Showing posts with label Growing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Growing. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Home Vegetable Gardening: A Complete and Practical Guide to the Planting and Care of All Vegetables, Fruits and Berries Worth Growing for Home Use (Forgotten Books)

Home Vegetable Gardening: A Complete and Practical Guide to the Planting and Care of All Vegetables, Fruits and Berries Worth Growing for Home Use (Forgotten Books) Review



This book can be very useful for the small space gardener as it discusses at length, basics of gardening. Anywhere the book describes use of horses, logic would indicate that a tiller of varying sizes could be substituted. Crop rotation is also discussed, and multiple acres are not needed for this.
I enjoyed the instructions on constructing a manure-driven hotbed. This was the way it was done before electric seedling heat mats were around. Also prepping sods for seed starting. It reminded me of the way things were done years before pellet pots, plastic seed flats and cell packs were common.
The book is old enough to resurrect much of the forgotten techniques used by our grandparents and great-grandparents -of the way things were, the way things could be again for those trying to garden more naturally and self-sufficiently... not buying everything from the garden store. It might also be helpful for the budding survivalist who no longer wants to rely on manufactured products.

I found the list of seed varieties in the book to be fascinating. Recognizing many of the listed varieties to still be available today. It was neat to see some of the Heirloom seed choices i made were also the Author's picks.

The age of the book in most cases matters very little when it comes to gardening basics, things don't change much at all. In fact, this book might be better for beginners since it is a book that encourages a do-it-yourself and a 'from the ground up' tone. It is almost void of any pre-made devices and there are no gimmicky products being hocked.
The old standby tools are recommended, time tested and readily available.

My only real problem with the book at all is that the rewrite of the eBook version omitted a number of images and pictures that would have been helpful. But a quick internet search of the names of the described items in most cases will quickly locate images.
The book itself is full of sound instruction, good logic and the author has a friendly writing style.

The book is about 100 years old and free... just download it already. It is well worth the time spent to read it.




Home Vegetable Gardening: A Complete and Practical Guide to the Planting and Care of All Vegetables, Fruits and Berries Worth Growing for Home Use (Forgotten Books) Overview


A vegetable garden (also known as a vegetable patch or vegetable plot) is a garden that exists to grow vegetables and other plants useful for human consumption, in contrast to a flower garden that exists for aesthetic purposes. It is a small-scale form of vegetable growing. A vegetable garden typically includes a compost heap and several plots or divided areas of land, intended to grow one or two types of plant in each plot. Many families have home kitchen and vegetable gardens that they use to make food. In World War II, people had gardens called a 'victory garden' which provided food to families and thus freed up resources for the war effort.

With the increased interest in organic and sustainable living, many people are turning to vegetable gardening as a supplement to their family's diet. Food grown in your own backyard, uses up little if any fuel for shipping, and the grower can be sure of what exactly was used to grow it. Organic horticulture, or organic gardening, has become increasingly popular for the modern home gardener.

There are many types of vegetable gardens. Potagers, a garden in which vegetables, herbs and flowers are grown together, has become more popular than the more traditional rows or blocks. (Quote from wikipedia.org)

About the Author

Andrew Lang (March 31, 1844, Selkirk - July 20, 1912, Banchory, Kincardineshire) was a prolific Scots man of letters. He was a poet, novelist, and literary critic, and contributor to anthropology. He now is best known as the collector of folk and fairy tales.

The Andrew Lang lectures at St Andrews University are named for him. (Quote from (Quote from wikipedia.org))

About the Publisher

Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical writings, such as: Philosophy, Classics, Science, Religion, History, Folklore and Mythology.
http://www.forgottenbooks.org





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Thursday, April 22, 2010

Western Garden Book of Edibles: The Complete A-Z Guide to Growing Your Own Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits

Western Garden Book of Edibles: The Complete A-Z Guide to Growing Your Own Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits Review



I love Sunset Magazine and was excited when I found out about this book. I own Sunset's "The Edible Garden" (2005), which is my favorite gardening book. As I suspected, Sunset's "Western Garden Book of Edibles" (2010) is an updated version of the prior book. It has 304 pages, as opposed to the 194 of the earlier book. Recent readers of Sunset Magazine will recognize some of the pictures in the new book.

I think this book is very useful. It is just beautiful to look at as well, which is important to me. I love their comprehensive climate zone information; all 32 zones! The book is also full of inspiration, especially for gardeners with challenges, like apartment dwellers. The majority of the book consists of individual listings of plants in six categories: vegetables, herbs, berries, fruits, nuts, and tropicals. Each individual listing tells you what zone the plant works in, how much sun and water it needs, information about how to eat it, information about different varieties of the plant, and specifics on how to grow it. The specifics on how to grow beets, for example, list sections on the best site, yield, soil, planting, spacing, water, fertilizer, harvest, and challenges (such as bugs).

The section on garden design discusses issues like color, texture, & form, balance & repetition, focal points, relating to architecture, arbors & trellises, paths, raised beds (including building instructions), containers, and space-saving garden plans. The practical guide section is a step-by-step guide to just about everything else a new or moderately experienced gardener would want to know. It is meant to be an overview covering the basics in a few pages for each topic.

Overall, this would be a great book for newbies. This is our family's third season gardening in a community plot and it is the perfect book for us.



Western Garden Book of Edibles: The Complete A-Z Guide to Growing Your Own Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits Feature


  • ISBN13: 9780376039187
  • Condition: NEW
  • Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.



Western Garden Book of Edibles: The Complete A-Z Guide to Growing Your Own Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits Overview


Complete instructions for growing over 190 vegetables, herbs, berries, fruits, nuts, and tropical fruits in the ground and in containers.

Plans and design ideas for kitchen gardens of all sizes, as well as easy-to-follow guidelines for composting, building raised beds, and more.

Growing season details for all regions of the West, including Alaska and Hawaii.

Timely tips from edibles experts around the West-British Columbia to New Mexico.

More than 300 pages of color photographs, practical advice, and inspiration from the editors of Sunset magazine, the West's authority on gardening.





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Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Child's Book of Character Building: Growing Up in God's World - At Home, at School, at Play, Book 1

Child's Book of Character Building: Growing Up in God's World - At Home, at School, at Play, Book 1 Review



I have enjoyed having this book and found it to be a great way to teach my child Christlike behavior. The book is simple to read and understand with large type for little eyes that might want to look on as you read (or some children may want to read it on their own). The concepts are easy to explain and are valuable for teaching Godly living.

The book has twelve sections with each section focusing on a particular character trait. Each trait is featured in four different stories showing the trait in the Bible, at Home, at School, and at Play. For instance, "Attentive" is one of the traits. The sections are as follows: Attentive in the Bible, which discusses how Jesus was attentive; Attentive at Home which highlights how a little girl should have paid attention to her Mother; Attentive at School shows how a child should have paid attention to his teacher; and Attentive at Play teaches how a child should have been attentive in an outdoor family activity.

At the beginning of each section there is a Bible verse to use alongside the stories, and each section concludes with Character Development Challenges which reinforce the lesson. There are full page black and white photos at the beginning of each story which depict children and could be colored if desired.

Scripture used is King James, which might need explanation for children who are not accustomed to this translation. Also, as a homeschool Mom I had to tweak the school stories a little bit, usually opting to show how this trait could be used in Sunday School or in group settings where other parents might be teaching or directing my child.



Child's Book of Character Building: Growing Up in God's World - At Home, at School, at Play, Book 1 Feature


  • ISBN13: 9780800754945
  • Condition: NEW
  • Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.



Child's Book of Character Building: Growing Up in God's World - At Home, at School, at Play, Book 1 Overview


Can a child understand what it means to forgive, to be wise, to be tenderhearted, or to be orderly? A Child's Book of Character Building uses an imaginative blend of simple explanation and interesting storytelling to teach Christian behavior to children ages 3-7.





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