I’m starting to do research into our gardening, so I thought I would share my progress and book reviews as I go.
The first book I picked up from the library was You Grow Girl, which was a great beginner’s guide to gardening. Here is my review from goodreads (btw: if you like to read, you should be on goodreads. It’s a great way to track the books you have read and books you would like to read.)
You Grow Girl: The Groundbreaking Guide to Gardening by Gayla Trail
My review
rating: 5 of 5 stars
As a new gardener, I was looking for a beginner’s guide to learning about gardening. I liked this book because it went beyond creating a beautiful aesthetic to really enjoying the actual act of gardening. Some other gardening books I have come across are mostly concerned with the final result of having a beautiful, this author focuses on also enjoying the process, learning and growing plants you can eat and use in out of the ordinary way.
I loved the photos and the illustrations, along with the thrifty tips. She encourages you to find alternate means of getting seeds and plants, instead of just doling out tons of dough to get them. She gives great tips to fill out your garden during the first few years when perennials won’t be amazing yet. She even shows you how to take clippings from plants to start your very own plants. Fabulous!
Part of what I liked about this book is that she encourages you to use whatever space you have to grow. I have had a hard time to find books about container gardens, but this goes into a lot of detail about this and how to choose containers and plants that will thrive.
I also liked her tutorials about DIY projects related to gardening – a gardening apron, seed packets and hand lotion are good examples. And, who would have known that you can grow loofahs in your garden???
I think that this book is a great start and will be a companion to a general gardening book with all the types of plants that I hope to plant, along with detailed instructions on planting, etc. I checked this out from the library, but hope to get a copy of my own. I think it is that useful.
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rachel says
Ooh I definitely need this. Every plant I try to nurture ends up dry, brittle and brown.
Thanks for the comment, I’m enjoying your blog, too!
Katie says
I am on the gardening book kick myself…and it is undiscovered territory in our house. I have a renowned black thumb so hopefully the written word will help me out 🙂 Love the book review idea…keep it coming!
LJK says
I just requested this from my library! I’m starting to think about our garden, too. Last year we did tomatoes in pots on our deck. This year I’m hoping to find a good spot in our yard for them and some other veggies.
LZ says
I might add this to my list of books to read. You should check out Frugal Dad’s post on Square Foot Gardening. I’m excited to try that when it warms up. http://frugaldad.com/2008/03/03/how-to-build-a-square-foot-garden/