The Self-sufficient Life and How to Live It

Book Description

The Self Sufficient Life and How to Live It is the only book that teaches all the skills needed to live independently in harmony with the land harnessing natural forms of energy, raising crops and keeping livestock, preserving foodstuffs, making beer and wine, basketry, carpentry, weaving, and much more. This new edition includes 150 new full color illustrations and a special section in which John Seymour the father of the back to basics movement explains the philosophy of self-sufficiency and its power to transform lives and create communities. More relevant than ever in our high-tech world, The Self Sufficient Life and How to Live It is the ultimate practical guide for realists and dreamers alike.

Customer Reviews:

Learn to live without fossil fuel.......2007-09-08

Great book for learning the basics of farm life. If you are getting started into the subject of sustainable living this is the perfect reference guide for you. You may require a companion book for plants more native to your climate (this book's perspective is in the UK). Insightful pictures and well written commentary make this book excel.

A well organized and complete guide.......2007-08-02

I was surprised to discover it is written sort of like a textbook. The more I look through it the more I like it. It's very practical and informative.

A Fun Coffee-Table Book.......2007-03-04

This book is great for just flipping through, day-dreaming about owning your own farm some day. Even for the current non-farmer, this book provides some practical tips on things almost anyone can do to be more self-sufficient. This book would be especially great for those who are intensive gardeners. But mostly this book provides ideas about certain aspects of self-sufficiency that the reader can then take and mold to their particular situation.

I'd like to address one point that some other reviewers have made in criticism of this book, namely that Seymour doesn't go into enough detail. Well, this is a coffee-table book that covers a fairly wide range of material. As such it can't (and shouldn't) go into deep detail. What Seymour does is get your imagination going. If you want to seriously implement some of Seymour's ideas you'll need to supplement this book with others that deal with the particular topic you're working on. To criticize Seymour for not going into detail on things is, I think, unfair.

This book would make a great gift for anyone who is interested in the self-sufficient lifestyle. I love flipping through the book whenever I feel like daydreaming about the fun work I hope to do some day on my own farm.

Extremely informative - Great reference.......2007-02-02

This book is an absolute necessity if you are going to be taking the plunge into self-sufficiency. It offers encouragement and guidance. It is realistic and full of traditional methods. It is a very handsome book, with lots of graphics and well written verse.

Simply cannot beat the price either. Simple, affordable, functional, and elegant - what self-sufficiency is all about.

Great Information.......2007-01-19

This book has a lot of information about self-sufficiency. It is great of anyone who is interested in becoming self-sufficient.

Average customer rating:

There is nothing better regarding Sustainability
Amazing book!
Ignore the Cost
The Most Important Textbook in the World...
Wow! These ideas could change the world!

PERMACULTURE: A Designers' Manual
Bill Mollison , and Reny Mia Slay
Manufacturer: Tagari Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0908228015

Customer Reviews:

There is nothing better regarding Sustainability.......2007-05-09

Bill Mollison represents the most successful attempt to mainstream practical home-scale sustainable design principles. I found myself needing to do an enormous amount of supplementary research to actually understand what bill was talking about, but to explain them in depth here would have taken away from the thrust of the book - which is mainly to show you example after example (many on every page) at sustainable principles of design put into practice.

The book remains the best book on sustainability written to date. There are some aspects of his system that are lacking that I will briefly draw attention to. Understand that I deeply appreciate his genius, but I want to just mention that these other things need to be integrated into his system to be fully fully sustainable.

1) He doesn't pay enough attention to seed saving and plant breeding. A loss of seed diversity and a re-invigoration of seed savers is essential to truly sustainable self-sufficient design.

See:
Seed to Seed - by Suzanne Ashworth and Kent Whealy
Breed your own Vegetable Varieties - by Carol Deppe

2) He very rarely mentions the role mushrooms and fungi can play in sustainability.

See:
Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World by Paul Stamets

3) He doesn't stress the science behind it enough, which is fine, but leaves you asking sometimes... how do we know this is really ecologically sound? How can I NOT imitate mr. mollison but still create an ecologically sound system? Basically, Mollison's proscriptions are incredibly scientifically informed but not always scientifically explicit.

See:
Plant Ecophysiological Ecology
New Dimensions in Agro-Ecology
Smallholders, Householders: farm families and the ecology of intensive sustainable agriculture - by Rober Netting

4) In relation to the first point, he also doesn't stress the role that evolution plays in sustainability. This is a very complicated problem, see book.

See:
Evolutionary Conservation Biology.

These are not really criticism so much as signs of slight conceptual anal retentiveness on my part... Also please don't forget mollison's OTHER books which are incredible as well, especially the permaculture book of ferment and human nutrition.

Amazing book!.......2006-03-20

I bought this book many years ago and still find myself going back and re-reading it over and over. If you're new to the Permaculture thought process you will be knocked off your horse with the common-sense, integrated approach to gardening and farming systems. I attribute this book and the thoughts provoked by it as the catalyst in seeking integrations and aggregation on many different fronts. This will always be one of the books I will treasure. I wore off the cover and have punched holes in all the pages and keep it in a three-ring binder.

Ignore the Cost.......2006-03-03

The information presented in this book is worth a semester of agriculture, chemistry, and geography classes.

I was initially set back when I went looking for a copy of this classic and discovered that there wasn't a recent printing available and all of the ones on the market were over $100 at the time. Still, I wanted to learn about Permaculture and everyone said that this was the place to start.

I am extremely happy with my decision to buck up and fork over my money. This text is the source from which all others on the topic are written and they pale in comparison.

If you are someone who is looking to homestead, or currently doing so, this book will help you plan your own gardens, manage your land as a whole, and be able to assist others in the community.

Lastly, the book is a nice hardcover, the pages are thick for a tome of this size, and the print is nice and dark. The copy in front of me has been well thumbed, tossed around, and shelved on many occassions and is still holding up nicely. Only the corners are dinged up a little.

The Most Important Textbook in the World..........2005-09-15

...and probably one of the most fun to read. I read the first 8 chapters while working on a permaculture site on Isla Ometepe in Nicaragua, and ordered it immediately upon returning home.

Bill Mollison carefully and beautifully lays out the theory and practice of Permaculture (permanent agriculture). Permaculture is a holistic design system that sustainably envisions, creates, and organizes the spaces that we as humans inhabit on this planet. It takes everything that I feel is good for the world-Green architecture, local food, water conservation, renewable energy, organic agriculture, etc.-and wraps them into one cohesive scheme for planning the spaces and manner in which we live.

For more information, check out the Permaculture Research Institute's page at www.permaculture.org.au, especially the quick video "Greening the Desert", which is an excellent introduction.

Wow! These ideas could change the world! .......2005-06-21

The author's enthusiasm is tangible, and sweeps you up. So far as the book is concerned, this isn't just about landscaping, farming, or gardening: it ties into absolutely everything in the world, including fractals as they appear in the flow of water and wind; it brings in Aboriginal legends, as you can see from the elaborate symbolism on the cover; it talks about economy, health, production, and everything. Everything is far-reaching, everything is connected. This is the most holistic book I've ever seen.

Not living in Australia or anywhere near it, I was a bit distressed when I saw that the book was from there. I was concerned that the book would only tell of plant-communities involving exotic palms and tropical oddities which wouldn't apply to me in my cold, wet environment. To the contrary, the book actually embraces the whole world, not just Australia. This is clearly seen in the color plates, which (to my surprise) even had a photograph of a place I'd visited that very morning. While the book does talk about some species that are strictly Australian, most of its content is of worldwide usefulness, such as earth berms and other practical land-forms and configurations.

Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible

Average customer rating:

Jorges cervantes book
Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible By Jorge Cervantes
Still Awesome Companion for Video
Everything ya need to grow some marijuana
A good addition to a grower's library

Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible
Jorge Cervantes
Manufacturer: Van Patten Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Grow Great Marijuana: An Uncomplicated Guide to Growing the World's Finest Cannabis
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Cannabis Cultivation: A Complete Grower's Guide

ASIN: 187882323X

Product Description

With 512 full color pages and 1120 full color photographs and illustrations, Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible is the most complete cultivation book available. The Fifth Edition of the former Indoor Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor Bible was originally published in 1983, when it immediately became a best seller. More than 500,000 copies of the Indoor Bible are in print in Dutch, English, French, German and Spanish. New greenhouse and outdoor growing chapters make this a book both indoor and outdoor growers will keep under thumb. The other 15 chapters (17 total) are all updated with the most current information, completely rewritten and significantly expanded. For example, Dr. John McPartland contributed an all new medical section - The books credits list more than 300 contributors and reads like a who's who in the world of cannabis cultivation.

Customer Reviews:

Jorges cervantes book.......2007-09-22

I had previously owned this book. I find the new one very imformative. I am a medical marijuana patient adn hope to put it to good use.

Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible By Jorge Cervantes.......2007-09-13

This is a very informative reference book. It covers many aspects of growing. The information as well as the photographs make this a must have for anyone who wants to grow medicine.

Still Awesome Companion for Video.......2007-08-23

Even though Jeorge Servantez has 2 awesome grow videos out now, this book has everything you need to know, albeit short on hydroponics, however I guess his second movie takes care of this. At any rate, this is a great reference companion for any grower written by one of the top photographers and growers in Europe who also writes for High Times.

Everything ya need to grow some marijuana.......2007-08-23

Ive always been hesitant to buy any 'Grow it Yourself' books. There are so many out there and so many opinions. But for years ive heard references to the 'bible' of growing. Finally broke down and coughed up the dough, and was it sure worth it! Anyone that can follow directions can grow great top of the line quality marijuana!

Buy this book and grow quality not garbage!

A good addition to a grower's library.......2007-08-19

The information in this book is thorough. Lots of stuff to learn for beginners and experienced growers alike. The only criticism I have is the garish design of the book itself. It also could have been several pages lighter if he removed all of the adverts! Advertising does not have a place in a book like this. If you want to make an Appendix at the end with resources and links then fine, but don't make me wade through several pages of ads for seed companies, fertilizers, and grow mediums.

I actually prefer the Greg Green book better, although the information is not as comprehensive as the Cervantes book.

The Cannabis Grow Bible: The Definitive Guide to Growing Marijuana for Recreational and Medical Use

I find the two together complement each other quite well...so get both!

Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden And Your Neighborhood into a Community

Average customer rating:

An inspired 40-something
completely false advertising
if you are over 40 skip it... so gen X
Not just Gardening--A guide to Activism and Environmentalism
Keys to change any reader can use.

Food Not Lawns: How to Turn Your Yard into a Garden And Your Neighborhood into a Community
Heather C. Flores
Manufacturer: Chelsea Green
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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How to Make a Forest Garden

ASIN: 193339207X

Book Description

Gardening can be a political act. Creativity, fulfillment, connection, revolution--it all begins when we get our hands in the dirt. Food Not Lawns combines practical wisdom on ecological design and community-building with a fresh, green perspective on an age-old subject. Activist and urban gardener Heather Flores shares her nine-step permaculture design to help farmsteaders and city dwellers alike build fertile soil, promote biodiversity, and increase natural habitat in their own "paradise gardens." But Food Not Lawns doesn't begin and end in the seed bed. This joyful permaculture lifestyle manual inspires readers to apply the principles of the paradise garden--simplicity, resourcefulness, creativity, mindfulness, and community--to all aspects of life. Plant "guerilla gardens" in barren intersections and medians; organize community meals; start a street theater troupe or host a local art swap; free your kitchen from refrigeration and enjoy truly fresh, nourishing foods from your own plot of land; work with children to create garden play spaces. Flores cares passionately about the damaged state of our environment and the ills of our throwaway society. In Food Not Lawns, she shows us how to reclaim the earth one garden at a time.

Customer Reviews:

An inspired 40-something.......2007-09-04

Food Not Lawns speaks to my heart and has inspired me in my home gardening. I bought copies for two dear gardening friends who are in their 20's and 30's, and they are also excited by the ideas presented in the book. The author takes a holistic view of community and gardening, of working with Nature as an orchestra of forces influencing each other and working collectively together. Heather Flores encourages us to think out of the box and some might find that uncomfortable, but I still think her vision and sense of hope is so needed in our world today. Share this book with family and friends!

completely false advertising.......2007-07-05

I see that this books appears a hit with many reviewers, but I am unfortunately going to dissent. I was excited to read this book when it arrived and was subsequently dissappointed in the overall quality of the work as a whole. First and foremost, Flores leaves out a great deal of detail with regard to the actual work involved in any form of agriculture, be it animal husbandry, permaculture, or anything between. I say this not only as an avid reader, but also an environmental studies major reviewing the work for a class as well. Second, Flores' method of combining the topics of agriculture and social change is facetious at best, with no real segway from the former to the latter. In other words, this is literally two unconnected books sharing the same binding. Finally, and most disheartening of all, the work gives faulty advice at best, especially with regard to her advice on dealing with numerous aspects of gardening (traditional and permaculture), pending jail time, and conflict management strategies(with latter are potentially dangerous). I will also note that I resold this book immediately upon completion due to the above. Those interested would be better served to read The Good Life by Helen and Scott Nearing, or other such related books by other reputable authors such as Joseph Jenkins, Eliot Coleman, Louise Riotte, or John and Martha Storey. In short, do not purchase this book if you are serious about either agriculture or social change.

if you are over 40 skip it... so gen X.......2007-05-25

This is a very shallow book by the new generation of writers that find fault with everything done in the twenty years before they were born,
Its very shallow, big type and very preachy.
If you are interested in gardening, try Giaas garden, a much more serious study of permiculture.
In this rambling book, the aurthor boasts of not making over 8 k a year, but inherited the money to buy her farm!
I liked camping living until I was thirty, now I am 45 and really like my freezer and new stove.( yes, I have my own three hens and belong to a CSA)
I know a number of the original flower/farm people, and as they got older they liked having a few more comforts.

So this is one of the new gen X books, shallow to a fault. Nothing but sound bites.
the aurthor sems all hyped about third world living, but I am not sure she has ever been to a third world and seen how hard that style of life is,,it is easy to glamorius the distant!!!

Not just Gardening--A guide to Activism and Environmentalism.......2007-01-23

I picked up this book to learn practical application of permacultural principles applied to urban yard scales--and there is a wealth of such information here. However, I do feel like Flores preaches just a little too much about the environmental destruction and political problems currently plaguing our country. In my view, anyone picking up a book called Food Not Lawns probably is already well-versed in such issues, and Flores is essentially preaching to the converted. That said, this book DOES have tons of practical information, and I would recommend it as an excellent counterbalance and companion book to Toby Hemenway's Gaia's Garden.

Keys to change any reader can use........2006-12-14

For activist readers who believe activism is a political pursuit, FOOD NOT LAWNS: HOW TO TURN YOUR YARD INTO A GARDEN AND YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD INTO A COMMUNITY offers a different viewpoint, maintaining that growing food where you live is a key method of becoming a food activist in the community. Chapters advocate planting home and community gardens with an eye to drawing important connections between the politics of a home or community garden and the wider politics of usage, consumption, and sustainability. Another rarity: chapters promote small, easy changes in lifestyles to achieve a transition between personal choice and political activism at the community level, providing keys to change any reader can use.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

The Cannabis Grow Bible: The Definitive Guide to Growing Marijuana for Recreational and Medical Use

Average customer rating:

The Cannabis Grow Bible: The Definitive Guide to Growing Marijuana for Recreational and Medical Use. By Greg Green
Let's you know what you're getting into...
This is an exciting read
Excelent walkthrough of the overall growing process
Good Information presented in a very simple manner

The Cannabis Grow Bible: The Definitive Guide to Growing Marijuana for Recreational and Medical Use
Greg Green
Manufacturer: Green Candy Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Indoor Marijuana Horticulture - The Indoor Bible (Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible)

ASIN: 1931160171

Book Description

This guide offers methods for growers who want to maximize the yield and potency of their crop. It explains the “Screen of Green” technique that gives a higher yield using fewer plants, an important development for American growers who, if caught, are penalized according to number of plants. The Cannabis Grow Bible is an authoritative source that features almost 200 color and black-and-white photographs, charts, and tables. With an emphasis on the day-to-day aspects of maintaining a garden and European expertise, this book ensures that growers will enjoy a successful harvest.

Customer Reviews:

The Cannabis Grow Bible: The Definitive Guide to Growing Marijuana for Recreational and Medical Use. By Greg Green .......2007-09-13

The book has easy to understand, in-depth information. Chapter 18, "Important Cannabis Issues", is a must read for the Entire world!

Let's you know what you're getting into..........2007-06-09

I've been writing about cannabis for years now and thought I should find out what's going on with cultivation. I do not have a green thumb and I've never really grown anything more complicated than a tomato. What I like about this book is the realistic appraisal of all the challenges related to cultivation. The details about coaxing the plant into existence are splendid. So many growing guides, websites, and magazine articles imply that the process is relatively effortless. It is not. Even when cannabis is re-legalized, I can see that this task is beyond me.

I was particularly struck by all the outrageous hassles that have nothing to do with the plant and everything to do with prohibition. Big sections on security, sea of green growing to keep the number of plants to a minimum, carbon filters for preventing the detection of odors...It's insane. I love that growers have shown such ingenuity and skill, but can't help wondering what they could have done to improve the plant itself if they hadn't spent all this time and energy on secrecy.

Users should read this book simply to further their appreciation of the plant and the cultivators. The book should also get them motivated to work for the repeal of prohibition because each section makes it obvious that cannabis could be better and cheaper if these horticulturists could devote their time to more important matters than avoiding detection.

Non-users should at least thumb through this book. If they can understand that cultivators are willing to endure the ridiculous irritations that prohibition creates, they will know that any attempt to legislate this plant out of existence is doomed to failure.

This is an exciting read.......2007-01-09

I have yet to 'feild' test this books info yet, but I couldn't put it down. I read it front to back right away and have been designing/planing while reading. I never thought I'd get so into horticulture. This book has me really excited about growing canibus becaused it's so much more than putting some seeds in some soil and watering it. There is a real science/art to growing WELL and this book seems to cover it all from start to finish and after. There is practical help for those who wish to grow in countries where it's illegal, (sound advice from experianced people who grow and have done so for years). I haven't read any other books on this subject to compare it too but I am very pleased with this book and feel I don't need another with more info. To say there are a few gramarical errors in this book is an understatment, but I see this as a testiment to the quality of what they have grown, (or at least what the editor was smoking).

Excelent walkthrough of the overall growing process.......2006-11-08

The book is quite nice and easy to read. Most of the steps of the growing process are well explained and detailed. However, in some cases some begginers could find difficult to follow the book. Nice pics that help to understand some stuff, but no pics to help with solve the prolems, like nutrients or diseaseas problems...

It is a very nice book for begginers and a little advanced growers.... I Really recommend it!!!

Good Information presented in a very simple manner.......2006-10-29

Valuable resourse. Very easy reading. Lots of pictures and news clippings. A bit opinionated, but I liked it.

Average customer rating:

Reference bibliography
an excellent text
Gold standard for general phytopathology.
Best textbook on Plant Pathology
A Classic Textbook

Plant Pathology, Fifth Edition
George N. Agrios
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

Plant Physiology
Entomology and Pest Management (5th Edition)
Nature and Properties of Soils, The (14th Edition)
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology of Plants
Plant Pathology: Concepts and Laboratory Exercises

ASIN: 0120445654

Book Description

This fifth edition of the classic textbook in plant pathology outlines how to recognize, treat, and prevent plant diseases. It provides extensice coverage of abiotic, fungal, viral, bacterial,nematode and other plant diseases and their associated epidemiology. It also covers the genetics of resistance and modern management on plant disease.

Plant Pathology, 5th Edition, is the most comprehensive resource and textbook that professionals, faculty and students can consult for well-organized, essential information. This thoroughly revised edition is 45% larger, covering new discoveries and developments in plant pathology and enhanced by hundreds of new color photographs and illustrations.

* The latest information on molecular techniques and biological control in plant diseases
* Comprehensive in coverage
* Numerous excellent diagrams and photographs
* A large variety of disease examples for instructors to choose for their course

Customer Reviews:

Reference bibliography.......2007-06-12

This is an essential bibliography as a reference to introducing students for the Plant Pathology science.

an excellent text.......2006-10-07

This is an excellent introduction to plant pathology and the kind of book one tends to hold onto to use as a reference after finishing their coursework. I have known plenty of graduate students who've held onto their copies, and I've really never heard any serious criticisms of this book. The coverage is broad, and it will serve as a useful, interesting and highly readable reference for those with interests in bacteriology, virology, mycology, botany and a variety of other fields that overlap with aspects of plant pathology. Typically when I rate textbooks I am fairly harsh because the cost is generally high while contents often leave much to be desired. In my opinion this book is an exception, and I think the cost reasonably reflects the value of the information contained.

Gold standard for general phytopathology. .......2006-08-04

I have been out of Phytopathology since the fall of 1971. Over the years I have; from time to time; skimmed journals like Mycologia and Phytopathology. So the old urge came back and I bought this text on the recommendation of a friend.

This is an excellent text book on general plant pathology. The scope is extensive and I was delighted that a goodly portion of the book explores host pathogen interactions with a microbiological slant. My late, learned, and very noble professor, Dr. R. K. Hegde would have been thrilled to no end considering that the book generally follows his outlines of PL-PATH 600. Dr. Hegde Sir, whereever you are, remember that seminar in May 1968 on the basidiomycetous Fungi with Dr. C.S.Holton in the audience and your passioned pleas for more biochem data? Well those questions are explored to some extent in this book.

If you have any interest in biology, microbiology, biochemistry, or plant science get this book. Most definitely a classic.

Best textbook on Plant Pathology.......2005-10-09

This is by far the best reference on the subject of Plant Pathology. It will be useful not only to plant pathologists, but to other plant scientists and biologists as well. George has done an excellent job in bringing his now famous textbook up to date. I have many books on Plant Pathology; this is by far the best. The fifth edition includes many new pictures and drawings to illustrate the concepts relating to diseases of plants. Plus many new sections dealing with the state-of-art of this science. George says this will probably be the last edition he will write. What a way to cap such an illustrious career!

A Classic Textbook.......2005-10-03

Agrios has upgraded and improved his classic Plant Pathology textbook. I own the 4th edition, and I was uncertain at first if I should buy the 5th edition. It was defintely worth it. Not only is there considerable new information, there are also many more helpful pictures and diagrams. Plus, many of the old graphics that appeared in black and white in the 4th edition are in color in the 5th edition. I highly recommend it.

Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web

Average customer rating:

Very good book
Learned a great deal about improving my gardens
A must read for anyone who cares about the environment
Easy reading and informative
This book will introduce you to your soil for the very first time.

Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web
Jeff Lowenfels , and Wayne Lewis
Manufacturer: Timber Press, Incorporated
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World

ASIN: 0881927775

Book Description

Smart gardeners know that soil is anything but an inert substance. Healthy soil is teeming with life — not just earthworms and insects, but a staggering multitude of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. When we use chemical fertilizers, we injure the microbial life that sustains healthy plants, and thus become increasingly dependent on an arsenal of artificial substances, many of them toxic to humans as well as other forms of life. But there is an alternative to this vicious circle: to garden in a way that strengthens, rather than destroys, the soil food web — the complex world of soil-dwelling organisms whose interactions create a nurturing environment for plants. By eschewing jargon and overly technical language, the authors make the benefits of cultivating the soil food web available to a wide audience, from devotees of organic gardening techniques to weekend gardeners who simply want to grow healthy, vigorous plants without resorting to chemicals.

Customer Reviews:

Very good book.......2007-09-30

I am a very seasoned gardener already using many of the techniques proposed by the book. However my approach was based on intuition and experience. This book explains how all fits together in a simpler and more accessible way than the Soil Microbiology treatises.
Strongly recommended for gardeners of all levels.

Learned a great deal about improving my gardens.......2007-09-18

I has astonished at how much new information this book covered. Just the section on new oxygen activated compost teas was worth the price of the book. Highly recommended. I am starting to use the teas and can't wait to see the results.

A must read for anyone who cares about the environment.......2007-07-07

As other reviewers noted this is a 5+ star book. I agree w/ their comments and really have little more to add. I think the authors are passionate about their subject, not only as shown by the book's interesting content, but the presentation of this book. They choose high quality paper (should it have been recycled???) with beautiful photos of the soil's hidden helpers. I read it in an afternoon as one would a novel and highlighted pssages as I went along for easy reference.

Easy reading and informative.......2007-06-27

I had to get this book for a botanical class I am taking. As I began to read this book I am grateful that this is the recommended text. It is pleasant to read and informative.

This book will introduce you to your soil for the very first time........2007-06-18

I've been writing on gardening subjects for 15 years, and have read a lot of what other authors write about soil, but I've never read anything like Teaming with Microbes. This book changed everything for me. I'm convinced that this is the best book ever written for non academics on soil science -- so much so that I intend to write a new book in my series of How-to-Grow World Class Giant Pumpkins II: Sequel to the Classic Book on Growing Giant Pumpkins from an entirely new viewpoint -- that in which I let the billions upon billions of microbes work for me, instead of me interfering with the optimum results. This book will make you so aware of your soil, that you will never use another pesticide or mineral fertilizer again. Mark my words: Teaming with Microbes changes everything.

Diseases of Trees and Shrubs (Comstock Book)

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Invaluable
An update that was well worth waiting for!
A comprehensive study of diseases and their (mis) diagnosis

Diseases of Trees and Shrubs (Comstock Book)
Wayne A. Sinclair , Howard H. Lyon , and Warren T. Johnson
Manufacturer: Comstock Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

Insects That Feed on Trees and Shrubs (Comstock Book)
Arboriculture: Integrated Management of Landscape Trees, Shrubs, and Vines, Fourth Edition
Illustrated Guide to Pruning
Pirone's Tree Maintenance
American Horticultural Society Pests and Diseases: The Complete Guide to Preventing, Identifying and Treating Plant Problems

ASIN: 0801415179

Book Description

Praise for the First Edition--

Association of American Publishers Professional and Scholarly Division Award Winner (Life Sciences)

"One of the ten best horticultural books of the century."--The Washington Post

"Diseases of Trees and Shrubs is by far the best book currently available for the horticulturist, arborist, or forester who wishes to identify disorders of forest and shade trees and woody ornamentals."--The Public Garden

"It may be used by anyone with knowledge of general biology as well as by someone with specialized plant knowledge for diagnosing plant disease problems. Highly recommended."--Library Journal

"This book is a remarkable contribution to the literature on tree pathology, providing a valuable source of reference on tree disease for all with an interest in the subject. It must surely be almost obligatory reading for the specialist tree pathologist, and will prove of great value to all tree care professionals. . . . It will fascinate any tree lovers who wish to find out more about the diseases and disorders that may afflict trees."--Arboricultural Journal

"It is well written and it is illustrated with photographs of such high quality that in this respect it could be described as a `coffee table' book of forest pathology."--Forestry

First published in 1987, Diseases of Trees and Shrubs has become a standard reference for plant health specialists, plant diagnosticians, horticulturists, arborists, foresters, and their students. Now thoroughly revised, fully updated, and illustrated with more than 2200 digitally optimized color images in 261 full-color plates and more than 350 black-and-white photographs and drawings, the second edition is an unrivalled survey of the diseases of forest and shade trees and woody ornamental plants in the United States and Canada. The book is both an authoritative reference book and a powerful diagnostic tool. Organized according to type of disease-inducing agent, the second edition is also designed to be helpful in classroom and field instruction. Symptoms, signs, and cycles of hundreds of diseases are described and microscopic features of many pathogens are depicted in photos and line drawings. A searchable CD-ROM included with the book contains bibliographic entries for more than 4500 works that readers can consult for additional information or images. This remarkable scholarly work--praised as one of the best horticultural books of the twentieth century--lays claim to the same accolade for the twenty-first century.

Customer Reviews:

Invaluable.......2007-02-11

Anybody in the plant diagnostics or pathology field must have this book on their shelf.

An update that was well worth waiting for!.......2007-02-08

Here is another one for my short list of horticulture references.

As someone who makes a living looking at these diseases, let me tell you: The photos are top notch! The pictures alone tell the bulk of the story and really make this book worth it. All the latest diseases are here including Sudden Oak Death. A text like this could easily be beyond the understanding of most gardeners, but the authors use an excellent mix of common and scientific names and a wealth of descriptive text to bring things back to earth. Be a little careful making a field diagnosis from just the photos. A quick look through the book, especially the last section on physical and environmental damage, will demonstrate that a lot of things look alike.

An included CD contains a complete reference list in a 333 page Word document, but nothing else. This is very useful if you are looking for more information or a specific cross-reference.

My ONLY complaint is that the plants and diseases are combined into one index rather then two like the similar book "Insects that feed on Trees and Shrubs".

A comprehensive study of diseases and their (mis) diagnosis.......1998-08-24

This book compiles a GREAT deal of useful information about plant pathology. It covers, as any good work about plant disease should, fertilization, nutritional deficiencies, and environmental factors such as drought, freezing, lightning, air pollution, water contamination etc. before attempting to fix the problem, the work stresses the causal effects and ,similarly, the visual pitfalls that may provide evidence of an unseen insect symptom (galling, nematodes, etc.) The work was written mainly for the temperate zone, but using it in my home sub-tropics was an eye-opener! Reccomended reading for Horticulturalists in the upper echelon, or for Pathologists as a reference, and a reminder to look to the outlying areas for an answer, It's always there!

Hartmann's Plant Science: Growth, Development, and Utilization of Cultivated Plants (4th Edition)

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Hartmann's Plant Science: Growth, Development, and Utilization of Cultivated Plants (4th Edition)
Margaret McMahon , Anton M. Kofranek , and Vincent E. Rubatzky
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Botany for Gardeners
Scientific Farm Animal Production (9th Edition)
Botany Illustrated: Introduction to Plants, Major Groups, Flowering Plant Families
The Mathematics of Turfgrass Maintenance, 3rd Edition
Greenhouse Operation and Management (6th Edition)

ASIN: 0131140752

Book Description

Written by some of the most respected innovators in the field, this comprehensive text takes an in-depth look at the environmental, cultural and social factors that influence how plants are grown and used worldwide. The newest edition cites the most recent statistics, production methods and issues concerning the production and utilization of plants. It offers several web-based resources including a free companion website with practice questions andonline crop fact sheets that give information at a local level. Along with information on climate and environment, it also explores plants’ tremendous economic impact in both developed and developing nations. Introduces the basics of plant science including the ecosystem; climate; managing soil, water and fertility; and pest management. Examines plant structure, chemistry, growth and development; genetics and biodiversity and their relationship to crop growing and utilization systems. Covers multiple crop types and growth settings including nursery, landscape and greenhouse. Also discusses how crops are preserved, transported and marketed. For anyone interested in how plants are cultivated and utilized.

Average customer rating:

Easily Available Right Now
Read the review below this one
Appeals to surprisingly broad spectrum!
EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION TO THE SCIENCE OF PERMACULTURE

Introduction to Permaculture
Bill Mollison
Manufacturer: Tagari Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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PERMACULTURE: A Designers' Manual
Gaia's Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture
Permaculture: Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability
The Permaculture Way: Practical Steps To Create A Self-Sustaining World (Practical Steps)
How to Make a Forest Garden

ASIN: 0908228082

Customer Reviews:

Easily Available Right Now.......2006-02-03

Introduction To Permaculture is currently sold by Seeds Of Change seed company for the publishers' list price[...]. I trial lots of seeds every year (zone 7)and can recommend three varieties they sell as truly remarkable- Zapotec Pleated tomato, Satsuki Madori cucumber, and Red Ruffled pimento pepper.

Read the review below this one.......2001-08-25

A lot of fellow americans it seems are rating other books authored by Americans on this subject higher than the two original books on this concept. If its not written expressly for the american market local consumers seem willing to ignore this and other outstanding titles. While there are books written purely for American and British Permaculturists these books are not necessarily better for people buying for that area. This book and its companion, A Designers Manual are too well written to be applied to just one region. These books are applicable to any climate or geology of any area of the planet, and that includes anywhere in the U.S. including Alaska and Hawaii. Read the reveiw below mine he explains more eloquently why this book and the more in depth version, Peramculture a Designers Manual, are perhaps the most important books you will ever read. The original and best books on Permaculture this book and, Permaculture a Designers Manual... if you are serious about helping the environment and saving money on your food bill at the same time then do yourself a favour and get one or both of these books.

Appeals to surprisingly broad spectrum!.......2000-03-05

A reviewer is well advised to be mindful of the arrogance that is intrinsic to criticizing another's work.

Intro to Permaculture is a book of breath-taking scope. I can only write with authority about those parts that apply to my middle-class, Mid-Western (US) frame-of-reference.

While reading the book, I carried it to work and to my daughter's soccer practice. I have never had so many people ask, "What's that?", pick up the book and start leafing through it. *Every* person who picked it up found some illustration that resonated with them and they started reading. I never had THAT happen before. Observation #1, World-class illustrations that are well linked to the text.

This is a good book to read with a highlighter (pen). These are just a few of the lines I highlighted:

Chapter 1:

"-harmony with nature is possible only if we abandon the idea of superiority over the natural world.

-The core of permaculture is design...To enable a design component we must put it in the right place...Each important function is supported by many elements...The key to using biological resources is management...

-the importance of diversity is not so much the number of elements in a system; rather it is the number of functional connections between these elements. It is not the number of things, but the number of ways things work....

-Edges are places of varied ecology. Productivity increases at the boundary between two ecologies because resources from both systems can be used...There is hardly a sustainable traditional human settlement that is not sited on those critical junctions of two natural economies."

Chapter 2

"All designs that involve life forms undergo a long-term process of change; even the "climax" state of a forest is an imagined concept.

-The site is full of information on every natural subject, and we must learn to read it...By observing the landscape we draw inspiration from the survival strategies followed by natural systems, and imitate them using species of more direct use to us.

-external resources are often critical..in establishing a (biological) system...It is also important to take your own resources into account...skills

-Two properties, located only a few miles apart, can vary in rainfall, wind speed, temperature, and relative humidity...This important basic step can mean the difference between living in pleasant surroundings or in miserable conditions on a property that will probably change hands every few years.

-Vegetation has a profound effect on microclimate. it is the planting and use of vegetation (forest, woodland, windbreak, shrubs, and vines) that most shapes the microclimate of the site.

-The most common errors in house siting are: Building at the top of an exposed ridge or hill...Locating a house in the bush, setting up a conflict..for light, nutrients, and space...Building..anywhere inevitable disaster threatens."

There are a total of eight chapters and five appendices. In the past, I have spent twice as much for books with half as much useful information (although never from Amazon ;-) ). I feel that I got more than my money's worth. I (Joe) take full responsibility for any creative spelling cause by my fat fingers or spurious line "breaks" caused by my word processor.

EXCELLENT INTRODUCTION TO THE SCIENCE OF PERMACULTURE.......1998-12-29

Takes you from wo to go and is packed full of ideas. Great bedtime reading

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