Starter Vegetable Gardens
I strive to keep my backyard garden organic. So far, so good. I have yet to resort to chemicals to eradicate pests or weeds, although I was tempted when we first moved in to poison the thick fields of clover in our backyard to oblivion. I get asked quite often how to manage an organic bed by my neighbors, who don't have countless hours to spend weeding and picking bugs by hand. I was delighted to discover a catch-all book I could recommend to these budding organic growers.
The book “Starter Vegetable Gardens” (2010) provides 24 detailed plans for starting your own organic garden. The plans are aimed at the small grower, making them perfect for home gardeners. The plans include container options, small hobby plots tucked into a border bed, to family size gardens meant to supply all your produce needs. There is truly something for everyone.
Author Barbara Pleasant, a Master Gardener herself, provides detailed information on everything from watering and companion planting, to how you can keep those plants productive with out poisons or chemical fertilizers. There are even details on starting seeds, and my personal favorite, saving your own seeds. This is really a good introduction for new gardeners and it's chock full of useful tidbits for those of us with a bit more experience.
The book also appeals to my visual side. Although the written instructions are excellent, the photo, illustrations and diagrams ensure you understand the concepts perfectly. Truly, there is no better beginner book for backyard gardening that I have found.