Amazon.com
Burpee has created a truly encyclopedic, but non-intimidating, guide to organic vegetable gardening that can be used and appreciated by anyone, whether or not they've ever stuck a seed in the ground. All the essential information is here--how to condition the soil, how and where to plant, sprouting schedules, what kind of yield to expect from each plant variety, and harvesting tips--in beautiful, bountiful, illustrated detail; the book's largest section, "Plant Portraits," contains explanations of the many cultivars of each vegetable and herb. If you're a novice vegetable gardener or new to organic gardening and can only afford one gardening guide, this may be your best value.
Book Description
A Backyard-Gardener's Guide to Growing a Bountiful, Great-Tasting Harvest
The Complete Vegetable & Herb Gardener features:
- A full-color encyclopedia of over 100 vegetables and herbs with detailed, expert advice on growing them successfully from planting to harvest
- Planting and growing techniques that keep maintenance to a minimum
- Entries on how to grow unusual edibles, such as refreshing mesclun for salads, colorful edible flowers, spicy mustards, and more
- Descriptions and photos of a host of succulent vegetables, both hybrids and heirlooms, from common to exotic
- Complete information on improving even the poorest garden soil using safe, organic techniques, plus practical advice on making compost
- Recommendations on garden tools you need-and those you don't
- Information on controlling pests and diseases organically, without resorting to poisonous sprays
- Spectacular full-color photographs of vegetables and herbs, food gardens, and edible landscapes, plus 30 black-and-white line drawings
Customer Reviews:
Great overview book.......2007-06-09
This book is great if you're a beginner gardener, and want just one book to sit down and read that covers all aspects of gardening. You'll want to go on an buy other books that go into more detail on specific topics, but this is a great place to start, and one to keep on the shelf.
It is presented as a gardening book should be - a large hardcover with lots of glossy colour photographs.
Chapters are:
1) Growing you own
2) Getting Started
3) Garden Tools & Equipment
4) Improving the soil
5) Laying out the Garden
6) Planting the Garden
7) Caring for the Garden
8) Coping with Garden Problems
Should be called the Coffee Table Encyclopedia of Gardening.......2007-03-10
I am so impressed with this big, beautiful book! The photos are inspiring, and the technical aspects are thoroughly covered. I love the historic background of each vegetable and herb.
I think there is literally everything I ever needed to know about vegetable gardening from seed germination, through care and feeding, to harvest. Detailed charts outline fertilizer, pests, water, soil conditions, and planting and harvest times.
I keep it on my coffee table and flip through it daily just to enjoy the photos and learn some new fact.
You will not be disappointed with this book!
Gardners Dictionary.......2006-10-31
I am a new gardener and this book has helped so much! I look everything up in it. RIght down to problems with plant to how much water each plant gets. It has a guide to all plants and great pictures. Also has tips for gardening.
Well Organized, Comprehensive, Excellent Layout.......2002-08-14
Burpee's "The Complete Vegetable and Herb Gardener: A Guide to Growing Your Garden Organically" is fantastic. In addition to what Burpee lists on the back cover of what is inside the book, there are also many easy-reading tables that contain excellent information such as the vitamin(s) that each vegetable contains, different cultivars, plant PH needs, watering needs per week, crop yields, etc. Many interesting tidbits.
The layout is so wonderful, one does not feel overwhelmed with all of the information that is in the book!
Vegatable Gardening Made Really Easy.......2001-11-02
Very similar in content and structure to Ortho's Complete Guide to Vegtables. The difference comes in the experience the writer has growing and maitaining the various plants. I find using both books gives different perspectives for growing and caretaking of plants but conatins the same basic information. For instance the Ortho book has better Garden Setup and maintenance data, and raw data on the various gardening aspects like fertilizer and pest eradiction. The Burpee book focuses on plant and cultivar details a little better. The book is filled with plenty high quality pictures of plants and their fruits using multiple pictures of various cultivars within plant families.
The book is geared for both beginners in gardening and the handy do it yourselfer types. Chapters progress you through the steps from site selection and plant selection to harvesting, crop rotating and soil conditioning over winter and indoor greenhouse seed starting. The book also contains references to various cultivars within vegtable species, so a beginner gardener could not only successfully select and grow well know vegtables, but could also grow and use the odd often hard to find fresh herbs.
I consistently flip between both this book and Ortho's book. I find using them in this manner makes the information extracted complimentary and thorough.
Book Description
In this rousing examination of contemporary American male identity, acclaimed author and journalist Elizabeth Gilbert explores the fascinating true story of Eustace Conway. In 1977, at the age of seventeen, Conway left his family's comfortable suburban home to move to the Appalachian Mountains. For more than two decades he has lived there, making fire with sticks, wearing skins from animals he has trapped, and trying to convince Americans to give up their materialistic lifestyles and return with him back to nature. To Gilbert, Conway's mythical character challenges all our assumptions about what it is to be a modern man in America; he is a symbol of much we feel how our men should be, but rarely are.
Customer Reviews:
The Last American Man .......2007-09-12
The lifestyle and ideals of Eustace Conway go against the current of modern life, yet it is the fascination others have with his lifestyle (if not his ideals) that carries him along. Disciples (he calls them apprentices) are as important to his way of living as is Turtle Island, the place in which he lives. This book is about his failures with people as much as his untiring pursuit of union with nature.
Limited portrayal .......2007-09-05
Gilbert writes that she had "doubts about writing the book" but when someone said "wouldn't you rather make a mistake by doing something than make a mistake by not doing something?" she felt compelled to write Conway's story. And that's the sad part because had she listened to her own doubt she might have postponed writing this book until she became a little older and wiser. Although a gifted writer, I believe it would have been a different story. I can't help but think that because of her focus, Conway will be reluctant to allow another biographer such access. This is a man, who has lived an incredible life, little of which we are privileged to see in this portrayal.
How we like, in certain intellectual circles, to tear down people--to focus only on the defect not the accomplishment, not the journey--not comprehending that life unfolds in its own beauty. Very little, unfortunately, was written about the remarkable accomplishments this man undertook and completed. Traveling down the Mississippi River, hiking across Alaska, scaling cliffs in New Zealand and living with the Navajo of New Mexico, surviving in the wilderness--all are given short shift. Instead the focus of her book is on Conway's troubled relationships with family, later with staff at Turtle Island and through out the book, in great detail, with the women he tried to bond with along the way.
And then there's Gilbert's commentary--about politics, feminism, men's rituals, his family relationships--difficult at times to ascertain fact from tongue--in--cheek, admiration and pure condemnation. A powerful story tells itself--it doesn't need commentary. Let the readers draw their own conclusions. It sometimes felt as if Gilbert needed more pages turned out, thus the commentary--but come on--what a great story to tell, so many more things much more interesting to know . . .
Finally, people notice different things. Some pay more attention to feelings and things, others to nature, logic, art, science. Besides choosing different information to focus on (which often says more about ourselves than others), we also have access to different information. We tend to believe as if we have all the important information there is to know about another, but we don't and so what we choose to focus on is limited by what we see. Age often, but not always, expands what we are capable of seeing. And that's my main problem with this book.
Gilbert was young when she wrote it, most likely struggling with her own relationships, her own identity as a woman and thus the focus of her book. She repeatedly states, for example, that Conway's father was verbally abusive yet writes little concerning two extraordinary attempts of both father and son at reconciliation and yet, isn't this the more poignant story? Did she just have a deadline to meet? (And let me reveal my bias!)
Her portrayal is of a damaged man, not a man in the process of becoming. Becoming what? I don't know but from direct quotes of his conversations with her, a man willing to reflect upon his own life. This could have been a great biography and I'm not stating Gilbert shouldn't have delved into Conway's troubled relationships. I'm simply saying it is only part of the story, filled with commentary when the story could have been presented more powerfully and more simply merely by letting the story tell itself while including the extraordinary with the ordinary.
Modern Day Mountain Man.......2007-06-19
Fascinating read. You will come away admiring Eustace's work ethic and self sufficiency and will also question his intolerance for "us." Good lessons about American Utopian societies of the past and some of the lesser known facts about Mountain Men like Daniel Boone and Kit Karson. It is also "cold water in the face" to any dreamer who wishes to give everything away and start a new life in the wilderness.
Next generation Ed Abbey.......2007-05-31
In the end, Eustace Conway is no more or less human than the rest of us. He's got his own family issues and seems to be internally conflicted about what will bring him peace vs. what he should do. For those decrying Ms. Gilbert's awards, feel free to market the books you've written. The point of this book seems to be as much a reflection of her process to understand Mr. Conway as it is a description of his life. While her writing is more informal than "literature" (whatever that is), she effectively entices the reader to join in her journey. This book was enjoyable, as was Eat, Pray, Love. It provided a brief insight into living closer to the earth. Whether we agree is beside the point. Mr. Conway seems to be comparable to Ed Abbey in his view of the world, lust for life, difficulty in reconciling inner peace with changing other people's behavior, and inability to settle down with a family. We could all take away some of his respect for life (/nature) and our individual responsibility in recognizing how we each impact our environment. I'm looking forward to learning more about his efforts at Turtle Island.
Not what I expected.......2007-05-23
A friend suggested this book to me, because of my interests in nature. Although the book can be interesting, it did not hold my interest as well as I had expected. Not to mention the ending was completely the opposite of what I expected.
Amazon.com
Wouldn't it be lovely to have a patch of corn, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and beans just steps from your kitchen door? Would you like to learn how to control your zucchini plant? Ed Smith, an experienced vegetable gardener from Vermont, has put together this amazingly comprehensive and commonsensical manual, The Vegetable Gardener's Bible. Basically, Ed and his family have been growing a wide variety of vegetables for years and he's figured out what works. This book, filled with step-by-step info and color photos, breaks it all down for you.
Ed's system is based on W-O-R-D: Wide rows, Organic methods, Raised beds, Deep soil. With deep, raised beds, vegetable roots have more room to grow and expand. In traditional narrow-row beds, over half the soil is compacted into walkways while a garden with wide, deep, raised beds, plants get to use most of the soil. In Ed's plan, growing space gets about three-quarters of the garden plot and only about a quarter is used for the walkway. Ed teaches you how to create raised beds both in a larger garden or in separate planked beds. One of the most important--and most often overlooked--aspects of successful vegetable gardening is crop rotation. Leaving a crop in the same place for years can deplete nutrients in that area and makes the crop more likely to be attacked by insects. Rotate at least every two years and your vegetables will be healthier and bug-free. There's also a good section on insect and blight control.
Before choosing what to grow, go through the last third of the book, where Ed takes a look at the individual growing, harvesting, and best varieties of a large number of both common and more exotic vegetables and herbs. Whether you are a putterer or a serious gardener, The Vegetable Gardener's Bible is an excellent resource to have handy. --Dana Van Nest
Book Description
Discover the last W.O.R.D. in vegetable gardening with Ed Smith's amazing gardening system. By integrating four principles -- Wide beds, Organic methods, Raised beds, and Deep beds -- Smith reinvents vegetable gardening, making it possible for everyone to have the best, most successful garden ever. By following this complete system you cultivate deep, powerful soil that nourishes plants and discourages pests and disease. The result is fewer weeds, healthier plants, and lots of great-tasting vegetables. Plus, you'll enjoy gardening as you never have before. The Vegetable Gardener's Bible -- the last W.O.R.D. in vegetable gardening.
Customer Reviews:
excellent.......2007-07-30
this book will be especially useful for the beginner. i've gardened for a long time, but rarely taken advice. but after reading this one, i will.
Really good book! Money well spent!.......2007-07-21
I will not regret I bought this book. Other people already said all the good things about this book. All I can add is that Mr. Smith uses photos of his own vegetable garden in his book. It really makes a book different and adds a personality to it. You can really see how he does it.
I also really like the structure of the book and vegetable description.
Awesome!.......2007-07-08
I got this as a gift for my husband who loves to garden. He LOVES this book. He already has gotten so many ideas for next year's garden. He thinks the W-O-R-D system is a great idea.
The Vegetable Gardener's Bible.......2007-06-19
I was very disappointed in this book, its like he took all the info from 20 other books and compiled it, as all he talks about is what every other book has already stated.
Great Organization.......2007-06-04
This book not only has good information, but it is organized in a way that makes it much more convenient than many books. Each vegetable has it's own page in alphabetical order, and each has a block of the most important details such as: plant spacing, growing temperatures, seed longevity, etc... All the most important stuff is laid out in an easy to access format. I have only 2 gardening books, the handbook of gardening from the american horticultural society, and this one. I grow a lot of vegetables and find myself referencing this one more often. It would help if they released another book of this style for fruit.
Book Description
Whether he is nurturing a single rare seedling into a blossoming tree or planning acres of exquisitely conceived royal gardens, John Tradescant's fame and skill as a gardener are unsurpassed in seventeenth-century England. But it is Tradescant's clear-sighted honesty and loyalty that make him an invaluable servant, and in his role as informal confidant during garden strolls with Sir Robert Cecil, adviser to King James I, he witnesses the making of history, from the Gunpowder Plot to the accession of King Charles I and the growing animosity between Parliament and court.
Tradescant's talents soon come to the attention of the most powerful man in the country, the irresistible Duke of Buckingham, the lover of King Charles I. Tradescant has always been faithful to his masters, but Buckingham is unlike any he has ever known: flamboyant, outrageously charming, and utterly reckless. Every certainty upon which Tradescant has based his life -- his love of his wife and children, his passion for his work, his loyalty to his country -- is shattered as he follows Buckingham to court, to war, and to the forbidden territories of human love.
From the details of garden design and innovation to the politics of a growing revolution which was to kill a king and turn a world upside down, Philippa Gregory once again makes history come alive through the people whose passions shaped that world.
Download Description
"Whether he is nurturing a single rare seedling into a blossoming tree or planning acres of exquisitely conceived royal gardens, John Tradescant's fame and skill as a gardener are unsurpassed in seventeenth-century England. But it is Tradescant's clear-sighted honesty and loyalty that make him an invaluable servant, and in his role as informal confidant during garden strolls with Sir Robert Cecil, adviser to King James I, he witnesses the making of history, from the Gunpowder Plot to the accession of King Charles I and the growing animosity between Parliament and court. Tradescant's talents soon come to the attention of the most powerful man in the country, the irresistible Duke of Buckingham, the lover of King Charles I. Tradescant has always been faithful to his masters, but Buckingham is unlike any he has ever known: flamboyant, outrageously charming, and utterly reckless. Every certainty upon which Tradescant has based his life -- his love of his wife and children, his passion for his work, his loyalty to his country -- is shattered as he follows Buckingham to court, to war, and to the forbidden territories of human love. From the details of garden design and innovation to the politics of a growing revolution which was to kill a king and turn a world upside down, Philippa Gregory once again makes history come alive through the people whose passions shaped that world. "
Customer Reviews:
Sexual Impropriety?.......2007-08-30
I have read several of Philippa Gregory's books; at least one from each series (the Tudor stories, Wide Acre and now Earthly Joys). And while I find her writing engaging and her characters intellectually attractive, I strongly feel that there must be something amiss in her psyche. That she can write so vividly about sexual-taboos makes me wonder what went on in her own life.
I glossed over the overtly sexual goings-on of the Other Boleyn Sister, The Constant Princess and The Queen's Fool, attributing it to the eccentricity of royal life. However, I threw Wide Acre away and refused to read the remaining stories of the series.
From the beginning of Earthly Joys I was waiting for the sexual deviancy at every page turned. I feel that the physical relationship between the gardener and the duke was unnecessary. The plot and John's character development would in no way have been compromised had she left out their tryst. Furthermore, I don't believe that the shipboard encounter advance either character; on the contrary I feel that her inclusion of sex in their relationship only weakened my trust of John's steadfast and honest character (and quiet frankly of Ms. Gregory's mental capacity).
I would have enjoyed this story so much more had she left out the physical relationship between John and the Duke. I will not be recommending this novel to anyone.
Boring, disappointing rubbish........2006-12-15
As an avid fan of all other novels by Philippa Gregory, I was terribly let down by this one. Unless you are a gardener or botanist interested in the origins of English gardening, there is nothing remotely interesting about this story. And even the historical facts, which are usually so masterfully intertwined with the plot in Gregory's other books, are given very little attention. The main focus is on the characters, but the characters never change or grow or learn from past experience. One theme is established at the outset of the book, and it just continues in the same dull vein until the end. Stuck with it because of how much I loved her other work, but I'm sorry that I wasted weeks of reading on this dud.
weird.......2006-11-30
Have enjoyed her other books. this book proves that "company men" live in all ages. Career is just more fun than familys.the book wanders like a vine, not a good first choice read.
earthly Joys.......2006-08-11
Philippa Gregory seems to have kept quite close to historical facts in accuracy, when comparing her fiction to a factual book on Tradescant's life.
It is a pacy read with emotional and erotic scenes;good descriptions of the finding of rarities and plants, modes of travel, social,religious,political feelings of the time.
The story brings history to life.
earthly joys.......2006-03-20
I have read all of Phillipa Gregory's books, and always eagerly await her next, but this was a miss. I was very disappointed in this stilted, boring book...I can only imagine that it is enjoyable to garden enthusiasts. Unlike Gregory's other novels, which have unexpected twists and enough action to keep one interested, 'Joys' drags on, with pages and pages devouted solely to plant descriptions. Gregory's attempt at some sort of 'love connection' between the gardener and his master is completely unromantic. I encourage anyone who likes this genre to read Phillip Gregory's work-just don't bother with this one.
Book Description
Over 400 entries of the most practical, up-to-date gardening information ever, collected from garden experts and writers nationwide!"Gardens are places to renew yourself in mind and body, to reawaken to the truth and beauty of the natural world, and to feel the life force inside and around you. And the organic way to garden is safer, cheaper, and more satisfying. Organic gardeners have shown that it's possible to have pleasant and productive gardens in every part of this country without using toxic chemicals. They make their home grounds an island of purity."--Robert Rodale
Customer Reviews:
Very imformative.......2007-09-07
This book was recommended by a friend and it is exceptionally informative and well written. I would recommend it to anyone seeking more info on organic gardening. It has ideas that are cheap to do that work wonderfully!
Organic is not a synonym for boring.......2007-07-23
This book is so bland and boring it is nearly generic. If you are at all excited by the prospect of things organic, don't buy this book. Look for something with juices flowing in the veins or you will find yourself semi-comatose and bored with organic before you begin.
This book could have been more than just a [quite generalized] reference book. It could have been an inspiration. Fortunately it's recyclable.
It's okay, but it's not the original!.......2007-05-15
I was in a used book store recently and compared the old and new versions side-by-side. I bought the old one. The old version has so much great detailed information that the new one lacks.
Don't get me wrong, the new version is "prettier". It's still got some great stuff in it you might not find in some other sources. But, it is more of a treatise or "Cliff's Notes" version--it isn't exhaustive.
Still a great reference for those new to gardening. However, it should have been called "Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: LITE".
Encyclopedia... That's Just What It Is!.......2007-02-07
Rodale always does an excellent job of researching what we gardeners want to know about. And the ALL-NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA of ORGANIC GARDENING is no exception. I refer to it frequently and usually find the information I'm looking for.
A Great Beginner's Reference (with a small "bug" of an error).......2007-01-18
I have repeatedly returned to my copy of this book, usually when I am about to embark on a garden chore and want a refresher course in the hows and whys. The alphabetical topics include "Animal Pests", "Asparagus", "Beneficial Insects", "Cold Frames", "Edible Landscaping", Garlic, "Irrigation", "Pelargoniums", "Trees" and hundreds more, all simple to locate as though you were reading a phone book. Each entry contains an encyclopedia-style summary with an organic method slant. Beginners and intermediate gardeners will find the info provided invaluable, but if you want an in-depth explanation, seek a more expert book.
Other features include a recommended reading list, an index of common plant names paired with their botanical names, and simple line drawings illustrating many of the book's topics.
That said, I was sad to see a mistake in the "tomato" entry as I was reading it just now... the book recommends planting dill near your tomatoes to attract tomato hornworms. Unfortunately, these are not the same species and killing caterpillars found on dill will simply reduce the number of swallowtail butterflies in your garden (tomato hornworms are a type of sphinx/hawk moth.) I advocate planting the dill anyway and leaving the caterpillars alone! The rest of the 5 pages devoted to tomatoes includes an overview on choosing plants or seeds, bed preparation and planting, tomato pruning tips, recommended fertilizers, how to make long-lasting tomato cages, a disease summary, harvesting information, recommended cultivars for organic growers, and tomatoes raised in small spaces.
A nice reference for the gardener who is in a hurry to get outside and plant!
Book Description
End your worries about garden problems with safe, effective solutions from The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control!* Easy-to-use problem-solving encyclopedia covers more than 200 vegetables, fruits, herbs, flowers, trees, and shrubs* Complete directions on how, when, and where to use preventive methods, insect traps and barriers, biocontrols, homemade remedies, botanical insecticides, and more* More than 350 color photos for quick identification of insect pests, beneficial insects, and plant diseasesNewly revised with the latest, safest organic controls.A New York Times Best Gardening Book
Customer Reviews:
found to be useful.......2007-10-03
this book was well organized in its presentation of problems for each type of plant covered. set in A-Z format of common plant names (though Latin names are used as well), the editors (Barbara Ellis, and Fern Bradley)give several ways to combat garden issues from an organic methodology. most of the ways of working with organics that they outline are not high cost, but are high maintainence as is all organic gardening, if done right.
the book also covers some common insects a gardener would see and if they are beneficial or not and how to work with the beneficials (what to plant to attract, etc) and to control the "bad bugs". they also outline some diseases and how to fight those with organic methods. then they touch on other ways to fight garden pests (cultural, physical, and biological contols). they also talk about different organic dusts and sprays and how to use them effectively.
Organic gardener's bible.......2007-10-02
If you want to garden organically and can only afford to buy one book on insect and disease control -- this is it! I go for this book first whenever I think I have problems in the garden, in the landscape, in the orchard. It's an all around great reference book!
The Organic Gardener's Handbook.......2007-08-25
Excellent Book with lots of informative teaching! Money well spent. Fast and professional delivery! Much appreciated!
The most amazing book about pests and diseases!.......2007-07-21
This is so far the best book about pests and diseases. Easy to read, great ! photos which really help to identify a pest and good structure make this book a winner.
The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control.......2007-07-15
Detailed descriptions and photographs combine to make this book essential for every organic (or conscientious) gardener/farmer to own and keep handy. We wish we'd bought it years ago.
Book Description
Ever since she was old enough to help her grandmother in the garden, Sharon Lovejoy has spent her life working with plants--and along the way, through "trowel and error," she's accumulated hundreds and hundreds of remedies, tips, short-cuts, and cure-alls. Now Ms. Lovejoy--author of Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots and the award-winning Sunflower Houses--does for the garden what Heloise or the Queen of Clean does for the household. Trowel and Error collects all of her homespun garden advice into an inviting, environmentally friendly, whimsically illustrated yet dead-on helpful book that will benefit every gardener, beginner or experienced.
Cure plant viruses with spoiled milk. Steep a natural and effective insecticide out of fresh basil. Place flat stones under squash or melons to hasten ripening. Recycle an old apple corer as the perfect dibber for muscari and other small bulbs. Start rosemary cuttings in a green glass bottle. Sprinkle baby powder over seedlings to discourage rabbits. Crush a garlic clove and apply it to your skin as an insect repellent. From urging the reader to take an occasional shower with the houseplants to giving all-natural gardenside first aid, Trowel and Error is a direct line to the kind of practical wisdom that comes only after a lifetime of experience. The book is indexed by problem, plant, pest, and solution, and includes a list of tools and common household items--borax, cornmeal, vinegar--that completes the gardener's arsenal.
Customer Reviews:
a must have.......2007-05-17
This is a great "sitting by the garden" book. I have learned a lot, and it has reinforced some things I thought I already knew. Lots of great ideas, and I love the organic ways to take care of gardens/pests/etc.
For My Husband.......2007-03-03
He loves it so far, and I'm enjoying the bits I''m getting to read.
Trowel and Error: Over 700 Tips, Remedies and Shortcuts..........2007-01-11
As an avid collector of gardening books, I am proud to add this to my library. It is a fun, quick read with no nonsense everyday tips and remedies for the novice to the experienced gardener. It is easily becoming my first reference when tackling the out-of-doors, and it is small enough to tote around the yard as I work. No more "rummaging thru" pages of information. Everything is at my fingertips. THANK YOU Sharon !!
Trowel & Error: quick guide to gardening!.......2007-01-09
During the summer of 2006 I purchased "Trowel and Error" since I am an avid gardener and was looking to add another good reference book about gardening to my library. Once I got it home I realized that this book is a quick guide to gardening and would be very useful to beginning gardeners. I recently moved into a brand new neighborhood in Wetumpka Alabama and discovered that most of my new neighbors are novices to gardening and are always asking me gardening questions, so I decided this book is perfect for them as beginners. I purchased a book for all my beginning gardner friends and each of my four daughters. They all love it.
Instantly Used!.......2006-11-05
I used her ideas the very next day in both my garden and in the elementary school garden where I volunteer.
The book is easy to read and packed with information. The organization could be improved but that might prevent serendipitous discoveries. It really is worthwhile to read every page--whether you think you need it or not!
Amazon.com
W. Atlee Burpee & Co., supplier of flower and vegetable seeds for more than 120 years, now provides a comprehensive guide to gardening with Burpee Complete Gardener. The book gives a wide range of information, covering such topics as starting and designing a garden; dealing with climate, soil, lighting, mulching, fertilizing, and watering; making compost; and controlling weeds. The best part, though, is the more than 420 descriptions (most with color photographs) of annuals, perennials, bulbs, roses, vegetables, herbs, ground covers, and vines. There are also excellent sections on the proper tools and equipment, controlling pest and disease problems, and the questions most asked by gardeners (divided into categories for easy reference), as well as a season-by-season guide to garden maintenance. Along with the photographs, the book includes many instructional drawings along with neat pictures of Burpee catalogs and seed packets dating from the late 1800s and early 1900s. The latter provide a touch of personality and charm that, unfortunately, the book otherwise lacks. That minor complaint aside, Burpee Complete Gardener is a solid work that offers handy information for all, but especially beginning, gardeners. --Andy Boynton
Book Description
The Burpee Complete Gardener is a comprehensive gardening bible, packed with solid information and sound advice from a team of gardening experts. It is an up-to-date, fully illustrated reference for gardeners at all levels.
Customer Reviews:
Loads of info.......2007-03-01
I am a new gardener and just bought my first house. I will be using this book like crazy to help me get started. It has so much information about everything. I don't think I will need any other books to help me build my garden and landscape. Great buy!
Best Gardening Book I Have Seen.......2004-05-06
This is an extremely thorough gardening book which covers all the bases of gardening, from starting seeds to pruning, this book has it all covered. I was happily surprised that it had a huge section dedicated to plant descriptions, along with how much sun they need, if it will work in containers, what season to grow them, and the herb section even tells what the herbs are used for in medicinal, culinary and relaxation purposes. I find myself going back to this book every time I have a gardening question, and always find a very helpful answer. If you are going to buy just one gardening book, this is the one you need to get that beautiful garden started and thriving! Happy Gardening!
Great For Beginning Gardeners.......2004-04-30
This book has been invaluable! It is written for the gardener who is just beginning. It has wonderful, detailed descriptions of annuals, perennials, bulbs, etc. and has lovely illustrations of most of the flowers, herbs, and vegetables included. It gives tips on a number of varying gardening aspects like, planning, planting, care, and pest control, to name a few. I have used this book endlessly, and have learned so much from it. Really a good buy!
If you only buy one gardening book get this!.......2000-05-11
This book is a must have for all gardeners! It shows you how to plan and set up a garden, goes over specific flowers, vegetables, herbs and roses in detail and helps with the problem areas. There is a section in the back to reference for what to plant in your areas that you have no idea what will grow. It tells you what to plant if you have (for example) a wet, shade area or a shady dry area. Covers pruning, fertilizing and pest control. I have had this book for 3 years and I use it all the time. I have neighbors who borrow it for their questions. Does not cover trees or shrubs. There is a whole section on roses and the specific types and how to care for them.
Great Reference! I use it every day!.......2000-03-03
I just bought a house and am planning out what I am going to do with my garden this summer, and I read through part of this book every day. I can just vision what it will look like! Informative, especially for a new gardener like me!
Book Description
A bestseller since its debut in 1990, this indispensable and handy reference has now been expanded and updated to include an appendix on plant taxonomy and a comprehensive index. Two dozen new photos and illustrations make this new edition even richer with information. Its convenient paperback format makes it easy to carry and access, whether you are in or out of the garden. An essential overview of the science behind plants for beginning and advanced gardeners alike.
Customer Reviews:
Botany textbook.......2007-09-10
book was shipped as promised and delivered in excellent condition. I would definitely buy from this source again
Botany for Gardeners.......2007-02-24
This book met my needs perfectly. It is a brief but comprehensive and lively review of plant biology for the serious gardener. Well organized. Excellent illustrations. Appropriate references to the gardening environment.
It covers 50% of the material found in a definitive botany textbook in 25% of the space and 25% of the cost.
Training Master Gardeners.......2006-11-07
I teach Master Gardeners. They get a manual plus this book. It greatly reinforces the botany section of the Master Gardener program. The pictures are much better than I could draw by hand....I have used it to teach at least 50 Master Gardeners.
Great handbook.......2006-07-14
Very good book for the beginning botonist. This book covers all over the major points that my college botony classes covered.
Educational and interesting.......2006-05-20
Anyone who has been reading gardening books for a while is bound to start wondering about the underlying science. This is the perfect introductory book. It's rigorous, but there's still room to toss out the occasional interesting fact, such as grasses evolved their unique ability to regrow leaves in response to grazing animals. Or tropical trees have no rings. Worth a dozen ordinary gardening books.
Book Description
The haunting story of three copsone good, one bad, one brokenand the murder that reunites them in a showdown decades in the making. Gus Ramone is good police, a former Internal Affairs investigator now working homicide for the citys Violent Crime branch. His new case involves the death of a local teenager named Asa, whose body has been found in a community garden. The murder unearths intense memories of a case Ramone worked as a patrol cop 20 years earlier, when he and his partner, Dan Doc Holiday, assisted a legendary detective named T.C. Cook. The series of murders, all involving local teenage victims, was never solved. In the years since, Holiday has left the force under a cloud of morals charges. Cook has retired, but he has never stopped agonizing about the Night Gardener killings. The new case draws the three men together, re-igniting the love, regret, and anger that once burned between them, and old ghosts walk once more as they try to lay to rest the monster who has stalked their dreams.
Customer Reviews:
This is a Strong Effort by Pelecanos.......2007-09-20
Many people consider THE NIGHT GARDENER to be the best crime novel of 2006. While I wouldn't go quite that far, I think this book is a very fine effort by Pelecanos.
While THE NIGHT GARDENER is about the search for a serial killer, it is not a typical serial killer book. This is not a fast-paced, tightly plotted suspense novel. Instead, Pelecanos takes his time in telling the story, and focuses a great deal of effort on developing a rather large number of characters and subplots. This requires a certain amount of patience on the part of the reader, but it is well worth it, since nearly all the characters in this book are believable, realistic human beings.
The ending of the NIGHT GARDENER will not please everybody. Needless to say, Pelecanos does not resort to a cheap Hollywood ending here. But I found it a satisfying way to close the novel.
Overall, THE NIGHT GARDENER is a very good book, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys slower paced, character-driven crime fiction. The only other Pelecanos book I have read is RIGHT AS RAIN, and I thought this book was far better than that one.
Pelecanos is so . . . very good .......2007-08-21
Structure, pace, fully developed characters built around descriptions which flesh out well in the reader's mind, superb dialogue comparable to the late great George Higgins, strong plotting and an ending which satisfies. The urban DC setting can well be appreciated outside the Beltway; his stories
are not just for area readers.
A wonderful book.......2007-08-20
This is one of the best books I've read this year. Pelecanos has yet to let me down.
Very good.......2007-05-18
Just finished this book and found it to be very good, I'll definitely read more of this author's books, if he has any. My comments:
1) Very well written and easy to read.
2) Well written characters. The characters are what makes this book worth reading. You are drawn to them and they are well fleshed out (as another reviewer said below, the crime seems to be an after thought.)
3) Good description of the nitty gritty of life in the DC area.
3) However, too much drama; I'd rather he focus more on the crime than the protagonist's family life. It just takes away from the story, IMHO.
4) Two story threads. I didn't really care about the minor thread. It was nicely tied together at the end (artistically if I may say so), but it just detracts away from the main story.
5) Even though most people could guess the ending, the crime was never solved by the protagonists, it was just given away on the last page. Too bad, but it's an unusual ending. You could say it was a surprise ending that way for people who expected the crime to be solved. I think it could have ended better.
6) A little jumpy as it jumped from one thread to another and you really didn't know how they were connected (they weren't really connected together).
Conclusion: I would still recommend the book because it was well written. There are many "best sellers" out there which are a struggle to read, but this one drew me along. It's a good book when I can't put it down and will trade sleeping time for reading time and I did for this one. I will now look for other books written by this author.
Intresting but Dull.......2007-04-10
The story is a very good story you are always on the edge but the ending is not what i expected and it is not very intresting
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Books Index
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General
| Gardening & Horticulture
| Home & Garden
| Subjects
| Books
The Organic Gardener's Handbook of Natural Insect and Disease Control: A Complete Problem-Solving Guide to Keeping Your Garden and Yard Healthy Without Chemicals
The Vegetable Gardener's Bible: Discover Ed's High-Yield W-O-R-D System for All North American Gardening Regions
Vegetable Gardening: From Planting to Picking - The Complete Guide to Creating a Bountiful Garden
Great Garden Companions: A Companion-Planting System for a Beautiful, Chemical-Free Vegetable Garden
Your Backyard Herb Garden: A Gardener's Guide to Growing Over 50 Herbs Plus How to Use Them in Cooking, Crafts, Companion Planting and More
