Koncocoo

Best Gardening & Horticulture Trees

Tree Identification Book
Then, in the Master Pages, the species of the tree is determined, with similar details placed together to highlight differences within the family group, thus eliminating all other possibilities.
Reviews
"This is my first and only tree identification book."
"Truly an essential for the tree lover."
"Very nice, layed out well and pictures are nice quality."
"Best tree identification source I've ever used."
"Easy to use with great pictures!"
"Glad I purchased this book as a gift."
"A must have resource for tree identification."
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Compost Tea Making
Learn why compost teas are so powerful and effective--How to brew compost teas--Compost tea applications--How to put together a simple compost tea brewer--How to make compost specifically for compost teas. A passionate gardener and vintner, Marc has been growing most of his own fruit and vegetables for over 30 years, refining his techniques and adding to his knowledge base with each growing season.
Reviews
"With so many recipes on the internet I wanted to find a source for some recipes I could trust and had some scientific rationale for the ingredients and their amounts. He included three separate, and very simple, recipes; 1) bacterial dominated tea 2) fungal dominated tea and 3) balanced (bacterial/fungal) tea."
"There are detailed descriptions of all the process steps, the role of invisible entities (good and bad) that get involved from start to finish, scientific analysis of most aspects of the process, discussion that addresses climatic extremes so no matter where you are you can identify with spectrum, interviews with people that happily share their knowledge and save you the trial and error and, a healthy scepticism or reality check through out such that you don't feel you are being coerced into some new age nonsense."
"And its easier to find specific compost tea recipes, and there are more recipes than in Ingram's book."
"The author is obviously very knowledgeable and talks to you in a elementary level that is fun and easy to understand."
"It was written in easy to understand, laymen's terms, and was entertaining as you learned from it."
"I like to experiment so I love this book."
"no real explanation bad book not useful information."
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Growing Christmas Trees: Select the Right Species, Raise the Best Trees, Market for the Holidays. A Storey BASICS® Title
Growing beautiful Christmas trees is a great way to generate off-season farm income and make better use of your land. Patrick White operates Meadow Ridge Tree Farm (www.meadowridgetree farm.com), a Christmas tree farm in Middlesex, Vermont, with about 8,000 trees in the ground.
Reviews
"Planning to plant in spring."
"Good information-just what we were looking for."
"Good information but not all you need to know!"
"Great read for starting Xmas tree farm."
"Very informative and reasonably priced."
"Exactly what I was looking for to get into growing Christmas trees."
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Best Shrub Gardening & Horticulture

Dirr's Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs
With Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs and Dirr's Trees and Shrubs for Warm Climates , Michael Dirr set the gold standard for horticultural reference. This volume is filled with information for the gardener, landscape architect, and all those curious about the trees and shrubs they may encounter.The chatty descriptions incorporate information often limited to tables—disease resistance, size, shape, and zone hardiness as well as some history and taxonomy. His personal experiences with particular species are forthrightly and sometime wryly noted: “They sit in the garden and look at me, never prospering.” With descriptions of 380 genera illustrated with 3,500 photographs, this is likely to become a standard reference for including trees and shrubs in gardens of all types. “Dirr has been growing and breeding plants for years and has experience with all the plants in this book. “Michael Dirr’s hefty Dirr’s Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs belongs next to the American Horticultural Society’s A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants on your shelf of essential garden books. “Long regarded as the nation’s foremost expert on trees and shrubs, Dr. Dirr has published a new book that, like his previous Manual of Woody Landscape Plants , draws on his encyclopedic knowledge and years of personal experience with trees and shrubs. However, the new book, Dirr’s Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs , adds thousands of photos to the mix, too.” — Better Homes and Gardens. “Meriting the terms classic, authoritative, gold-standard, this reference updates and combines in one binding two previously published books: Dirr’s Hardy Trees and Shrubs and Dirr’s Trees and Shrubs for Warm Climates . “Whether you’re a landscape designer or architect or just a garden enthusiast, you can’t do without either of these ( Dirr’s Encyclopedia of Trees and Shrubs and the Manual of Woody Landscape Plants ) books.
Reviews
"When we began looking at the trees and shrubs suggested, I could see that some "seemingly small" changes and substitutions could once again have a powerful impact on the final project. Dirr's gave me the information I needed to evaluate the plants that had been suggested and also find other plants we might like more or that fit my mental image of our garden better. PROS: 1) Each entry includes information on size, shape, color, cultivation requirements, and appropriate zones, as well as Dirr's anecdotal information on his personal experiences with and sightings of the plants."
"Excellent book cataloguing common trees and shrubs that an American gardener would encounter."
"For the casual gardener, this book will give you all you need and more as an aid to understanding, how to identify, and care for trees and shrubs."
"Great price and inspirational reading."
"This book is a little less information rich than his "Manual of Woody Landscape Plants" but it does provide many of the critical details along with large beautiful photos."
"I think it should be clarified that this is not an update to Manual of Woody Landscape Plants: Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propogation and Uses."
"I often purchase books on gardening as gifts from Amazon because of the selection, pricing, and quick shipping."
"The only caveat to this publication, is that the trees and shrubs are indexed alphabetically under their botanical names; such as "Querus robur" for the English Oak."
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Best Gardening & Horticulture Herbs

Marijuana Grower's Handbook: Your Complete Guide for Medical and Personal Marijuana Cultivation
With 500 pages of full color photos and illustrations, the book delivers all the basics that a novice grower needs, as well as scientific research for the experienced gardener. “Ed Rosenthal is the expert grower who holds the distinction of turning more people on to more pot than Cheech and Chong” &mdash Tommy Chong. “A great book- and one that belongs on the shelves of any library.This book contains the latest knowledge, tools and methods to grow great marijuana indoors and out.” &mdash Weedworld.
Reviews
"This book is like a 100 or 200 level college course book."
"Even if you dont grow, This book is an interesting read... lots of pictures with good information on several aspects of this fascinating subject."
"The overall theory was very informative, but for the beginner, like myself, would have liked to have more day to day care, especially related to hydroponic management."
"I recommend other books for specifics breeders and growers bible, lets grow a pound, and some others for specific topics, but this one is definently jam packed with info on all aspects."
"A very necessary addition to furthering knowledge."
"Ed’s got it all covered, from first seed all the way to enjoying your finished product...and everything in between!"
"Just started reading the book but it seems to have all the information needed to grow your own healthy plants."
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Best Gardening & Horticulture Fruit

The New Cider Maker's Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide for Craft Producers
His book combines the best of traditional knowledge and techniques with up-to-date, scientifically based practices to provide today’s cider makers with all the tools they need to produce high-quality ciders. An accessible overview of the cider making process for beginners; Recommendations for selecting and growing cider-appropriate apples; Information on juice-extraction equipment and directions on how to build your own grater mill and cider press; A discussion of the most important components of apple juice and how these may influence the quality of the cider; An examination of the fermentation process and a description of methods used to produce either dry or naturally sweet cider, still or sparkling cider, and even ice cider. This book will appeal to both serious amateurs and professional cider makers who want to increase their knowledge, as well as to orchardists who want to grow cider apples for local or regional producers. It starts simply enough, with an overview of the process, apple growing and selection, and seven principles for producing the best, from “good cider needs great apples” to “remember what you did.” After a careful review of dozens of regional apple varieties (and a few pears, to make the cider equivalent called perry), complete with notes on sugar, acidity, tannin, juice yield, harvest date, and pressing season, he dives into the more difficult processes, including juice extraction, fermentation, and troubleshooting. Designed for experienced cider makers as well as for serious beginners, it’s a gold mine for everyone who’d like to make good cider. “Claude Jolicoeur is a true student of the art and science of cider.From clear, concise discussions of the technical aspects of cider making, to the selection of proper cider apples, this is a treatise for all time.The text is straightforward, and can be an excellent guide to novice cider makers, but it is endowed with a wealth of information that will benefit ciderists at all levels of the craft. For anyone who aspires to make the finest quality fermented cider, The New Cider Maker’s Handbook is as indispensable as an apple press.” --David Buchanan, author of Taste, Memory. The New Cider Maker’s Handbook is a practical, approachable, well-organized, extensively researched guide to cider making, from apple selection to pressing to fermentation and beyond. As craft cider grows in popularity and stature throughout the U.S. and Canada, we expect Claude’s book to become North America’s preeminent cider reference.” --Scott Heath and Ellen Cavalli, co-owners, Tilted Shed Ciderworks, Sonoma County, CA. "Based on Claude Jolicoeur’s 25 years experience in craft cider making, The New Cider Maker’s Handbook combines the author’s personal perspectives with solidly researched information from cider makers worldwide, to create a manual which is both practical and inspirational. “Claude Jolicoeur’s New Cider Maker’s Handbook is an invaluable resource for the serious home cider maker. "Award-winning cider maker Jolicoeur provides a comprehensive guide to cider making, covering the selection of apple varieties, chemical formulas and charts, and the construction of mills and presses. It starts simply enough, with an overview of the process, apple growing and selection, and seven principles for producing the best, from 'good cider needs great apples” to “remember what you did.'. After a careful review of dozens of regional apple varieties (and a few pears, to make the cider equivalent called perry), complete with notes on sugar, acidity, tannin, juice yield, harvest date, and pressing season, he dives into the more difficult processes, including juice extraction, fermentation, and troubleshooting.
Reviews
"Certainly comprehensive -- need to know what varieties of apples to grow in your orchard to make a perfect juice for cider?"
"The engineering information on press construction and load tolerances covers the subject in possibly more detail than is required and omits any mention of more modern approaches to processing reasonable volumes of apples."
"This book was more that I would normally spend on a book."
"A very complete book that brought me successfully through my first batch of cider."
"As a beginner cider maker myself, I found this book to be very useful and filled with valuable information."
"Very comprehensive, straight to the point and easy reading introduction to cider production."
"A beautiful and extremely detailed hard bound book."
"With this framework the cider makers will have a wide range of possibilities for making the cider that they like."
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Best Gardening & Horticulture Lawns

Lawn Gone!: Low-Maintenance, Sustainable, Attractive Alternatives for Your Yard
A colorful guide covering the basics of replacing a traditional lawn with a wide variety of easy-care, no-mow, drought-tolerant, money-saving options that will appeal to today's busy, eco-conscious homeowner. will inspire you to turn your front yard from lawn into luscious.”. -Amy Stewart, author of Wicked Plants and Flower Confidential “This thoughtful, inviting, and thoroughly useful book should be required for every new homeowner at closing. It has the power to transform residential landscapes from coast to coast and change the world we all share.”. -Lauren Springer Ogden, garden designer, author of The Undaunted Garden , coauthor of Plant-Driven Design and Waterwise Plants for Sustainable Gardens “The great American lawn is ubiquitous, but it’s not right for everyone. Thanks to this book, lawn mowers may become early-21st-century artifacts our grandkids puzzle over.”. -Debra Lee Baldwin, author of Designing with Succulents “With Lawn Gone!
Reviews
"This book is filled with great ideas and pictures for getting rid of grass and replacing it with attractive, low-water, low-maintenance alternatives."
"A little basic but a lot of encouragement for removing your thirsty grass lawn."
"Good book, learned a lot, got some good ideas."
"This is a very pertinent reference for our condo in Corpus Christi, TX, an arid region."
"The book does give you great ideas."
"I love this book, but I so wish there was more pictures of real world lawns "before" and "after" pictures."
"There is a good section on how to remove lawns and some good plant selection info."
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Best Gardening & Horticulture Essays

Plant Whatever Brings You Joy: Blessed Wisdom from the Garden
Over time and many gardens, and the creation of her award-winning gardening blog, she distilled her metaphorical observations into Plant Whatever Brings You Joy: Blessed Wisdom from the Garden. In it she lovingly offers readers 52 profound and memorable insights, sharing a lifetime of heartwarming and poignant stories, both in and out of the garden, designed to encourage and spark each reader’s own inner journey to find his or her own unique truth, joy and purpose. “A lifetime's worth of heartwarming and poignant stories” --GreenPrints magazine. “…one of the best books I have seen for the spiritual community.” --Ronney A. Aden, editor, Inner Words magazine. “A lifetime's worth of heartwarming and poignant stories” --GreenPrints magazine. “…one of the best books I have seen for the spiritual community.” --Ronney A. Aden, editor, Inner Words magazine. “Kathryn Hall has written a gentle book—she leads the reader from chapter to chapter as if wandering along a beautiful garden path.”--Book of the Month, A Garden Runs Through It, Master Gardeners, University of California, Davis, CA. “A fine survey of lessons learned from gardening...packed with wonderful insights perfect for gardening and new age libraries alike!”--California Bookwatch. "From cleaning up after a storm to resisting the idea of planting more than can be cared for this links gardening to life goals...packed with wonderful insights perfect for gardening and new age libraries alike!" "A fascinating read. "...a fine collection of connections to life and gardening make Plant Whatever Brings You Joy a remarkable and riveting read." It is my hope and intention that I have placed within your hands a simple tool which might resonate and take root in your hearts and minds, and that, through pondering, you will be brought closer to your own truths and your own precious souls.
Reviews
"Ms. Hall says, "Yet how aware are we of our core beliefs and the very thoughts we feed ourselves on a daily basis that are determining the culture in which we live and grow?" Ms. Hall asks us to take the time to evaluate just what we're putting into that metaphorical soil, and to use that knowledge to help determine whether we need to add more to it or if we're over-doing it. Whether she's raving over her gardeners and the lessons she learned from them, or laughing with you about the number of birds she ended up owning at one point in her life, Ms. Hall brings a comfortable humor to the situation. When she likens problems to weeds or blessings to fruits from the cultivated portions of the garden, she gives the reader something to grasp, to hold onto while trying to understand some very deep issues."
"Each chapter is a corresponding metaphor to achieve a nurturing balance in one’s own inner world; lovingly tending to the soul as one would care for the garden."
"Instead I lingered on every word, after every chapter and considered how I could apply these lessons to my life, my world and not just my gardening experience."
"Plant Whatever Brings You Joy is a delightful read that has the power to change your life for the better."
"I purchased this for my mom, Doreen, and the following is her review: Plant whatever brings you joy was one of the best gifts that I received from my daughter."
"Beautiful book in so many ways!"
"As an avid gardener and a lover of positive psychology/philosophy, I am all too familiar with the profound life lessons that you can learn simply by spending time in a garden and observing and taking part what happens there. I never expected that when I started gardening that the benefit of tending to those plants would actually fill my entire life."
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Best Gardening & Horticulture Flowers

Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden: Grow, Harvest, and Arrange Stunning Seasonal Blooms
From Erin Benzakein, a leader in the locaflor farm-to-centerpiece movement and owner of internationally renowned Floret Flower Farm, Cut Flower Garden is equal parts instruction and inspiration—a book overflowing with lush photography of magnificent flowers and breathtaking arrangements organized by season. - Stephen Orr, editor in chief, Better Homes and Gardens. "One of the leading voices in the farmer-florist movement, Erin is a tireless advocate for locally-grown flowers. "I met Erin Benzakein more than ten years ago when she was a young mom growing sweet peas and dreaming of making her living from flowers. And now she's sharing that dream with the world - everyone from fellow flower enthusiasts to emerging farmer-florists to veteran designers yearning for a new, seasonal and sustainable model of floristry. In her debut book she not only introduces us to the basics of growing our own flowers, she shares her deep love and understanding of gardening in a way that will leave even the most doubtful grower feeling inspired to get their hands in the dirt." Her first book is deliciously gorgeous and incredibly comprehensive- combining practical advice alongside a huge overdose of seasonal inspiration. Erin Benzakein's gorgeous new book, Floret Farm's Cut Flower Garden, is equal parts inspiration and education. The layout is simultaneously appealing and practical; Floret's signature lush photographs beautifully illustrate all stages of cut flower production and design through the seasons. Filled with clear growing techniques, detailed harvesting instructions and other tips of the trade, this book is a true gift to anyone wanting to generate good income from the craft of flower farming on a small-scale.
Reviews
"broken down into flowers of the season... author gives several varieties of her favorite flowers."
"What a book, just about everything you need to know, and her years of experience have been put into this book."
"Beautiful, inspiring, complete, thorough, full of heart and current guide, that can be adapted to farms of all sizes."
"I don't even have a yard/garden right now as I'm renting but this book has been so fun to read and to dream!"
"If you love flowers, you will love this book."
"I wish I bought this as a digital copy so that I could carry everywhere to read."
"Love this book!"
"Cannot put it down!"
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Best Gardening & Horticulture Techniques

Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible
With 512 full color pages and 1120 full color photographs and illustrations, Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible is the most complete cultivation book available. He puts more than thirty years of expert cannabis growing knowledge and hands-on experience at your fingertips with his books, articles, photographs, and a new DVD. His expert advice has guided millions of growers worldwide to apply simple, effective horticultural techniques to high-yield closet, basement, backyard, and guerilla gardens. In his monthly question-and-answer column, “Jorge’s Rx,” the flagship of High Times magazine’s cultivation section, Cervantes provides definitive solutions to growers’ problems.
Reviews
"This is the standard for the amateur/novice grower it has everything you will need and more."
"excellent book for anyone who is looking to get basic knowledge."
"love the dvd, fast speedy service, A+."
"Jorge Cervantes, is the one and only master grower!"
"good book with great pictures."
"Great book but needs to be updated."
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Best Gardening & Horticulture Reference

The Drunken Botanist
In The Drunken Botanist , Amy Stewart explores the dizzying array of herbs, flowers, trees, fruits, and fungi that humans have, through ingenuity, inspiration, and sheer desperation, contrived to transform into alcohol over the centuries. An Amazon Best Book of the Month, March 2013 : Peppered with fascinating facts and well-chosen anecdotes, Amy Stewart’s brisk tour of the origin of spirits acquaints the curious cocktail fan with every conceivable ingredient. Starting with the classics (from agave to wheat), she touches on obscure sources--including a tree that dates to the dinosaur age--before delving into the herbs, spices, flowers, trees, fruits, and nuts that give the world’s greatest drinks distinctive flavors. Along the way, you’ll enjoy sidebars on bugs in booze and inspired drink recipes with backstories that make lively cocktail party conversation. ( Forbes ). “Lest you think this is for the imbibers only, a teetotaler foodie, gardener or naturalist will be just as intoxicated by the dashing wit and detailed lore.” — BookPage.
Reviews
"Great read, more of a informational book to read to really get to know all the spices/herbs etc."
"Am highlighting places to check out on our trip to Italy this summer."
"Along with some history the author includes cocktail recipes which utilized some more obscure liqueurs."
"Anyone who enjoys plants and booze of any kind--beer, spirits, cocktails, wine, etc.--must read this book!"
"It's a very cool little book, and I learned quite a bit in the short amount of time I leafed though it."
"purchased as a gift, great little book full of lots of info for the gardener /drink lover in your life."
"Really fun to read and learn!"
"Bought this for a friend, but I read a bit to preview and it was great."
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Best Gardening & Horticulture Vegetables

All New Square Foot Gardening, Second Edition: The Revolutionary Way to Grow More In Less Space
He also explains how you can make gardening fun for kids by teaching them the square foot method. "Bartholomew, author of the popular Square Foot Gardening (1981), has refined his original square-foot gardening concept by adding ten improvements, including a new location for the garden that is closer to the house, a special soil mix, and six-inch deep, 4' x 4' above-ground boxes with grids. He clearly explains the square-foot concept, from the rationale behind it (the square-foot garden takes up much less space than traditional row gardening and saves time, money, and aggravation) to how to plan the garden, build the boxes and vertical supports, and employ his planting and cultural techniques.
Reviews
"The thought of tilling our soil was too daunting, so we put the gardening project on hold for several years. This year we decided to "go for it" and the idea of using raised garden beds made sense (due to our horrible local soil). One of the key elements of this book is the innovative composition of the soil used in the garden beds. I'll quote a portion of the book that discusses the ideal soil: "There are three characteristics of a perfect growing mix. Next, it is nutrient rich and has all the minerals and trace elements that plants need without adding fertilizers. Mr. Bartholomew goes on to say, "After many experiments, I found three of my favorite ingredients made the perfect mix when combined in equal portions." Ok. Now, something about cost that will make you feel better: When using this mix again for another planting season, you do not need to ever again add vermiculite and peat moss. I also needed seeds, seed starters, ingredients for organic pest control mixture (I chose neem oil and organic liquid peppermint soap - I got this idea from the Global Healing Center... they wrote an article entitled "10 Organic Homemade Pesticides"), a water hose nozzle, garden fabric (for underneath raised beds), and other miscellaneous items. Fortunately, a dear older couple is giving us their anti critter materials because they no longer garden. Again, all of these prices can vary dramatically, but I'm just giving you a ball park figure based on my own experience. Available information at this website includes a blog by Mel Bartholomew as well as a forum with posts from SFG gardeners from around the world. In the forum, moderators and SFG gardeners provide a huge amount of supporting information. Based on my family's experience so far (we are at the indoor seed raising stage), I have to highly recommend this book. UPDATE 3/2013: We are in the process of determining where our raised beds should be located based on sun exposure. QUICK SEED STARTING TIP: My daughter and I found that a turkey baster is excellent for watering seedlings gently and precisely. UPDATE 4/23/2013: I have had various experiences (very bad and very good) with Jiffy seed starters (pellets). I started my beds a bit late in the season, but there is still time for them to produce a good harvest. I think my successes are completely due to the SFG method (vermiculite water retention is great). I know that my situation is unusual, but I think it is a credit to this method that if circumstances are less than perfect, you won't have a total loss. My Black Krim tomatoes produced a nice amount of juicy and sweet fruits (and they are still going). Those tomatoes not planted with basil nearby had some leaves stripped off by caterpillars (I'm not sure if there was a direct connection, perhaps it was a coincidence). We got one beautiful Sugar Baby watermelon (a personal sized melon and you typically only get one or two per plant each season). Our chives survived and even our carrots did ok. Our squash, bell pepper, and eggplant, and cucumber plants fared badly. I took a big chance on the radishes because they hate very hot weather (I at least wanted to try). UPDATE 01/10/2014: Despite bitter cold days (sometimes in the teens), I have been having fantastic success with winter variety vegetables. These included: Lunar White, Solar Yellow, Cosmic Purple, Atomic Red, Bambino and Dark Knight. UPDATE 3/23/2014: I planted tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, anaheim chiles and eggplant 2/21/2014. The "in-and-out" thing (no pun intended for my CA readers who are burger lovers), can be tiresome. UPDATE 4/13/2014: Unfortunately, my family and I did not make a concerted effort to prepare our own compost during the past months. I have been getting some good advice from folks at the Square Foot Gardening Forum. The good news is that I have gotten lots of Anaheim peppers, tomatoes of all sorts of varieties and and an eggplant (with more to come it looks like). I set up a large pot full of Mel's Mix and in it I have rosemary, thyme and ginger. With regard to tomato horn worms: After my daughter saw the first one of the season, I applied BT Thuricide. Something interesting: My daughter has foregone her flower bed for winter variety vegetables."
"I read this book last winter and my husband built 5 boxes for me for my summer 2016 garden. Lettuce grew great but other plants grew to about 4 inches and then seemed to stop. This increased my depth (6 inches just was not getting the job done) and lessened the percentage of vermiculite which was making Mel's mix too light and dusty. The book says to use 1/3 vermiculite which might work for growing flowers, herbs, lettuce but next time I will make his mix with only 1/5 vermiculite."
"I'm an absolute novice at vegetable gardening and this book was among the 6 books I found at the library."
"The only people selling organics at the farmer's market were the square foot gardeners. It was such a powerful testimony of all the ways people win when it comes to personal gardens!"
"Not only did I learn how easy it was to put together a small garden, but I also really enjoyed reading Mel's story on how he developed the SFG method."
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Best Gardening & Horticulture Landscape

Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms
After years of living in awe of the mysterious fungi known as mushrooms-chefs, health enthusiasts, and home cooks alike can't get enough of these rich, delicate morsels. He is the author of two seminal textbooks, The Mushroom Cultivator and GROWING GOURMET AND MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS, has been published in numerous journals, and is presenting more lectures on mycology than he can keep track of.
Reviews
"They carry great books and are a seller worth using in the future."
"Excellent book full of great information."
"This was a replacement for me."
"Although I have yet to grow my own, this book has answered many of my beginner's questions plus given me fodder for plot twists involving mushrooms in my mystery writing."
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Best Gardening & Horticulture House Plants

Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible
With 512 full color pages and 1120 full color photographs and illustrations, Marijuana Horticulture: The Indoor/Outdoor Medical Grower's Bible is the most complete cultivation book available. He puts more than thirty years of expert cannabis growing knowledge and hands-on experience at your fingertips with his books, articles, photographs, and a new DVD. His expert advice has guided millions of growers worldwide to apply simple, effective horticultural techniques to high-yield closet, basement, backyard, and guerilla gardens. In his monthly question-and-answer column, “Jorge’s Rx,” the flagship of High Times magazine’s cultivation section, Cervantes provides definitive solutions to growers’ problems.
Reviews
"This is the standard for the amateur/novice grower it has everything you will need and more."
"excellent book for anyone who is looking to get basic knowledge."
"love the dvd, fast speedy service, A+."
"Jorge Cervantes, is the one and only master grower!"
"good book with great pictures."
"Great book but needs to be updated."
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Best Garden Furnishings

Crafting with Wood Pallets: Projects for Rustic Furniture, Decor, Art, Gifts and more
CREATIVE DESIGNS FOR ONE-OF-A-KIND, UPCYCLED PROJECTS USING THE WORLD'S MOST WIDELY AVAILABLE RECLAIMED WOOD Crafting with Wood Pallets offers readers innovative new projects for transforming wood pallets into all types of beautiful, useful items for the home and garden. When not building, Becky enjoys spending time outdoors with her family in her home state, Montana.
Reviews
"Bought this as a gift."
"My dad loves it."
"Great little book I can't wait to start making stuff already have a stack of pallets."
"Bought it as a gift and they love it!"
"I was disappointed in this book."
"Very good book."
"It has a lot of interesting DIY projects I believe I will be able to use.my purpose for buying the book was for the potting bench.even though I haven't tried it yet I believe this something I'm going to be able to put together myself."
"Great book."
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Best Garden Design

Growing Gourmet and Medicinal Mushrooms
After years of living in awe of the mysterious fungi known as mushrooms-chefs, health enthusiasts, and home cooks alike can't get enough of these rich, delicate morsels. He is the author of two seminal textbooks, The Mushroom Cultivator and GROWING GOURMET AND MEDICINAL MUSHROOMS, has been published in numerous journals, and is presenting more lectures on mycology than he can keep track of.
Reviews
"it's good, and reliable for the temp, lighting."
"Exceptional depth of information, a must for anyone serious about growing mushrooms."
"The old testament of mushroom growing is all I can say."
"One of the best text books in mushroom cultivation."
"Purchased this book for my Father's birthday present and hit a home run with this book."
"If you intend to grow mushrooms on any scale, this book is for you."
"They carry great books and are a seller worth using in the future."
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Best Shade Gardening

Build a $1500 Portable Greenhouse or Garden Shed For $150 In Just a few hours without a kit!
Someone else is buying the extra plants, which pays for MY potting soil, trays, etc. Another summer idea is to cover it with shade cloth and grow heat sensitive plants in there. This design fits nicely into a small backyard, but can be expanded to accommodate a larger commercial setup too. There are testimonials from New Zealand, the UK, Australia, Canada, and the EU as to the ease of construction and simplicity of design. Not only that, but I hope this will help you wean yourself off the big box store’s expensive array of seedling plants, both vegetable and ornamental, and grow your own. I’ve even included a link to an 18 minute step-by-step video detailing the simple construction of this greenhouse! In fact, in the last section of this book, I'LL SHOW you how to make a shed for goats or other things that need to be sheltered from the elements (like garden equipment) by installing a corrugated metal roof.
Reviews
"This book lays out a great plan for building a great green house and for the price, you cant beat it."
"We built this awesome greenhouse last month for our high altitude climate (9,000 feet) in Colorado. We spent a little over $200 (used 2 panels), but bought extra hardware, braces, etc."
"I bought this book to make a greenhouse at our home."
"Back to the e-book... ...Homestead Advisor has put together a very clear, easy to read guide to building your own greenhouse. PERIOD, Do yourself a favor, stand around Circle K for 10 mins begging for change in order to buy this e-book."
"It has all the details and instructions so you don't need to spent time guessing."
"These instructions cover all the bases, answering solutions to potential problems and the photos show you what the greenhouse should look like step by step."
"The materials are easy to find locally in my case and links are given for those less common items. I have most of the materials already on hand just need to order the automatic vent opener, cant wait to get started."
"If you've ever thought about building a greenhouse, you owe it to yourself to get this book!"
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Best Ornamental Plant Gardening

Succulents Simplified: Growing, Designing, and Crafting with 100 Easy-Care Varieties
Succulents are hot. "In her new book, Succulents Simplified:Growing, Designing, and Crafting with 100 Easy-Care Varieties , Baldwin even tells of a Jade plant that has lasted for more than two decades in her garden with various stages of neglect! "Anyone who knows Debra Lee Baldwin is aware of her extraordinary prowess as an author, writer, photographer, and artist...her book, Succulents Simplified , is a work of art." From quick and easy succulent rosettes for bouquets, to teeny tiny mint-tin gardens, to succulent-topped pumpkins there's a project in this book for even the most craft-challenged." "Debra is nothing if not passionate about succulents...In S ucculents Simplified (Timber Press) she demystifies these popular low-water beauties." When we returned home, my mother described the house to my father: "Big picture windows, but imagine having to clean them. Others were necklaces of blue-gray buttons, rubbery silver-blue roses, and sticks of green chalk with windowed tips. It became something I longed for, along with a saltwater aquarium, a hot air balloon, and an unlimited supply of chocolate marshmallows. In slanted early morning or late afternoon sun, red margins burn neon bright, spines incandesce, fuzzy filaments shimmer, and leaves reveal glowing hues of rose, orange, purple, and blue. It's a guide for novice enthusiasts, a quick reference for anyone seeking an overview, and a vehicle for presenting design ideas I'm excited about.
Reviews
"Her first two books, Designing with Succulents and Succulent Container Gardens, are still the most thoughtful, in-depth guides to those topics available. That's where Debra's new book, Succulents Simplified, comes in. Succulents Simplified has three sections: · How to grow and design with succulents successfully. · How-to projects that showcase succulents. · Debra's top 100 easy-care succulents. Even though I'm a landscaping professional, I'm definitely no succulent expert, so having Debra's keep-it-simple tips for how to succeed with them are incredibly useful to me. What I love best about this section is that Debra gives us the tools to create our own projects from her instructions - not only is there endless variety in terms of which succulents you choose, but each project has huge potential for you to personalize it and make it your own in other ways. I adore the in-depth information in her other two books and refer to them frequently, but I think the ease-of-use, inspirational photos and DIY projects, and the simple reference guide to the most common and noteworthy succulents is going to make this my favorite of the three to recommend people start with, because it has a little bit of everything you need, no matter how deep your interest in succulents."
"It is a five for Pictures didn't know how pretty Cacti could be."
"Gave me all the info I need to design a xeriscape yard, wedding bouquet and living wall."
"Perfect."
"Since I live in the southwestern U.S. in the fifth year of drought, this book has helped me change over to many less thirsty, but lovely plants."
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Best Recreational Area Gardening

The Backyard Homestead: Produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre!
This comprehensive guide to homesteading provides all the information you need to grow and preserve a sustainable harvest of grains and vegetables; raise animals for meat, eggs, and dairy; and keep honey bees for your sweeter days. The garden plans are solid, the advice crisp; the diagrams, as on pruning and double digging, are models of decorum. At warp speed, we’re growing our own hops and making our own beer, planting our own wheat fields, keeping chickens (ho hum), ducks, geese, and turkeys (now we’re talking) and milking goats, butchering lamb, raising rabbits, and grinding sausage. Andrea Chesman's indispensable guide to gathering, processing, preserving, and eating the fruits of your backyard homestead ensures that nothing goes to waste.
Reviews
"Yep, it's super small but maxed out for year-round produce thanks to the great ideas contained within."
"I bought the set of 3, so I figured it would be a good start for someone like me."
"This is a really interesting book, and gives you loads of information on different types of crops you can plant, when and how to maximize gardens of different sizes."
"It's hard work to pack so much into a small space but for many that's all you've got."
"It's a great book and it makes planning things on the homestead really simple."
"Very informative book."
"For the homesteader questions you may have."
"But now that I have fruit trees to prune and chicks to raise, I'm not looking to this book for information. I killed all of them, until getting Grow Great Grub: Organic Food from Small Spaces), which revealed why the rosemary survived but did not grow (too small a pot), why the basil died (unrelenting exposure to wind), how all of them could have benefited from mulch, and how to make simple plant foods. And if you've always wanted to grow herbs, but wondered what you might do with them beyond cooking, then absolutely get Making It: Radical Home Ec for a Post-Consumer World, a brilliant DIY book on everything from making your own shampoo to beer to how to slaughter a chicken (The Backyard Homestead refers you to other books for any slaughtering instructions). But think of it more as a course catalogue for college, that thick book (if they still put those out) that lists every class a college offers along with a brief description for each, rather than as the classes themselves. Use it to sketch out which topics you'd like to study, then find other resources (mentors, workshops, youtube demonstrations, books, meetup groups, feed stores, nurseries, magazines like Urban Farm) and go from there."
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Best Japanese Garden

Bonsai: The Beginners Guide
Although caring for a Bonsai tree is not nearly as difficult as most people believe, you need to learn about some basic techniques in order to keep your tree thriving. The book includes: - Over 200 stunning images. - Over 100 pages. - Explanations of the basic techniques. - Care guides on the 10 most popular tree species. - Background on the history, definition and styles. Bonsai Empire is the international platform for Bonsai enthusiasts, dedicated to sharing knowledge about growing Bonsai trees.
Reviews
"On the other hand, the photographs on the "how to" bonsai techniques are wonderful and better than those available in many other sources I've seen."
"A great new bonsai book!"
"For those of us who love the art form of Bonsai, this book represents a must read, the first step in the right direction."
"Great book for beginners and as a refresher for more advanced bonsai students."
"This will be a very good reference book as I start my journey growing my own bonsai."
"Oscar Jonker is a top bonsai educator who is raising the level of bonsai understanding and artistry worldwide."
"An introductory guide with good enough depth for beginner to kickstart bonsai interest."
"This book is a great resource for those new to Bonsai."
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Best Greenhouses

The Year-Round Solar Greenhouse: How to Design and Build a Net-Zero Energy Greenhouse
Comprehensive coverage of passive solar greenhouse design including material selection, building methods and how to store thermal energy using a variety of simple and innovative strategies. The Year-round Solar Greenhouse is the one-stop guide to designing and building greenhouses that harness and store energy from the sun to create naturally heated, lush growing environments even in the depths of winter, covering principles of solar greenhouse design and siting, glazing material properties and selection, controlling heat loss, ventilation, and construction methods. Marc has spent the past decade applying his expertise in green building and engineering mindset to building better greenhouses, with the intention of enabling people to grow their own food sustainably, year-round.
Reviews
"Great information for several options in self sustained gardening year round."
"Great ideas."
"great information in the book, so glad I got it."
"I was particularly interested in seeing what Lindsey had to say about growing in above ground greenhouses and providing natural supplemental heat to greenhouses, as I have been studying and writing about Chinese greenhouses for the past two years. Lindsey shows how this can be accomplished in an above-ground greenhouse."
"I am working with Ms. Schiller's company to design a small solar greenhouse modeled on her principles."
"That is true in a sense but that is because passive solar principles are basic, it is not complicated but you have to get the details right. There are a number of excellent books referenced in the "further reading" sections at the end of each chapter."
"I am currently building a net zero greenhouse in the Mojave desert, this book has all of the design information needed to succeed."
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Best Regional

Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, Updated and Expanded
This simple revelation about the food web—and it is an intricate web, not a chain—is the driving force in Bringing Nature Home .” — The New York Times As development and subsequent habitat destruction accelerate, there are increasing pressures on wildlife populations. Such an imbalance, Tallamy declares, can lead to a weakened food chain that will no longer be able to support birds and other animal life. With nothing less than the future of North American biodiversity at stake, Tallamy imparts an encouraging message: it's not too late to save the ecosystem-sustaining matrix of insects and animals, and the solution is as easy as replacing alien plants with natives. Haggas, Carol Bringing Nature Home opens our eyes to an environmental problem of staggering proportions. ( Warwick Beacon ). "This book will not only foster a love of the outdoors in all who read it, but also create a deeper understanding and appreciation of the intricate web of wildlife outside your door." "In an area that is as open and wooded as ours, we may not be aware that there is more to the need for natives than concern about invasive species that upset an ecosystem. "Tallamy makes such a compelling case for the importance of insects to birds that I’ve completely changed the way I garden. "Tallamy illustrates well how gardeners have contributed greatly to tipping the environment off balance and how they are equally able to turn the trend … Plants and insects are integrally intertwined.
Reviews
"This book has made me aware of the decrease in using native plants which results in fewer pollinators in our gardens."
"Just took a class on Prairies in Minnesota and I have a bit of land I am returning to prairie land."
"A good tutorial on why native plants are a better fit for your local environment than the run of the mill nursery or catalog stock."
"this book should be required reading in every school."
"Excellent book,very informative,on why we need to bring natural plants,back to there,natural environment."
"This is the most important book I have read this year."
"This book is packed full to the brim of photographs, information, and reasons why we should be doing these things and how to go about it, and 3 great appendix at the end."
"This book will transform your thinking about nature.....the importance of our understanding of our amazing earth and the plants that bring the sun's energy to earth to sustain all life...including people!."
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Best By Climate

Succulents Simplified: Growing, Designing, and Crafting with 100 Easy-Care Varieties
Succulents are hot. "In her new book, Succulents Simplified:Growing, Designing, and Crafting with 100 Easy-Care Varieties , Baldwin even tells of a Jade plant that has lasted for more than two decades in her garden with various stages of neglect! "Anyone who knows Debra Lee Baldwin is aware of her extraordinary prowess as an author, writer, photographer, and artist...her book, Succulents Simplified , is a work of art." From quick and easy succulent rosettes for bouquets, to teeny tiny mint-tin gardens, to succulent-topped pumpkins there's a project in this book for even the most craft-challenged." "Debra is nothing if not passionate about succulents...In S ucculents Simplified (Timber Press) she demystifies these popular low-water beauties." When we returned home, my mother described the house to my father: "Big picture windows, but imagine having to clean them. Others were necklaces of blue-gray buttons, rubbery silver-blue roses, and sticks of green chalk with windowed tips. It became something I longed for, along with a saltwater aquarium, a hot air balloon, and an unlimited supply of chocolate marshmallows. In slanted early morning or late afternoon sun, red margins burn neon bright, spines incandesce, fuzzy filaments shimmer, and leaves reveal glowing hues of rose, orange, purple, and blue. It's a guide for novice enthusiasts, a quick reference for anyone seeking an overview, and a vehicle for presenting design ideas I'm excited about.
Reviews
"Her first two books, Designing with Succulents and Succulent Container Gardens, are still the most thoughtful, in-depth guides to those topics available. That's where Debra's new book, Succulents Simplified, comes in. Succulents Simplified has three sections: · How to grow and design with succulents successfully. · How-to projects that showcase succulents. · Debra's top 100 easy-care succulents. Even though I'm a landscaping professional, I'm definitely no succulent expert, so having Debra's keep-it-simple tips for how to succeed with them are incredibly useful to me. What I love best about this section is that Debra gives us the tools to create our own projects from her instructions - not only is there endless variety in terms of which succulents you choose, but each project has huge potential for you to personalize it and make it your own in other ways. I adore the in-depth information in her other two books and refer to them frequently, but I think the ease-of-use, inspirational photos and DIY projects, and the simple reference guide to the most common and noteworthy succulents is going to make this my favorite of the three to recommend people start with, because it has a little bit of everything you need, no matter how deep your interest in succulents."
"It is a five for Pictures didn't know how pretty Cacti could be."
"Gave me all the info I need to design a xeriscape yard, wedding bouquet and living wall."
"Perfect."
"Since I live in the southwestern U.S. in the fifth year of drought, this book has helped me change over to many less thirsty, but lovely plants."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Bonsai

Bonsai: The Beginners Guide
Although caring for a Bonsai tree is not nearly as difficult as most people believe, you need to learn about some basic techniques in order to keep your tree thriving. The book includes: - Over 200 stunning images. - Over 100 pages. - Explanations of the basic techniques. - Care guides on the 10 most popular tree species. - Background on the history, definition and styles. Bonsai Empire is the international platform for Bonsai enthusiasts, dedicated to sharing knowledge about growing Bonsai trees.
Reviews
"Hi Oscar. It’s plain and easy to read with just enough description and explanation's so as not to confuse, I think for the more advanced it would be useful as well."
"On the other hand, the photographs on the "how to" bonsai techniques are wonderful and better than those available in many other sources I've seen."
"A great new bonsai book!"
"For those of us who love the art form of Bonsai, this book represents a must read, the first step in the right direction."
"Great book for beginners and as a refresher for more advanced bonsai students."
"This will be a very good reference book as I start my journey growing my own bonsai."
"Oscar Jonker is a top bonsai educator who is raising the level of bonsai understanding and artistry worldwide."
"An introductory guide with good enough depth for beginner to kickstart bonsai interest."
Find Best Price at Amazon