Book Description
One of the bestselling garden books ever is fresher than ever! Ready to inspire a whole new generation of gardeners.When he created the "square foot gardening" method, Mel Bartholomew, a retired engineer and efficiency expert, found the solution to the frustrations of most gardeners. His revolutionary system is simple: it's an ingenious planting method based on using square foot blocks of garden space instead of rows. Gardeners build up, not down, so there's no digging and no tilling after the first year. And the method requires less thinning, less weeding, and less watering."I found a better way to garden, one that's more efficient, more manageable, and requires less work," Bartholomew explains. Not surprisingly, his method quickly received worldwide recognition and has been written up in every major newspaper and gardening magazine. His book, which served as the companion to the nationally acclaimed television series, has sold over 800,000 copies. Now freshened with new illustrations, the book Ingram calls "the largest selling garden book in America" is reissued for the delight of a whole new generation of gardeners.
Customer Reviews:
Best Garden Book for Beginers .......2007-09-05
I have owned this book for years. Worn out more that one copy. This copy was purchased to give to a new urbanm garden project in a develpomently challanged area of my city. We will be teaching at rick young people how to garden and landscape. This is one of many tools we will use and is as far as I am concerned the best how to do it garden book for people who have little or no knowledge about gardening.
Not "Just" for Small Spaces.......2007-05-12
Wonderful information is contained throughout this book for gardeners planting in small 4'X4' spaces to huge gardens. In fact, "Square Foot Gardening" is chocked full of useful information which can and should be used in any size gearden from a small container on the patio to very large gardens. The info saves a gardener many back-breaking laborous hours.
Before I read this book, I did not know that cantalopes can be trellised, which saves "those" vines from rambling all over the garden. There is too much info to be missed without this great book.
Square Foot Gardening: A New Way to Garden in Less Space with Less Work.......2007-03-11
All the information a gardener needs to begin this method of raising flowers and vegetables is found in this book, which pleases me greatly.
Love it -- it's so easy!.......2007-03-02
The techniques in this book ABSOLUTELY work! I have 3 4'x4' raised garden beds, and all seeds I planted are sprouting (and I have seeds left over for planting later in the season, too--no more wasted seeds).
Mr. Bartholomew explains all of his techniques very well and the book is very easy to read. I'm especially fond of his formula for good garden soil and planting with coarse vermiculite. I think this an extremely important step in preparing the garden, and I attribute my success, so far, to his detailed instructions regarding soil prep.
I'm not a great gardener by any stretch of the imagination, so I love the idea that I am growing more in a smaller space, plus my weeding HAS been very minimal. His technique of growing in "grids" is also very visually appealing and my children (ages 18 mos to 11 years) can very easily see what's happening and identify the vegetables that are growing.
Kudos to Mr. Bartholomew for writing such a helpful book for those not-so-green-thumb gardeners!
I just can't be this meticulous.......2007-02-02
Is anyone really this uptight about measuring everything and not overproducing vegetables? The methods are organic and the garden looks lovely, but can you truly guarantee that no matter how well you take care of your garden you will have no losses to critters or pests? Last year, I had a family of raccoons move in and eat half of my sweet corn. The only reason my family got any was because I planted more than what we needed. The coons also got the raspberries and grapes. I've also lost beans and peas to rabbits, and been invaded from time to time by various creepy-crawlies. A garden is not grown in isolation, at least, not mine. I preserve what we can't use in season or store it in the root cellar, and when I get extra veggies I share them with friends and family. They are always welcome.
The techniques are good and I agree that it is better to take care of a small patch of garden well than to care for a large patch poorly. I am just more of a "cottage garden" style gardener, so this was not the book for me. If you like this book you should read some books by Eliot Coleman. He's a very precise gardener, too.
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
Book Description
If you love the joys of eating home-garden vegetables but always thought those joys had to stop at the end of summer, this book is for you. Eliot Coleman introduces the surprising fact that most of the United States has more winter sunshine than the south of France. He shows how North American gardeners can successfully use that sun to raise a wide variety of traditional winter vegetables in backyard cold frames and plastic covered tunnel greenhouses without supplementary heat. Coleman expands upon his own experiences with new ideas learned on a winter-vegetable pilgrimage across the ocean to the acknowledged kingdom of vegetable cuisine, the southern part of France, which lies on the 44th parallel, the same latitude as his farm in Maine.
This story of sunshine, weather patterns, old limitations and expectations, and new realities is delightfully innovative in the best gardening tradition. Four-Season Harvest will have you feasting on fresh produce from your garden all through the winter.
Customer Reviews:
Does this book even need another 5-star review?.......2007-10-06
Even if you don't want to garden year round (if you do this is the only book you need), it's a fascinating and fact-filled read. He tells how to garden more efficiently, how to compost and rejuvenate soil with crop rotation and "green manure" and which direction to plant rows for optimal time in the sun. There are formulas throughout such as how high a retaining wall to build to protect plants from cold (the wall heats up during the day and radiates warmth back during the night), or how many degrees to slant a bed to maximize sun and minimize cold wind damage. He tells how to plan succession planting to have vegetables year round, rather than one humungous crop all at once. His tone is congenial, never talking down or above his target audience. It's fascinating--if you buy you won't be sorry!
ORGANIC HOME GARDENER.......2007-08-04
This book is loaded with dynamite information. I have enjoyed reading it and will certainly make use of the info therein in the future!
Four-Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables from Your Home Garden All Year Long.......2007-07-15
Eliot Coleman has combined how-to text with drawings that inform and inspire. Highly recommended reading!
Helpful info.......2007-06-28
I am very excited about becoming self-sufficient in feeding my family of six. This book has extremely helpful ideas that are very cost effective. Highly recommend this book.
The bible of 4-season gardening.......2007-04-18
There is nothing like the satisfaction of talking to another seasoned gardener and having them say "isn't it too early for snap-peas?" and responding "nope, mine are doing great". This book gave me the confidence and knowledge to plant a month and a half earlier than I have ever planted before, without protection for the plants even!
It lays out in simple terms variety selection, location, timing and all the information you need to be harvesting vegetables literally all year round all the way down to zone 3!!
Book Description
With few exceptions-such as corn and pumpkins-everything edible that's grown in a traditional garden can be raised in a container. And with only one exception-watering-container gardening is a whole lot easier. Beginning with the down-to-earth basics of soil, sun and water, fertilizer, seeds and propagation, The Bountiful Container is an extraordinarily complete, plant-by-plant guide.
Written by two seasoned container gardeners and writers, The Bountiful Container covers Vegetables-not just tomatoes (17 varieties) and peppers (19 varieties), butharicots verts, fava beans, Thumbelina carrots, Chioggia beets, and sugarsnap peas. Herbs, from basil to thyme, and including bay leaves, fennel, and saffron crocus. Edible Flowers, such as begonias, calendula, pansies, violets, and roses. And perhaps most surprising, Fruits, including apples, peaches, Meyer lemons, blueberries, currants, and figs-yes, even in the colder parts of the country. (Another benefit of container gardening: You can bring the less hardy perennials in over the winter.) There are theme gardens (an Italian cook's garden, a Four Seasons garden), lists of sources, and dozens of sidebars on everything from how to be a human honeybee to seeds that are All America Selections.
Customer Reviews:
Well worth the price.......2007-07-18
There's an endless list of titles devoted to container gardening, but it turns out that not many are useful for growing vegetables. I borrowed several from the library, including Bountiful Container, and this is the only one I found useful. It's a valuable reference tool, so I'll be getting my own copy.
I have never gardened before; my parents and grandparents had gardens as I grew up, which convinced me that I don't have the patience to go out and dig a big plot, then spend hours weeding it. In addition, we live in a condo with a small yard, so containers seemed to be the way to go, if only I could figure out how to successfully coax veggies from a container. Still, nobody I knew had really done this, so I found the book invaluable.
A lot of it may be old news to experienced gardeners, but as a beginner, it was extremely helpful to read what conditions each type of plant liked. There are some notes on design, as well as some great suggestions for themed gardens - I particularly liked the idea of attracting hummingbirds with a vibrant red garden. The book is well organized, with several pages devoted to the planting, care, and harvesting of each plant.
I knocked the book down 1 star because I think a few things should really be added. First, some color photos or illustrations. A previous reviewer mentioned that the illustrations are charming but lacking, and I agree. Second, further information about crops that can be planted twice - I know several cool weather plants can be put in for both spring and fall, which the book also mentions. The book walks through the spring planting, but then doesn't discuss the timing of the fall planting. If I have limited space for growing veggies, I really want to plant as much as I can in cycles, and it'd be helpful to have that information! Finally, some sort of chart that groups together plants which like the same conditions would be an extremely helpful addition to this book. You can get by with notes, but a chart would be a great reference tool.
Best Father's Day Gift Ever!.......2007-07-09
My parents are beginning to feel the effects of the years. This spring, my Dad had serious surgery and he and Mom were both depressed that there could be no vegetable garden this year. What luck that I had stumbled onto the Bountiful Container while doing research for a garden class I was asked to teach this spring. I purchased the book and two self watering containers for them for Mothers and Fathers Days this year and they are having a ball with them! Their garden has always been in the back forty, and now, they are in an "intimate relationship" with their tomatoes, peppers, beans and cucumbers. This book is inspiring and hope building. It's the answer for all of us who don't have time, don't have space, don't have money, and simply don't need the overwhelming bounty of an in-ground vegetable garden. If you are such an expert gardener that you can't learn something new from every listing in this book, why didnt' you write this book? This book will ALWAYS be on my book shelf!
McGee & Stuckey's Bountiful Container: Create Container Gardens of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits and Edible Flowers.......2007-06-01
Will enjoy planting plants in containers of vegetables to eat.
Save your money; the best book around for beginners........2007-05-09
This is hands down the best book on container gardening out there. With the exception of the edible flowers section (unless you're into that sort of thing), it's full of excellent information, from back to front. If you're new to container gardening like I was, I'd suggest that you start here with this book. It's readable, organized exceptionally and just generally well-written and thorough.
Full of Joy and Information.......2007-04-12
I love this book and I will be pulling it out often this growing season. It's packed with very specific information on how to grow every imaginable edible plant --from flowers through vegetables and fruit trees--in containers. You will learn when to plant, which varities do best in containers, whether to start with seed or transplants, how to combine plants in a container for beauty and/or successive harvesting, what size container to use, how often to fertilize and with what, when to harvest...the list goes on and on. The writing itself is delightful, from the descriptions and planting instructions for theme gardens (Victorian Splendor, Tea Time, Childrens' Garden just to name a few) to the history of many of the plants and unusual recipes using the bounty of your containers (Begonia Sorbet, Strawberries with Scented
Geraniums and Creme Fraiche, Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Fresh Tomato Sauce)! The Bountiful Container is a joy to read and really makes you want to get out into your garden and start planting. It's both a feel good book and a very informative book--IMO a rare combination in a reference book. I can't say enough, I'm so glad I bought this book.
Book Description
Discover the secrets of a naturally pest-proof vegetable garden with Great Garden Companions. Let master gardener Sally Jean Cunningham show you how to keep pests and diseases at bay with her unique companion-gardening system. By planting special combinations of vegetables, flowers, and herbs, you can minimize pest and disease problems and create a high-yielding, beautiful garden!
Customer Reviews:
Love this book.......2007-10-01
Love, love, love this book. I garden nowhere near the same amount, but I am in zone 6 too -- so the advice is spot on for me.
Great reference - great gift.......2007-07-05
I really appreciated the extensive research the author did for each section - she separates the folklore from the things that have been tested and documented, but presents both. I also like the suggestions and options she gives...if you want to follow a pre-designed plan you may, or you can pull together your own combinations that appeal to you or that work better for your situation. I have read my own copy cover to cover many times and have given this book as a gift to several like minded people. The two aspects of her system that really appeal to me are the reduction in weeding and the principle of "no sprays"...I really disklike the idea of putting poison on my food!
This is the book you want.......2007-06-27
Perfect. I've looked at a number of books on companion gardening and this is the one I'd recommend. Friendly, easy to read with nice illustrations and photographs. This is a book written by a woman who loves gardening for people who love gardening.
Great book for the organic home gardener!.......2007-06-06
I read this book from cover to cover. The author's style of writing is conversational and very easy to read. I bought a couple of other organic gardening books but I liked this one the best. Her love of nature and plants really comes across. I understand now how the balance in nature takes care of pests with some planning from us. She shares a lot of really good, easy-to-do tips on how to garden organically. I've implemented many of her ideas in my own garden and can see them working already. Most of all, this book has made me aware of how important the insects and bugs in my garden really are. I recommend this book to anyone who really wants to garden organically.
How does common sense get published?.......2007-05-24
Great Garden Companions may be a suitable book for some, but I found it very disappointing. The book is aimed toward a very general audience--one without an organic gardening, scientific or ecological background--and is consequently dumbed down, brief and incomplete. The title is misleading, and really just seems like an excuse for the author to talk about her own garden (and which plants she likes to put together, seemingly on a whim). It should be marketed as a gardening journal or introduction to organic gardening for kids, if anything.
Hardly any useful information about companion planting is found in this book--what little exists is there without any sort of explanation or reference. Even common information about well-researched companion plants is missing. The book is, instead, about which plants look nice planted together, have been grown together for centuries, or allow you to conveniently pick crops. The author provides detailed information about which plants she likes to group together in her own garden, including planting maps, but never explains why. It is a book littered with old wives' tales and inaccurate and unresearched information, with just a little bit of useful information that is generalized and brief. And then a bunch of other stuff that has nothing to do with companion planting, which may actually prove useful if you've never read a decent gardening book before.
The book itself is rather poorly written and targeted toward the lowest common denominator of gardeners, but the photographs are nice and the author's practical, organic and naturalistic approach are right on. The book stresses ecological balance within the garden, but doesn't include much information outside of the realm of common sense and common knowledge, and I expect more out of a book.
Book Description
The best of Dick Raymond's vegetable gardening wisdom is illustrated with full-color photos and at-a-glance charts that make his methods accessible to any gardener.
Customer Reviews:
The Must Have Book for Vegtable Gardening.......2007-06-16
Dick Raymond is my guru! I do not do anything in my garden without consulting his book first. He has been there done that, the book speaks volumes to you as if Dick were right there next to you. Every time I pick up this book I find a new golden nugget that he has left for you. I showed the book to my father in-law Ed (who thought he was a garden expert) and I noticed how his style of gardening changed to Dicks. Ed could not put down the book, so I bought him a copy for Christmas.
Never do a garden without this book.
One of the best.......2007-03-19
I highly suggest this book. It is one of my favority gardening books and I have given it to others as a gift.
The Jedi Master of Gardeners!.......2007-03-16
Dick Raymond's book is the one book that everyone who wants to try to grow their own vegetables should have in their library. I refer to Dick as my "master" to anyone that asks my about my garden. The man was used of God several years ago as I almost memorized the book and produced a garden that even the old timers in our town had to admire--and that I needed to help feed my family. The old-timers in town didn't think the wide-row gardening technique would work, but when they saw the plants growing gangbusters, they were amazed.
Though I had always tried gardening, I had never had real success until I found this book, read it cover to cover, and began using Dick's techniques. It is straightforward, written in a down-to-earth manner that anyone can understand and enjoy.
My copy is almost 20 years old, and I can't imagine gardening without it!
This is THE absolute BEST gardening reference and bible!.......2006-07-26
This is the absolute best vegetable gardening book you can buy. Period! I have looked through hundreds of books and this is the easiest to follow, best illustrated and most down to earth book I've ever found. The information is definitely not out of date even though it's a bit of an older book. There is information on every page that I have found useful and it is an "easy read". He explains how he came about discovering his raised bed, wide row method - not in a pretentious way but because he has a bad back and wants to be efficient about growing the most amount of veggies in the smallest amount of space. He walks through how to prepare garden soils (all types), how to plan a vegetable garden (and why) and then gives detailed descriptions of each vegetable that you would want to grow. Dick had a gardening TV show at one point so there are many, many colour pictures and there are also detailed drawings illustrating his points. He tells you the best and cheapest way to garden and reading his book reminds me of talking with a true "down home" farmer. He also talks of how to improve the soil throughout the winter season by planting ground covers. The other added bonus is that he tells you how to store the veggies you've worked so hard to grow. So much good information.....
I think I rhyme off a "Dick Raymond quote" every day to my husband who is also just learning how to garden - it's as if I know him after his book! Trust me - Dick Raymond is worth quoting. :)
If you want to grow vegetable gardens this book is a must!!!
A Must for Clay Type Soils!.......2006-05-01
Dick made me think of garden in a whole different way. I was just about ready to give up. But now I'm giving up my Mother's way of gardening and wow, Dick's way is working. I love the sense of humor and easy reading style he has. I find myself rereading chapters late into the night and running from the garden into the house to check "The Book" first. This book is a blessing, thank you Dick!
Customer Reviews:
Great resource with beautiful pictures.......2007-06-08
I found this book to be very helpful and a great read. I really like the way it is organized and illustrated, the pictures are beautiful and informative. The authors took the time to make the book accessable for those who may not be fully acquainted with the art of veggie gardening...
overall it is a worthwhile buy.
Fantastic Book - Comprehensive, Helpful, and Beautiful!.......2007-05-16
I received this gorgeous book last Christmas and have since read through it so many times it's getting dog-eared! It's not only a comprehensive volume, covering everything from salsify to celeriac and kolhrabi to tomatoes, peppers, and lettuce, but it also gives excellent tips on how to set up your garden, when to harvest, and how to store your vegetables. It's arranged in a very user-friendly way, with tips and tricks and reccommended varieties on the side and loads of photographs. In fact, the full-color pictures are so incredibly gorgeous that this could be a coffee table book! Do yourself or the gardener in your life (amateur or otherwise) a favor and pick this up!!
User friendly with wonderful illustrations.......2006-07-28
I've checked out most vegetable gardening books at the local library and used the extension service materials, but this is the best general guide I've seen. Each vegetable and common herb gets its own page with how to plant, maintaing harvest and treat common problems. There are organic methods side by side with nonorganic methods to let the reader choose instance by instance. Each page has an illustration or actual photograph. Where appropriate information on growing in different hardiness zones is included. There are also step by step instructions on planing, preparing the ground, sowing and planting, making your garden grow (watering, feedings, weeding, pests diseases, harvest and storage, and lastly pages for each vegetable as grouped into sections such as herbs, root and stem crops etc. I checked this out from the library but decided to buy it after realzing how useful it will be in my house as a reference.
Book Description
For every gardener desiring to add apples, pears, cherries, and other tree fruit to their landscape here are hints and solid information from a professional horticulturist and experienced fruit grower. The Backyard Orchardist includes help on selecting the best fruit trees and information about each stage of growth and development, along with tips on harvest and storage of the fruit. Those with limited space will learn about growing dwarf fruit trees in containers.
Appendices include a fruit-growers monthly calendar, a trouble-shooting guide for reviving ailing trees, and a resource list of nurseries selling fruit trees.
Customer Reviews:
Everything I need to know.......2007-08-23
After killing a peach tree and three cherry trees, I decided I better try to find out what I did wrong.
This book is pointing the error of my ways. It has all I need to know.
The Backyard Orchardist: A Complete guide to Growing Fruit Trees in the Home Garden.......2007-05-12
Great! This book contains essential common sense information for growing fruit trees in a easy to read format.
Growing fruit trees.......2007-04-05
This book exceeded our expectations. We highly recommend it for anyone who wants to grow fruit for their own consumption. Other books we've tried to read were much too technical and always intended for commercial growers. Stella Otto's book is clear, concise, and chock-full of information. We loved it and feel confident we will now be able to better tend our 10 fruit trees.
Read it, but a word of caution........2007-01-01
This book is a great place to get started, and to finish if you live in USDA climate zones 8, 7, 6, ..., 1. But those of us who live in "low chill" winters, and low-heat summers: southern california, mid-to-southern florida, coastal climates with marine layers -- you need to digest this book and read further about what works in your area.
Very Informative.......2006-08-20
I found this book very informative and comprehensive in answering my questions and concerns with my trees and how to care for and protect them. I highly recommend reading this book to others who have equal concerns and interest in the care of fruit trees.
Book Description
Most gardeners know how rewarding it is to harvest ripe, sun-warmed tomatoes or pungent herbs straight from the garden. But those pleasures can be multiplied a hundredfold by creating a garden that is not only productive, but also a beautiful, well-integrated part of the home landscape. In this handsome volume, Jennifer Bartley shows how the traditional features of the classic kitchen garden, or potager, can be adapted to contemporary American needs and conditions. The book is informed by her conviction that the nurturing, preparing, and eating of fresh, home-grown vegetables contributes enormously both to our ties with the natural world and our ties to each other. Copiously illustrated with photographs and with the author's delightful watercolors, Designing the New Kitchen Garden offers the perfect blend of inspiration and practical guidance.
Customer Reviews:
Gardener's inspiration.......2007-03-28
This book is filled with beautiful pictures and explanations that inspire and educate. Ms. Bartley has her own garden and I felt that I benefited from her own experience. After reading this book, I was ready to place a potager's garden in my own back yard.
Really, a smallish coffee table book.......2007-03-17
The sub-title for this book might be "A landscape designer dabbles prettily in vegetables" The book is beautifully produced, although I found the strong raking light in some of the photographs actually obscured the plants.
The chapter of historical background is almost worth the price of admission itself (if you're interested in history and the history of gardening) Although somewhat preciously phrased, the author does remind us of the connection of spirit, body, and garden, something we may forget when we in the middle of a vicious battle with cabbage loopers.
But the excursions into real gardens felt to me like a fantasy. If these gardens are meant to be inspiring, they failed with me. Every page I turned reminded me that these gardens are big, and clearly cost a lot of money to build and maintain. I never had a clear sense of the good eating that should be coming out of these gardens. And of course, nothing ever seems to go wrong in these gardens; there is no sense of how the gardeners have learned and evolved their gardens over time.
For a book ostensibly about "American" potager gardening, most of the country was omitted. Including midwest, southern, and western garden would have been a big help.
The design chapter starts off on the wrong foot by discussing a potager garden that was never built. Even worse, it was never built in a large urban space with which few of us will ever have to contend, so I fail to see the point. The second garden design discussed, designed for a small restaurant, also has not been built. The third garden is the author's own, now giving me the uncomfortable feeling that the entire book is a vanity project.
When the winter weather keeps you indoors, this will not a bad book to page through; just don't let it be the only book on your shelf about potager gardening.
Semi-formal vegetable garden?.......2006-08-17
The concept of edible landscaping is given a boost toward a practical and beautiful kitchen garden in this book. The history behind kitchen gardens ("potagers", that is gardens designed around culinary use rather than solely appearance) is interesting and lively, and the sections on a few modern garden case studies is useful.
The book stumbles a bit in assuming you already know elements of design, and doesn't discuss the practical considerations of some of them. The examples of "shade mapping" could use a little explanation alongside the drawings; I found them confusing. And there's very little discussion of what to plant when -- presumably you'll decide these on your own with various seed catalogs spread around you, if you can find catalogs that detail things such as plant height and habit, colors and seasons. I haven't found many vegetable seed catalogs that spend time on these sorts of topics, and I was hoping this book would provide some illumination.
Still, there are plenty of suggestions and examples for making your vegetable garden a place of beauty as well as a producer of foods and herbs for your kitchen. My personal leanings are toward the concept that a vegetable garden is beautiful if you can see the significant amount of food you'll be eating from it and so regular plots of densely packed plants are just fine; but I'm sure my spouse will enjoy the more formal look the veggies and herbs will take on in next year's garden as a result of this book.
Do you want a vegetable garden that people -- non-gardening people -- would actually want to walk through? Are you capable of designing a beautiful layout but need a nudge in the right directions? Then this is a good book for you. I'd have prefered more meat in it, so to speak, particularly for the $35 I spent on it.
A great read on vegetable garden design. Buy It........2006-08-05
`Designing the New Kitchen Garden, An American Potager Handbook' by professional garden design consultant, Jennifer R. Bartley is a very serious book, absolutely perfect for the zone 6 snowbound gardener to buy in December, when nothing is growing, and it's even too cold to start hardscaping projects.
What I mean here is that not only does the book give very serious guidance on how to build a potager garden, it gives oodles of historical perspective on how the potager garden design evolved from pre-Christian times, through the Middle Ages and Renaissance, with it's flowering in the monastary and royal gardens of France.
One thing to point out early in this review is that the book covers practically nothing about things culinary, in spite of the fact that various methods for categorizing this book put it cheek and jowl with books on culinary subjects, which is how I happened to run across it. But as long as I'm on the subject, its important to note that a good reference on gardening techniques must almost by definition have lots of interesting text and pictures for the armchair. While you can always cook, you cannot always garden, and in temperate climes, there will always be many months of down time. This book is the perfect antidote. In fact, as good as this book is, it is almost completely composed of material for thinking and planning and not about digging, laying stone, or planting. The `Designing' of the title must be taken very seriously. There are no recipes here for laying a gravel walk or laying out a herringbone brick path. Go to your Home Depot manuals and hardscaping texts for theses skills. On the other hand, there is a great collection of ideas one may not have normally thought of, should you have the proper venue to lay out the kind of garden discussed in this book.
I must say that the `potager' of the subtitle is the French word for `kitchen garden', which is how this book landed alongside texts on herbs and vegetables. But, the fact that this notion is originally French has as much or more to do with the subject as the `vegetable' part of the notion. The book does not really discuss your garden variety `victory garden'. It really takes on the design of formal gardens which are build to be grand orniments to the spirit as well as resources for the body.
All in all, this book is a kind of knot joining many different strands of ideas, including design for pleasant sights, design for culinary application, design for historical interest, and design for a refuge for the soul. To these ends, it covers a fair number of rather esoteric techniques such as esplanade and pergola design.
Just like the fact that it does not cover a lot of culinary material, it also does not cover a lot of horticultural material. There are no references in the index, for example, on `mulch', `weeding', or `pruning'. It does, however, cover `Christian Symbols', `Roman garden', and `Holy Roman Empire'.
It also gives a list of gardens one can visit, and I'm surprised that neither Longwood Gardens nor the Winthertur Museum are listed. There is a bibliography which I believe should include Amanda Hesser's `The Gardener and the Cook'. Aside from these miniscule nits, this is a great book for sparking wonder and ideas for the gardener.
Amazon.com
Pickling food seems like a form of culinary alchemy to most of us. Or we recall it as something grandmothers used to do, laboring over heaps of vegetables and huge, steaming kettles to turn out jars of jewel-like pickles and piquant chutneys.
In the first chapter of The Joy of Pickling, Linda Ziedrich demystifies the pickling process. She explains the difference between fresh pickles made with vinegar and longer-keeping, salt-preserved, fermented pickles. Her detailed explanation of canning methods, including low-temperature pasteurization, shows how to avoid risky problems.
After reading the opening of this pickle primer, go straight to the "Quick" and "Freezer Pickle" chapters and discover how easy it is to make Green Olives with Lemon and Thyme and Freezer Dill Slices without any sterilizing, boiling, or safety issues. In addition, you get to enjoy them within 24 hours. When you are more confident, let Ziedrich guide you through pickling Spicy Broccoli, Pig Ears, Korean Kimchi, and Irish Corned Beef. Her three recipes for pickled eggs are also bound to please. --Dana Jacobi
Book Description
Turn the colors and flavors of the harvest into a year-round delight.
Customer Reviews:
The most exhaustive treatment of pickles you can buy..........2007-07-01
If "Making Sauerkraut and Pickled Vegetables at Home" is an introductory guide, think of "The Joy of Pickling" as the definitive handbook of pickles and pickling.
The book starts out with a 30 page primer on the art and science of pickling. All of the mysteries of pickling methods are revealed here. This chapter alone is worth the price of the book, but there is so much more.
The next chapter is 44 pages devoted to the healthiest of all pickles, the lactic-fermented vegetable. Cucumbers are here, as you would suspect, as are radishes, turnips, cucumber kimchi, mustard greens, cherry tomatoes, apples, bean sprouts, and a Turkish mixed-pickle.
On page 63 is one of many education side-bar articles. This one is about "the perfect pickle pot". An old Chinese design with a built in airlock. You can expect this sort of educational experience all the way through the book. I have never before seen a recipe book as a "page turner" before picking this up.
There is a section on "fresh" pickles. These are pickles that are not fermented but instead are preserved with vinegar. This topic is exhausted with nearly 100 pages of recipes and insight.
Next up is my favorite section. Cabbages! I have long been a fan of kimchi but it is so expensive at the local grocery. Now I make it by the gallon. (For which my wife is thankful of the walk-in pantry.) There are also German sauerkraut recipes, Chinese sour cabbage, in fact, more versions of pickled cabbage than I ever knew existed, and I have loved every one of them.
Now it may sound like a lot to cram into a single book, but to be honest, there are six sections I haven't even covered.
Chapter 5 is devoted to pickles from the far east.
Chapter 6 is a collection of sweet pickles.
Chapter 7 serves your instant gratification for quick pickles. (Two days or less)
Chapter 8 "Freezer Pickles" Pickles without heat or fuss.
Chapter 9 Chutneys, salsas, and relishes.
Chapter 10 Pickles meat, fish and eggs.
While I myself am partial to the fermented pickles, I have to say that this book is a wonderful resource for all types of pickles. If you make pickles, this book should certainly be in your pantry, right next to your pickling crock!
Truely a good cookbook!.......2007-06-22
I was kind of a newbie at canning when I bought this book. I had only tried it 2 or 3 times before I got this book. It seemed to be a rather confusing and frustrating process. I read some of the other cookbooks aimed at veterans and was just confused. They would say things such as "adjust the jar rings"--I'm thinking "adjust from what, to what?". This author is kind enough to be clear. She says something like: "screw on the jar rings until they are tight, but not as tight as they could be if you apply force". Now that makes sense to me. I've made a few recipes from this book now. The instructions are very clear, and all of the things I made have turned out perfect. And while I love the canning recipes, I REALLY love the section on freezer pickles. I get rave reviews every time I bring the Lime-Mint Freezer Pickles to an event, and they couldn't be easier to make. And for the advanced picklers out there, this book has plenty of really interesting, unique recipes to try. I highly recommend this book for all skill levels!
the joy of pickling by linda ziedrich.......2005-10-28
this book explains about picking the different terms of pickling ... cabbage; hows its done. i ordered this book by the
excellent reviews by others. every thing everyone else said was
right on the money..please buy this book on pickling. made me
understand a lot of things that i did not know. kimchee recipes
all kind of ways about to prepare it. a real handy book
all kinds of fruits and vegetables can be pickled just
have to know the ropes from this book. like my husband says
learn the tradition. thanks so much
The Joys Of Pickling.......2005-10-26
I really enjoyed the book and the recipes But I feel there was
too much emphasis on peppers and gherkins etc.I was actually
looking for more seafood and meats brines and preservatives.
But very happy anyhow. Thanks Lins.
More than cucumbers..........2005-04-27
This book is wonderful addition to my cookbook collection. I'm very picky about cookbooks but the minute I got this one home from the library I was hooked. I ordered my own copy the next day. I love the chapter on "Unique Pickles of the Far East". My fridge is never without Korean or Mrs. Kim's pickled garlic; it's so convenient to pluck a peeled, pickled clove or two out of a jar when a meal needs garlic. The chapter on "Quick Pickles" was made for impatient souls like me, these pickles are ready in 2 days or so. There is also a great chapter on chutneys and relishes. Yum! There are so many pickle recipes besides the obvious cukes and green beans. "Joy of Pickling" includes prunes, shrimp, mangoes, purslane, Jicama and many other surprises.
If your garden (or friend's garden or farmer's market) runneth over, and you like pickled foods, you won't know how you lived without this book.
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- Succession Planting for Year-Round Pleasure
- Sunset Western Garden Book
- Taunton's Front Yard Idea Book: How to Create a Welcoming Entry and Expand Your Outdoor Living Space (Idea Books)
- Taylor's Guide to Shade Gardening: More Than 350 Trees, Shrubs, and Flowers That Thrive Under Difficult Conditions, Illustrated with Color Photographs and Detailed Drawings (Taylor's Gardening Guides)
- The American Woodland Garden: Capturing the Spirit of the Deciduous Forest
- The American Woodland Garden: Capturing the Spirit of the Deciduous Forest
- The American Woodland Garden: Capturing the Spirit of the Deciduous Forest
- The Encyclopedia of Psychoactive Plants: Ethnopharmacology and Its Applications
- The Essential Garden Book
- The Gentle Subversive: Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, and the Rise of the Environmental Movement (New Narratives in American History)
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