Have you been waiting for the snow to melt or the freezing weather to end? If you are, then you are like me, just waiting for a chance to get out into the yard and start working on getting my seeds into the ground so I can to soon have some delicious fresh vegetables and greens to eat! Now is a great time to be starting your garden with everything that is going on in the world. Let's keep ourselves healthy by growing and eating from our gardens, where we can enjoy the freshest produce we can possibly have. The farther we are from our produce, the more nutrients we miss out on before we eat it.
I have two hobbies throughout winter that keep my hands in the soil, so to speak. One is growing microgreens, which I will soon talk about in another post and the other is enjoying the many gardening books out there that can help me with some of my own problems in the garden and also help to expand my knowledge about other things I would like to learn.
During my time of waiting and staring out the window in hopes that somehow my intense gaze will warm the air and melt the snow just by looking at it, longing to get out there and start gardening, getting my hands covered in the soil and, putting the soil to my nose so I can smell the earth. I have decided to compile some of the wonderful reading materials for gardening, many I have read throughout the winter months. Here are the books I have chosen in no specific order.
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Contents
I am starting with Curtis Stone's, The Urban Farmer. This book has hundreds of reviews with a 4.8-star rating. This book is excellent for gardening in small spaces. This is a steal for the great content in this book!
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3rd4GEk
The author, Curtis Stone, is the owner of Green City Acres. A commercial urban farm based in Kelowna, which is a city in British Columbia, Canada. He is farming on less than half an acre. He grows vegetables for farmer's markets, retail outlets, and restaurants.
If you are interested in growing produce for production in a small space, then The Urban Farmer will be the book you want. Curtis shares and teaches many of his strategies and techniques to growing high-intensity production in small spaces. There is a load of knowledge in this book. He covers things like costs and plans, even the best crops to grow!
He gives you an idea of the amount of land you may need. If you are on a tight budget, this could still be a possibility for you; Curtis tells you how to get started with very little cost. This is actually like a manual for urban farming, which is great for the community to be so close to their produce. Fresh, nutrient-dense produce!
Curtis has done a terrific job with this book; this is the best guide to have a successful urban farm that is very profitable on such a small scale! This book is amazing, and you definitely should read this even if your business is not farming. I think this book can be a great guide for anyone starting any business. I think this book will greatly benefit anyone who reads it and has any interest in agriculture or entrepreneurship.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3rd4GEk
Any interest in mushrooms? I love the flavor of mushrooms, but I have yet to grow my own outside of buying one of those mushroom-made easy kits. I hope to move on from the easy route and actually grow my own. That brings me to this book.
Paul Stamets's Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms. This book has over one thousand reviews and an average of 4.8-star rating. This is also a great deal for all the information you will get an excellent book.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/301uiIb
This book is a detailed guide for growing gourmet mushrooms commercially or at home. This is another amazing book that will definitely give you loads of knowledge!
Some people refer to this book as the bible of mushroom growing. Included in this book is great advice on constructing your grow room, wonderful tasty mushroom recipes, and a troubleshooting guide. There is a lot of photos and charts for different stages of cultivation. I recommend this book to anyone interested in gardening, even if you are not interested in growing mushrooms. If you are growing mushrooms and would like to have a mushroom guide next to you, then you should grab this book.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/301uiIb
Tradd Cotter's Organic Mushroom Farming and Mycoremediation. This has great reviews with a 4.8-star average and over four hundred reviews.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/37Z0lN4
Cotter teaches how to generate your own spawn, so you do not need to buy spawn. He also covers great detail in lab techniques, as well as many different growing methods indoors and out. He also offers information on low-cost alternatives to grow operations. Lab equipment can be pretty pricy, but he has given less expensive ways for your lab and still have a sterile environment! This is no pesticides growing! There is so much wonderful information, and it has great photos. He even shares information about growing your own morels. Even better, it is a whole chapter dedicated to morels! This book is very informative and easy to read and comprehend everything. Tradd has been conducting experiments for mushroom growing for over twenty years. You can gain a lot of mushroom knowledge from reading this book, especially for the beginner. This book is very engaging, and it is another great guide to building your mushroom growing knowledge and hopefully helps you get those delicious and extremely healthy little morsels on your plate!
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/37Z0lN4
One more book about mushrooms because I really want to learn more about mushrooms. Richard Bray's Mushroom Cultivation: 12 Ways to Become the MacGyver
of Mushrooms (Urban Homesteading) is another great book for growing your own mushrooms. This book has over four hundred reviews with a 4.5-star average rating.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3q6r94q
In this book, you can learn which mushrooms would be good for you to try to grow in your situation at home, whatever it may be. You will learn the different characteristics of several different varieties of mushrooms so you can make informed decisions about what you are capable of growing in your home. After this, you can incorporate many different mushrooms into your diet if you have space and the right conditions for the mushroom you want to grow. This is a guide with several different growing processes, and it will help you through all the stages of cultivation. You will also learn the growing process in detail from preparation to harvest. You will also learn to identify and correct any issues you may encounter while growing. Also, this book goes into the correct way to process your mushrooms, the guides on growing mushrooms indoors and outdoors. I do enjoy this book but prefer the one above Paul Stamets's Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms. However, this one is a bit more expensive. Both are good books to learn about mushroom cultivation.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3q6r94q
I want to add a couple of other mushroom books that I believe will help you with understanding mushrooms and help with your growth. The books are MycoMedicinals and Mycelium Running. All of these books will give you plenty of knowledge as you venture down the path to an amazing mushroom growing experience! I hope these will be helpful guides throughout your journey. I will eventually be joining you on a journey of my own with these books as my guide. I wish you the best of luck!
For those of you not ready to take the leap of growing your own mushrooms, like me, I have also researched and tried some of the mushroom made easy kits if you want to grow to some extent. This is much better than buying in a local store, plus a little more satisfaction comes with growing your own.
For those of you that are beginning to get your hands on the world of good health and growing your own delicious and sustainable food source, I have also added some books for you to help you get started.
With a rating of 4.7-star average and close to one thousand reviews, this is an excellent resource for the beginner. This can also be a gift for someone close that is going through the many trials of figuring out how to get started.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3uCCdJY
You will be very happy about buying this book as you watch your beautiful garden flourish. Whether you decide to have an in-ground garden or a raised bed, she has you covered in this beautifully designed layout. She is guiding you on soil mixture and watering. Companion planting, she even helps with troubleshooting plant diseases and pest issues. What a great book to read before you start so you can create a good plan before the summer months, and then when the weather is right, you will already be prepared to dig in and get started. As you go through your trials, this will also serve as a close-by resource to check in on at any time. You will not regret having this book on your shelf as you see the growth of your garden. Just wait until you see your first tomato, squash, or etc. That is really exciting for me, and it never gets old. Watching and waiting for that first ripe and juicy tomato of the year and many more to come, I'm salivating as I am about to sink my teeth into it and taste the fresh explosion of tomato juice flow into my mouth!
This book is for beginners and intermediates, in my opinion. I believe it can be helpful to you with many of the problems you may encounter in your garden.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3uCCdJY
The next book is for the homesteaders. A guide to help you become more self-sufficient.
David Toht's 40 Projects For Building Your Backyard Homestead: A Hands-on, step-by-step Sustainable-Living Guide, is A guide to help you become more self-sufficient.
With over two thousand reviews it has a rating of 4.6-star average.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3pZKT9S
This book covers so many different topics for homesteading. If you are good with tools and enjoy building your own structures, you have found the right book. There are several garden structures, fencing for your livestock, and coops. If you are interested in solar power, aquaponics, or plumbing, you can even find that here. Beehives are also included in this book of homesteading builds. This book is very informative on so many different structures, and it's precious for your homesteading needs. You can probably find these plans on the internet if you have the time to search for them. Having the book allows you to have the option of bringing it along with you as a field guide while building your projects. These are step-by-step instructions to follow along with and a list of the tools you need, so no unnecessary trips back to the toolbox. David has put this together, so even if you are not handy, you can still get your projects built.
This is not necessarily a gardening book, but I feel it does work well with the gardening subject because most homesteaders are also gardening. I also, as a gardener, find this very useful because I can use it to build some of the projects I have.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3pZKT9S
If you think you may want to start a raised bed garden, then Tammy Wylie's Raised Bed Gardening For Beginners is a book you are going to want to check out. There are over twenty-five hundred reviews on this book, and it is rated at a 4.6-star average.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2MEgSig
If you start a new garden and have absolutely no knowledge of gardening, this book is for you. The author covers how to plan your raised beds. If you already have quite a bit of gardening knowledge, I would not recommend this book to you. It is a good reference book for beginners with information on plants' types to get started with and plants to plant together. She is sharing tips on soil mixes for your raised beds and the construction in any available space you have. She covers crop rotation and seed starting and informs you of the easiest greens to grow and even how to grow and harvest them. This guide for the inexperienced gardener gets some quick rewards from their garden-fresh vegetables and herbs in no time.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2MEgSig
If you would enjoy growing a garden that is on autopilot, then Luke Marion's The Autopilot Garden: A Guide to Hands-off Gardening is the book for you. This is a great book at a good price. With only a couple hundred reviews, it has an average of 4.7-star rating.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3r8wxVV
I know I really do not enjoy the hassle of pulling so many weeds in my garden. I love to be in the garden, but if I could choose one gardening aspect that I do not want, it would be weeding. In this book, Luke teaches you organic gardening methods that can save time weeding, money, cut down on watering, high-intensity planting, which allows you to grow more in less space, along with conserving water with less watering and cuts down on weeds. If you don't know what core gardening is, you need to check out this book. He teaches about having healthy soil and soil life. This book is directed toward a beginner, but I still enjoyed reading it. Luke has a lot of knowledge in gardening! He also has a YouTube channel that is very informative, which I very much enjoy. His channel is packed with information for gardeners at any level of experience. What I like the best is that it is all organic gardening methods! So if you are already an inexperienced gardener, you will definitely want to read this book. If you haven't seen his YouTube channel and you have time, I would suggest checking that out. Good information for any experience level of gardening you have.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3r8wxVV
If you have any children that seem to be interested in the wonderful world of gardening, then I have one book for you, ages four to eight.
We Are The Gardners by Joanna Gaines(Author) and Julianna Swaney(Illustrator).
This book has over two thousand reviews and a 4.8-star average. This is a great book for children.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2MzxIP8
As the number-one New York Times bestseller, this book is about a family starting to grow a garden and all the trails they are facing to grow a garden. They are continually learning as they go through their trials. They share the knowledge they have acquired to grow a beautiful, thriving garden. There are subtle life lessons in this book for children, one being patients and learning from your mistakes. This is a picture book with many wonderful illustrations in it. I like it for my son although he is still a bit young. I see how this book could be delightful to read with your children!
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/2MzxIP8
I have one more children's book, Trees, Leaves, Flowers and Seeds: A Visual Encyclopedia of the Plant Kingdom by Thomas Nelson. This is a wonderful book for children with a lot of excellent pictures! If you have children, I highly recommend this book. What a great price for this book. There are over one thousand reviews with a 4.8-star average.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3bailGF
This book has over one thousand incredible pictures in it, and it has so much information in it. I'm sure even some adults will enjoy this book. Wouldn't it be wonderful to watch your little one learn easily with this amazing book? This book is worth every penny!! Between the images and information in the book, Thomas Nelson has done a terrific job! This is a must-have for your child.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3bailGF
I like the square foot gardening method. At home, I implement it where I can. Square gardening is a favorite of mine. All New Square Foot Gardening, 3rd Edition, Fully Updated by Mel Bartholomew, has over two thousand reviews and a rating of 4.8-star average. This book is a really good deal.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3dZ3G2Q
If you want to grow more fresh produce in a smaller space at home, I want a flourishing garden without too much work. Then I suggest you read this book. I would think everyone wants that, fewer weeds!! This is a more updated version of square foot gardening, so you may want to check out this book even if you are experienced. It contains new and interesting information. This book is focused on vegetable gardens. Square foot gardening is so good for cutting down on your weeds, but do not expect that you will have no weeds. Weeds will still grow, but when your plants are big enough, they will shade out the upcoming weeds there for cutting down on the weed growth. I can not say if this book is better than the previous square foot gardening books, for I have not read them. I spent time looking at reviews, and some people agreed that this has the same information as the previous square foot gardening books. Others talked about the new things in this book, so you may want to pass this one up if you already have read the others.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3dZ3G2Q
Now to some books for those of you that are into permaculture. Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway. This book has over one thousand reviews and a 4.8 average star rating. This is a really great deal for this book!
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3sHRO9d
This book is about working with nature so you may have more abundant gardens. Hemenway shows that a beginning gardener can create and enjoy this system type. He teaches you which plants work together to perform many functions. This is the revised addition that has a chapter for those living in the city and would still love to have a garden like this. You can still enjoy a permaculture garden with a smaller yard. Imagine walking into your backyard and having apples, peaches, pears, or any fruit you love to eat. Pick them freshly off your trees. That's a wonderful dream!! I have actually started this kind of system but am still in the early stages. I'm full of excitement to see what it will slowly become.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3sHRO9d
Here is another permaculture book, Ben Falk's The Resilient Farm and Homestead: An Innovative Permaculture and Whole Systems Design Approach. This book has over three hundred reviews and a 4.6 average star rating.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3kLYVuV
This is another good book with a lot of information and potential for you to gain knowledge from someone who has been doing this for years. Falk covers designs and working with nature. He also discusses using grazing animals. He also talks about your home's design and passive water conservation and use. This is a practical and comprehensive book.
Ben Falk states that this book he has written to share approaches that have been rewarding to him in his life. He wrote it to share the regeneration and resiliency strategies he used. Everything is about his specific piece of land and is not rehashing information found elsewhere but only direct experience. This book covers nearly all the strategies that Falk and his team have tested over the past decade. This is a delightful book to read, in my opinion.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3kLYVuV
Restoration Agriculture by Mark Shepard
1st Edition. This book has over two hundred reviews with a 4.8-star average.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3r8POGK
This book is about how we can farm naturally with perennial ecosystems and create agricultural systems that imitate nature while still providing us with our food. Mark has written about creating an alternative agricultural system that will restore soil and grow abundantly the food we need. So if you are new to permaculture and restoration agriculture, this book is for you. I almost didn't place this book on the list. So not really highly recommended, in my opinion.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3r8POGK
Farming the Woods was written by Ken Mudge, Steve Gabriel, and John Munsell. This book does not have too many reviews with a little over two hundred and a 4.7-star average. Do you have an established woodland? If you do, this book is for you.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3q1OGnb
Farming in the woods shows how to harvest and market high-value forest crops. Some examples would be ginseng, mushrooms, ramps, fruit, and many more. There is a wide range of forest farming activities, from the cultivation of medicinal crops to the role animals play in the forest farm. This is a great book for gardeners and farmers who have a woodland property and would be interested in a concept like this. A whole-farm organism, all three authors have a wide range of knowledge on this subject and have made this book a very enjoyable read. There are also amazing pictures in this book. This book is a little expensive, definitely well worth the money, in my opinion.
Get your copy at Amazon here: https://amzn.to/3q1OGnb