground (with and without tilling) and start your vegetable beds, things to consider when deciding what to plant and where to plant it, making a greenhouse and equipping it, transplanting and direct seeding, ways to irrigate and how to maintain a system, how to deal with weeds including mulching and manual weeding, using compost as mulch, using cover crops and what to do when it's time to plant, how to break up compaction and avoid it to begin with, multi-cropping, planting beneficial plants elsewhere on the farm, using livestock with the beds, fertilization, dealing with pests and disease, how to harvest efficiently and keep crops clean and fresh, the different ways you can sell your produce, how to hire laborers, record keeping, and more.

He gave specific examples of how they do these various things on his farm and included many full-color photographs of what this looks like. This is a very informative book and is probably most helpful to those who live in a more northern climate like he does (in Maine). I felt like he was not aware of some issues that come up in the South where the winters are mild. Since I'm already an organic farmer and was mostly interested in the no-till method, I was a little disappointed that he did not cover these issues pertinent to my region. However, I did learn quite a lot of new information about no-till and how it works, and I plan to use some of this information next year in my hobby garden.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.


Excerpt: Read an excerpt using Google Preview.

Beginner's Guide to Aquaponics by Seth Connell

Beginner's Guide to Aquaponics by Seth Connell ISBN-13: 978-1647397487 Paperback: 154 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: September 15th 2020

Source: Review copy from the publisher through Amazon Vine.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
A complete guide for aquaponics beginners. Discover a sustainable way to grow your food—while using a fraction of the water, land, and labor conventional gardens require. The Beginner’s Guide to Aquaponics makes starting your first system simple with easy-to-follow instructions that teach you the basics and offer clear step-by-step instructions.

Combine the benefits of fish farming with hydroponics to grow food in new and efficient ways. Whether it’s understanding how to balance water chemistry, pick your optimal fish and plants, or assemble aquaponic setups, you’ll find tables, blueprints, and practical tips to walk you through each part of the process.

This guide breaks down the most essential aquaponics information with checklists, system design plans, fish/plant charts, and more. Use price estimates and approximate timelines to help you stay on budget and effectively plan out the proper build for your needs. Get expert advice for dealing with any trouble spots you might encounter while building or maintaining your systems.


My Review:
Beginner's Guide to Aquaponics instructs on how to combine fish farming with hydroponics to grow food. The do-it-yourself instructions for the various systems are all for 100 square-foot units. Depending on the system, this could take up something like 5' x 20' or 10' x 10' of floor space, so they take up a lot of room. They generally cost between $3,000 and $6,000 for materials to make your own or about $10,000 if you buy a turnkey system. You will only be able to grow about 10 fish (trout, cod, bass, perch, catfish, etc.) at a time and it will take about 12 months or more for those fish to grow to 1 pound size. You also have to decide if you're going to do cold or warm water fish as this limits what type of plants you can grow. If you're interested in a system like this, then this book contains a lot of useful information.

The book covers everything I think you'd need to know and takes you step-by-step through the process of putting the systems together in general as well as specific step-by-step instructions for building your own systems. Part of my problem with the book, though, is that each aspect was initially covered separately, making it more difficult to see how it all worked together. You look at a chart showing which fish are warm water and which are cold water, then later there's a chart showing which plants can be grown in warm or cold water. It would've been helpful to have these charts on the same page rather than having to search back and flip between them. We're told how tricky it is to keep all the aspects in balance (fish, bacteria, plants) before I even had a clear idea of what the finished systems would look like. So I felt very discouraged even before finding out how expensive and big these systems would be. I'll just stick to small-scale hydroponics, but I do think this book would be helpful for someone already strongly interested in doing this size of aquaponic system.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Midwest Native Plant Primer by Alan Branhagen

The Midwest Native Plant Primer by Alan Branhagen ISBN-13: 9781604699920 Paperback: 256 pages Publisher: Timber Press Released: July 7th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
More homeowners than ever before are adding native plants to their gardens, because they are drawn to their amazing benefits. These superstar plants attract wildlife, act as pollinators, require less maintenance, and can better withstand climate change and related weather issues. In The Midwest Native Plant Primer, garden expert Alan Branhagen shares the best plant choices for the Midwest and details how gardeners can grow them successfully. Introductory chapters cover plant selection, design suggestions, and the benefits of choosing native plants. The bulk of the book is 225 plant entries that include everything a gardener needs to successfully grow these important garden additions. This beginner-friendly, accessible guide is for home gardeners in northern Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, eastern Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.


My Review:
The Midwest Native Plant Primer is for people who are looking for information about native plants for landscaping purposes. The author talked about the advantages of using native plants, provided tips on how to grow them successfully, and suggested using these plants specifically to attract beneficial insects, butterflies, or birds. He then provided information on specific native trees, shrubs, groundcovers, perennials and vines that are good for landscaping. Each entry gave the common name and Latin name of the plant, what animals it attracted, where it is usually found in the wild (like woodland understory), amount of light that it likes, some background information, why it is desirable in landscaping (interesting bark, colorful leaves, attracts birds, etc.), and a picture or two of the plant. I'd recommend this book to someone looking for native plant ideas for landscaping purposes.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Homesteader’s Guide to Growing Herbs by Kristine Brown

The Homesteader’s Guide to Growing Herbs by Kristine Brown ISBN-13: 978-1647393724 Paperback: 167 pages Publisher: Rockridge Press Released: July 7, 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher.

Book Description, Modified from Amazon:
Growing herbs means growing your own food, medicine, home remedies, beauty products, and more. The Homesteader’s Guide to Growing Herbs is packed with expert information on planting, caring for, and using herbs to nourish and nurture yourself, your family, your pets, and even your livestock.

Learn about cultivating herbs on your homestead and get a step-by-step guide to creating your own herbal preparations—from teas and infusions to tinctures, syrups, and salves. Explore an informational index of common household herbs, including the parts used, plant properties, safety considerations, preservation methods, and much more. Try dozens of recipes for everything from homemade marshmallows and basil-infused cooking oil to sunburn soother spray, furniture polish, and natural deodorant.


My Review:
The Homesteader’s Guide to Growing Herbs is a book about growing and using common herbs. The author started by briefly talking about why you would want to grow herbs and how you can use them. She then talked about good locations for an herb garden (space needed, soil type, etc.) and how to prepare herbal medicine (teas, syrups, tinctures, poultices, salves, infused oil). She provided profiles for 20 common herbs: basil, black walnut, chamomile, comfrey, echinacea, elderberry, fennel, garlic, lavender, marshmallow, mullein, onion, peach, peppermint, raspberry, rose, sage, stinging nettle, thyme, and willow. She included a picture the plant (though not always suited for identification purposes) and information about the parts of the plant that you use, growing tips, how to preserve it for future use, medicinal uses, preparation tips, dosing, and safety considerations.

She also included recipes using the profile herbs along with other herbs. She included 20 recipes for eating (herbed butter, green man pesto, etc.), 25 recipes for healing and wellness (fire cider, flu fighter tea, tummy tamer tea, etc.), 8 recipes for housekeeping (surface cleaner, furniture polish, etc.), 7 recipes for beauty (tooth powder, mouthwash, etc.), and 15 recipes for pets and livestock (wound powder, flea powder. etc.). I had expected this to be a gardening book, so I'm disappointed that the focus seemed to be more about uses for herbs. Overall, though, the information is good though mostly an overview of a variety of topics.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Grow Yourself Healthy by Beth Marshall

Grow Yourself Healthy by Beth Marshall ISBN-13: 9780711250710 Hardcover: 192 pages Publisher: White Lion Publishing Released: March 17th 2020

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Discover how to grow 50 vegetables, fruit & herbs to maximise their nutritional value. Plan your own gut-health garden using 11 easy projects, with planting plans and best varieties. Follow 13 recipes for fermented foods to multiply the benefits and enjoy all year round. Understand the science of gut-health gardening and how it affects our health and well-being.

GROW YOURSELF HEALTHY describes the best types of fruit and vegetable to choose and how to grow them to optimize their health boosting properties. It brings together the latest scientific research into different organic growing, harvesting and processing methods that will empower the reader to take back control of the nutritional value of the food they eat. It also contains 11 practical projects to demonstrate how to grow healthy, fresh produce at home, in a small garden, allotment, balcony, or even on a windowsill and 13 fermentation recipes for sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles, fermented drinks, and more.


My Review:
Grow Yourself Healthy is a gardening book with a focus on foods that are good for our intestinal microbiome. The author talked about the importance of a healthy microbiome in your gut and the types of foods that help the beneficial microbes thrive. She then discussed how to grow those foods, including tips on how to plant them, the mild stresses that help increase the nutritional value of these plants, and tips on how to best store and cook them for the highest nutritional value. She included suggested layouts for different types of gardens made up of these beneficial plants, including layouts for small areas. She also included several recipes for fermented foods (like kimchi and sauerkraut) using these plants. Overall, I'd recommend this book to gardeners who want to get the most nutritional and gut health benefits from their plants.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Plant Parenting by Leslie F. Halleck

Plant Parenting by Leslie F. Halleck ISBN-13: 9781604698725 Paperback: 264 pages Publisher: Timber Press Released: June 11, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
It’s easy to make more of your favorite plants! Plant Parenting, by horticulture expert Leslie F. Halleck, is a beginner-friendly introduction to plant propagation through cuttings, layering, dividing, and more. Halleck details the basic tools necessary, demystifies seed starting and saving, and shares easy-to-follow instructions for the most practical techniques. She also provides additional information on controlling pests and diseases and transplanting seedlings and cuttings. Charming, richly illustrated, and accessible, Plant Parenting is for beginning gardeners, houseplant fans, and anyone looking to make more of their favorite plants.


My Review:
Plant Parenting provides tips and step-by-step instructions on how to successfully grow plants from seeds, bulbs, cuttings, division, and more. The author started by explaining what tools are useful for plant propagation and how they're used. She then explained how to grow plants using many different methods: seeds (included seeds that are difficult to start), bulbs, tubers, water or soil rooting from cuttings (stem cuttings, leaf cuttings, etc.), using layering, through division, and more. The step-by-step directions included pictures that show what to do. She concluded with a brief section on how to avoid or treat pests and diseases and how and when to move your new plants into bigger pots or outside. I've grown plants from seeds and done some water rooting, and these instructions seemed very clear and do-able. I look forward to trying more of these techniques. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone interested in doing plant propagation.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Growing Your Own Tea Garden by Jodi Helmer

Growing Your Own Tea Garden by Jodi Helmer ISBN-13: 9781620083222 Paperback: 144 pages Publisher: CompanionHouse Books Released: May 14, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
If you’ve ever considered raising your own tea, this guide is the place to start. Author Jodi Helmer helps you to choose the right plants for your soil and climate, starting with the tea plant (Camellia sinensis) and going on through a comprehensive survey of herbal teas, from flowering chamomile and lavender to chicory roots, rose hips, lemon verbena, peppermint, aromatic bergamot and more. Jodi tells you how to harvest, dry and store your tea to enjoy all year long, along with brewing tips and creative recipes.


My Review:
Growing Your Own Tea Garden is a very basic, short gardening book about growing herbs to make into tea. The author started with a brief history of tea, then she included entries for numerous plants that can be used for tea. She covered true tea and herbal teas made from the leaves, flowers, fruits, and roots of various plants. In each entry, she provided very basic planting information, the plant's uses and health benefits, and how to brew it into tea. She suggested some combinations of plants for making your own teas and for planting together in your garden. She also briefly gave some basic gardening advice, basic tea brewing advice, and advice on drying and storing the herbs. This book would be most useful for those new to growing herbs or those looking for new types of plants to use as teas.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

How to Do Things by William Campbell, Brian Barth

How to Do Things by William Campbell (Editor), Brian Barth (Foreword) ISBN-13: 9781452171678 Hardcover: 272 pages Publisher: Chronicle Books Released: April , 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
For anyone who wants to learn how to catch a runaway pig, mend a fence post, milk a cow, or throw an unforgettable barn party, this engaging volume delivers timeless advice on accomplishing tasks big and small around the house, garden, and farm. Featuring original text and illustrations from the 1919 first edition, this 100th-anniversary volume presents a new generation of readers with expert guidance on every facet of homesteading in a very handsomely crafted package. With projects that range from practical (ridding a yard of poison ivy) to downright bemusing (organizing a potato peeling contest), this delightful book is equal parts useful and entertaining. An ode to self-reliance brimming with wit, wisdom, and nostalgia, this is a must-have for anyone who enjoys doing things with their own two hands.


My Review:
How to Do Things was published in 1919 as a collection of the best articles from The Farm Journal. It's an interesting look at farming at a time when technology was changing things. They talked about a wide variety of topics, like how to best do various farming activities (relating to cattle, pigs, chickens, and horses) and pest control, or the most efficient way to wash dishes or clothing, or how to build an ice house or cellar, or the best layout for a barn or porch, or food recipes and information on canning, carving and preserving meat, or a long list of indoor and outdoor games (which usually only used common objects). It's an interesting read for those curious about how things used to be and, in some cases, useful advice on how to do things even now.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

The Healing Power of Herbs by Tina Sams

The Healing Power of Herbs by Tina Sams ISBN-13: 9781641522397 Paperback: 244 pages Publisher: Althea Press Released: Jan. 15, 2019

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
For hundreds of years, herbs have been sourced for their countless benefits to our minds and bodies. Today, as information about herbal medicine is more widely available, more and more people are creating and using their own herbal remedies right at home.

The Healing Power of Herbs describes 30 vital herbs that are easy to find and grow, along with simple guidance for using them for your specific medicinal needs. From teas and tinctures to syrups and salves, The Healing Power of Herbs features recipes for making everything from virus-fighting elixirs, to sore muscle rubs, to tasty treats that kids will love! With The Healing Power of Herbs you will build a solid foundation for growing, preparing, and using 30 powerful herbs to treat, heal, and care for yourself and those you love.


My Review:
The Healing Power of Herbs provides profiles for 30 healing herbs plus instructions on how to make herbs into teas, syrups, etc. The author started with tips on how to safely forge wild herbs, grow herbs, or buy organic herbs. She described how to make herbs into teas, syrups, oils, salves, pills, poultices, compresses, and use them in baths. She described the process for each in enough detail that a beginner can successfully make them for themselves. She talked about how to select the best herbs for the imbalances you are experiencing. She also talked about storing the herbs, safety issues, and dosages.

She did profiles on 30 common herbs. She provided the herb's name, other common names, description of the herb, safety considerations when using it, which parts are used, the properties and uses for it, suggested preparations and dosage, growing or harvesting tips, and ways to use it at home (including two recipes per herb for things like salves or teas). Overall, I'd recommend this book to those beginning to use herbs in healing and those who wish to make their own preparations.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

How to Grow Mushrooms from Scratch by Magdalena Wurth; Herbert Wurth

How to Grow Mushrooms from Scratch by Magdalena Wurth; Herbert Wurth ISBN-13: 9781615194919 Hardcover: 144 pages Publisher: The Experiment Released: Sept. 18, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
Yes, you can grow mushrooms from scratch! How to Grow Mushrooms from Scratch covers 19 varieties, from button (always versatile) to reishi (a medicinal powerhouse). Plus, here are delicious recipes, preserving methods, and more. Mushrooms will thrive in your garden, on your windowsill, and even in your basement. The key is to pick the right growing medium for your mushroom—a log, a bale of hay, or a simple pot of dirt—and give it a little shade.

Experts Magdalena and Herbert Wurth explain every step of cultivation—whether starting from a kit, a culture, or a grown mushroom you’d like to propagate. From protecting mushrooms in extreme weather, to troubleshooting pests, here is expert advice for beginners and experienced growers alike!


My Review:
How to Grow Mushrooms from Scratch explains how to grow 19 varieties of mushrooms, like button, several types of oyster, reishi, lion's mane, and more. The authors started by explaining how to grow mushrooms outside on logs or on straw bales. They explained what mushrooms do best with each method. They provided step-by-step instructions and photographs on how to use grain or plug spawn and logs or straw bales.

They also talked about how to grow mushrooms indoors on mushroom kits, use straw pellets, grow truffles in woodlands, grow mushrooms outdoors on a bed of hardwood chips or on freshly-made tree stumps (still in the ground). They talked about growing mushrooms on your patio in containers with companion plants or creating mushroom greenhouses. They discussed how to prevent or deal with various pests or diseases that might trouble your mushrooms. They explained how even amateurs can grow spore to spawn to propagate mushrooms.

They talked about 8 mushrooms that have known medicinal uses. They also included several recipes each for the most common mushroom types. The recipes were for things like breaded mushrooms, mushroom sauces, or powdering dried mushrooms for use as a tea. They also talked about selling your mushrooms at a farmer's market. Overall, this book was very informative, but I was left feeling overwhelmed by the process. It sounds more labor intensive than I'd thought.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.

Happy Cactus by DK

Happy Cactus by DK ISBN-13: 9781465474537 Hardcover: 144 pages Publisher: DK Released: May 15, 2018

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from NetGalley:
In-depth profiles, care tips, and display inspiration for more than 50 popular cactus and succulent varieties. Practical advice, from potting to propagating. Unearth the secrets of different cacti and succulents, with profiles on more than 50 popular varieties. From the cute, flowering pincushion cactus to the wacky prickly pear, discover what makes your plant unique and how it might behave when treated with a little bit of love. Find out where to put it, when to water it, what to feed it, what to look out for, and how to encourage its distinctive traits, from flower stalks to fast growth.

Whether you're seeking a stylish houseplant for your apartment but struggling to keep more temperamental plants alive, or you're a green-fingered cactus enthusiast determined to get your precious plant to grow and flower this year, Happy Cactus is here to answer your questions.


My Review:
Happy Cactus is a gardening book about growing cacti and succulents as houseplants. The book started by talking about choosing a pot and soil, how much sunlight, fertilizer, and water they need, how to repot or propagate them, and dealing with potential pests. Then they provided specific details for about 46 types of cacti and succulents (with sidebars on related plants). These in-depth pages talked about characteristics of the plants (like height, potential pests, how fast it grows, and spines) and care instructions (how much sunlight it needs, when to fertilize and water, plus repotting, propagating, and flowering tips).

They talked about cacti that are only a few inches tall to those that can grow several feet tall. They talked about plants that have spines and those that don't. They even talked about cacti that are grown in a hanging pot. This book is a fun way to learn more about these plants and potentially find some that would suit your house. The only thing they don't really cover is how to find these plants, as some aren't going to be in your local stores.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.