Get Ready to Garden

Willaim Golden, Fields and Flowers, 1930

Posted by Alana T.
Ok, technically it's still winter, but as soon as the weather warms a touch, I'm ready to garden!  And, it doesn't hurt to be prepared with the latest information.  If you are looking for good resources and topical books, we have both.  You can download a list of online resources or come see our program in April about veggie gardening (see the newsletter for more info).  The following list of titles includes some of the most popular gardening books selling on Amazon, and all can be requested through the system.

All New Square Foot Gardening by M. Bartholomew. A recent edition of a favorite book describing small, high yield, low work garden plots.

Free Range Chicken Gardens: How to Create a Beautiful Chicken Friendly Yard by J. Bloom.  Having a few chickens at home for eggs, entertainment, and bug control is the latest gardening trend.  This books details what you need to know.  Please be aware that chickens are not legal within the Edwardsville city limits.

Western Garden Book of Edibles  Sunset magazine publishes the best (I think) all around garden book out there, but it is geared to the Western states.  This book focuses on fruits and veggies, is a fantastic source of info, and useful for IL gardens too.

Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners by S. Ashworth.  Free yourself from seed catalogs!  This classic book discusses growing open pollinated varieties of vegetables and the special techniques needs for harvesting and proper storage of seeds. 

Vertical Gardening: Grow Up Not Out for More Vegetables and Flowers in Much Less Space by D. Fell.  If you don't have a big yard, but have a big list of plants you want to grow, this book will help you find a way to fit them all in.  

The Vegetable Gardeners Bible by E. Smith.  A new edition of an old favorite.

Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits and Vegetables by M. Bubel.  Now that you've grown and harvested all those veggies, what on earth do you do with them?  The author describes traditional root cellars, how they work, and what you need to construct one of your own.

The Backyard Homestead by C. Madigan  No matter if you are interested in lowering bills, living green, being more independent, or maximizing the useful output of your yard, this book provides advice.

Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Succesfull Gardening by Louise Riotte.  The author presents all you need to know about positive and negative interactions between different families of plants.  A good resource to maximize yields, increase beneficial insects, and use fewer pesticides.

Happy gardening!