Gettig back to basics of gardening

books:


	• Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series) Steve Solomon New Society Publishers, 2006 - 360 pages average customer review:based on 26 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Good, but lacking

This book claims to tell you how to 'garden when it counts' and specifically mentions gardening during times of economic hardship (i.e. Peak Oil). Yet, it's not nearly as comprehensive or as down-and-dirty survivalist as I had hoped. I wanted simple to follow, bullet point format, but the book did not deliver.

Sometimes the narrative left me behind and I didn't follow. Gardeners in general (not just this book) tend to gloss over details as if we're just supposed to know. For example, the fertigation section of the book doesn't have a really good definitive statement of what the heck fertigation is. Nor do I recall any specifications being provided on the size of the hole or how you make the hole in the first place. Good definitive (and idiot proof) topic sentences would've been a huge help.

Also, it was frustrating for a book that purported to teach gardening for hard times to say it's not worth it to garden in clay soil or rocky soil. I would've thought there would be a focus on things that can be done to maximize growth in all conditions. This is Gardening When It Counts, not Gardening In Ideal Conditions.

That and gardening is more expensive than I thought. Especially as the author notes that once oil prices go up so will the cost of all the fertilizers he advises you will need. Can I afford to garden when it counts? I'm not sure.

Plus, unless you can buy seeds at least every other year, you are S.O.L. (which I would've hoped there would've been more discussion on alternatives, perhaps some discussion of exchanging seeds with local gardeners etc...)

In addition the author recommends at least 2700 square feet of garden space times two (so you can rotate your crops). This is not practical for most of suburbia.

Again, back to my point that this book is not supposed to be about Gardening In Ideal Conditions With Unlimited Funds And Space, but it often seems to take that tack.

There are some positives.There is no question that the author is a master gardener so whatever info you do glean from the book is solid. Composting is covered in great detail. There are some excellent nuggets of information that make the book worth a read (the seed company recommendations were much appreciated). However, you will not learn everything you need to know in this book alone and I question whether it truly does offer any good advice on how to garden when it counts for the average person in the average house.

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Outstanding book

This book is simply outstanding in everyway. We have been gardening for many years and found this book to just take gardening to another level. This book told us why things we had been doing for years in the garden worked. It also told us why we were having trouble with certain aspects of the gardening relm. We sent this book to everyone we know who has an interest in gardening and they all read it and gave it rave reviews. If you love being out in the dirt and working you will love this book.

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Things you need to know

Excellent book to own. I never had grandparents or parents that gardened and this is info that if they had been they could have passed on to me.

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Author is a straight talker

I have read far and wide on the subject and this book is a premier choice. The author is detailed enough without being overly academic. He takes quite controversial and revealing positions on heirlooms vs. hybrids, seed saving, buying seedlings, starting seeds, seed company tactics, plant spacing, intensive garening, fertilization and how much space, time and effort you really need to either reduce your food bills or else get "off the grid".

Refreshing and practical.

I am very glad I got this book.

Gettig back to basics of gardening

Excellent book. Well written. As a gardener for over 40 years using many different methods depending on the type of crop, I even picked up some new ideas. Recommend for those who have not started a garden plot and need to know how to begin with the removal of sod and laying in of the first bed.

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reviews: 1, page 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

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