Gardening has been an interest of mine for a long time. I remember growing up and having to help pull weeds and pick potato bugs as a child. I then did vegetable and flower gardening for 4-H. When I was in high school, I joined FFA and my Ag advisor was educated in horticulture along with teaching. He was my mentor and with wanting to follow in his footsteps, I competed in a category called “lawn and landscaping” for FFA. It went over questions of estimating materials for landscaping projects, identifying plants by looking at just a single leaf, plant diseases, and so on. I made it to nationals for competition. I had even contemplated horticulture as my choice of study before settling on veterinary technology while in college.
Now forward quite a few years to me having my own family. I have three young children. This has made it difficult to do the normal upkeep with gardening, but I still enjoy this hobby/past-time and hope to involve my kids more and more as they grow older. I firmly believe in the health and financial benefits from gardening. With that being said, I was very interested to review to newer installations to the Complete Idiot’s Guide series, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Seed Saving and Starting and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Small-Space Gardening.
Title: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Seed Saving and Starting
Author: Sheri Ann Richerson
ISBN: 978-1-61564-137-6
Paperback, 320 pages
Also available as Kindle E-Book
Release Date, March 6, 2012
Suggested Retail: $18.95 US, $20.00 Canada
Where to Buy: http://idiotsguides.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781615641376.html
• Covers all of the essential techniques- harvesting, drying, disease and pest control, testing and germinating, and sowing
Review:
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Seed Saving and Starting starts off with learning the reasons to save seeds, explaining various types of seeds, and discusses plant anatomy. This is great information for the beginner. I enjoyed reading Sheri’s information on GMO seeds. I had viewed Food, Inc. a few years ago and first learned of GMO seeds and the problems that go along with this progress in science.
This book details how to identify seeds that are mature and desirable for saving, and how to properly collect them. I would not have otherwise learned of using pantyhose to collect seeds. Proper storage of the collected seeds is then meticulously discussed. Ms. Richerson shares some great techniques of how to then successfully grow your collected seeds.
I think Sheri Richerson does a great job presenting seed saving and starting in a way that is practical and yet very informative. In the past, I had thought saving plant seeds would be too much work, but now see the benefits: being more self-sufficient and the overall importance of preserving our favorite varieties for future generations.
Title: The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Small-Space Gardening
Author: Chris McLaughlin
ISBN: 978-1-61564-096-6
Paperback, 352 pages
Also available as Kindle E-Book
Release Date: January 3, 2012
Suggested Retail: $19.95 US, $21.00 Canada
Where to Buy: http://idiotsguides.com/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781615640966,00.html
• Creative strategies for gardens on balconies, ledges, fire escapes, planting beautiful borders and walkways, kids gardens, and much more
Review:
I am always looking for ways to maximize production with my available space for gardening. The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Small-Space Gardening starts off informing us of why the size of the garden isn’t extremely important. One benefit I like with a small-space garden is less maintenance, like weeding!
Then it is on to learning about how the USDA Hardiness Zone Map, AHS Heat Map and microclimates affect what you can grow. Chris then shares some great points on how you can create your own landscape design that is both creative and functional. This book also has an extra tip and hint section that is cleverly termed “Tip Thyme”.
There are quite a few do-it-yourself (DIY) projects to help save space included in The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Small-Space Gardening. There is even a chapter on creating a small space water feature. Lastly, this book shares the importance of good soil and ways to control pests.
I think The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Small-Space Gardening is a great resource. I enjoyed the DIY projects the most. I personally would have liked to have seen more written on companion planting, but otherwise a great go-to reference.
Disclosure: I have received a copy of each of the reviewed books. No other compensation was received. The thoughts and feelings expressed are my own.
