Library

Books galore! I thought I would share a few of my favorite books regarding gardening. They're not necessarily "new" to the publishing world, but still quite helpful and chock full of good information:

Crockett's Victory Garden by James Underwood Crockett.

This used to be a PBS show (where have all the gardening shows on TV gone, anyways?), hosted by the author, but it's way before my time, so I haven't seen it. The book, however, is great for looking up what to do in a particular month, and what individual plants require throughout the year. Helpful tips and suggestions are sprinkled throughout, and there's a handy "when to plant what" chart in the back. Great as a reference book, and the history behind the idea of "victory gardens" is pretty interesting.

I doubt Uncle Sam gardened in those clothes.

Joy of Gardening by Dick Raymond.

Another one based on an old TV show! This one explains various strategies for tackling your garden: how to prepare the soil, start plants, weed, mulch, water, etc. It also has a handy section dedicated just to plants, listed by family. A plethora of images makes this book fun to flip thorough, and it's another great reference book for plants and some common diseases.

The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It: The Complete Back-to-Basics Guide by John Seymour.

This is an absolute treasury of information for any aspiring homesteader. It has everything from milking, carpentry, and gardening to spinning and using wind, water, and solar energy. It was first published in 1976, although it's remained pretty popular, as it's been published a few times since then (my edition is copyright 2002). The sections are generally short, but in a good way: they lay out exactly the information you need, with diagrams and illustrations as visual guides. Somehow this book makes me want to try everything listed on its pages; it makes what is likely a lot of hard work seem easy and enjoyable.


I've got plenty of other books on the topic of gardening and food, but these 3 are what I consider my top reference books. I do use the internet and several online reference sites if I'm curious about a topic or want to look something up, but there's some comfort in turning to a book for help. I don't know if it's the feeling that published words are more reliable, or if it's just the act of curling up with the book for help, but sometimes the internet just doesn't cut it. 

Currently, I'm reading The Dirty Life by Kristen Kimball; there's a lot of farming memoirs out there, but each one has its own charm. I'll probably do a short run-through of some of my favorites someday; this one will certainly be on the list!