Customer Reviews

Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Resource for Every Gardener

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great overview book. No, it doesn't go into great depth, but it's always my first stop when I'm either curious, troubleshooting or just can't remember when to do what. Lot's of other books offer deeper info on the subject, it's not a handbook on organic technique (I recommend Eliot Coleman for that), but for quick checks and enough info to go squish that bug or leave it be, this helps.

I thought I was getting a 700 page book on organic concepts. Instead, this is a manual which briefly deals with anything garden related. Hundreds of pages are devoted to minimal information about specific plants (I had already purchased much better documention for this purpose) and also topics such as making potpourri, designing a landscape, and making a path.

It doesn't touch on topics which I've learned elsewhere online. For instance, I've been interested in using compost tea in my garden. The book has exactly 58 words devoted to this subject. It doesn't even touch on how to make aerated compost teas or the concept of applying compost tea as a foliar feed for plant disease control.

At least everything is alphabetical (the "encyclopedia" part in the name) so it's easy to find.

If you are looking for an all-in-one book for anything garden related, this might be your book. If you are looking for specific organic gardening information, look elsewhere. You will have to dig mighty hard to find detailed organic concepts in this book.

Most of the material found in this book can be obtained from your state university extension or on the web, often times in greater detail. Although reasonably priced, this reference contains only surface level information.

I own and refer to numerous gardening books, but this one is the backbone of my library. I highly recommend it to every novice and advanced gardener. If you only buy one gardening book, this should be the one.

It is indeed the indispensable resource for every gardener! I've had mine for a couple of years now and I'm constantly referencing it for organic and gardening information. Rodale is one of the best publishers on gardening and I always look for books printed by them first. It has diagrams on how to make a compost bin and thourghly explains how to build, maintain, and the process of compost making. It is a terrific cross-reference guide to every gardener for botoical names and common names of trees, plants, shrubs, fruits, and vegetables. I highly recommend this book to all beginning and expert gardeners.

I've been running an organic gardening web site since 1995 and hardly a day has passed that I don't reach behind me (without looking now) and pull this book out. Many of my readers have bought this book on my suggestion and they are all happy with it too.

I like the way the book is organized, and I really like the way they stress soil health as an important component to organic gardening. As some of the reviews have noted, this book leans to cold climates, but that's no big deal, really. The information translates well for those of us lucky enough to be planting two gardens a year.

This is, first and foremost, a reference book, and a damn fine place to start....

supak.com

Like cookbooks, there are hundreds of gardening books. Where to begin? These 690 pages will answer 95 percent of your questions. After gardening for decades I still find myself taking a quick peek here before preparing soil for a specific plant. Four big categories: gardening technique, organic garden management, food crops, ornamental plants. Hundreds of specific entries quickly found. This is your basic gardening reference book.

I have poked through endless shelves of gardening books, seeking the one, complete gardening book that I could use as a reference for everything! I was looking for one that would tell not only how to plant and grow things, but also how to harvest and prepare the products. How should you cut your asparagus so as not to damage the crowns? How do you dry your herbs? This was one of the few gardening books that addressed this aspect.

This was not its only outstanding characteristic. Not only does this book address the vegetable garden, it also tackles anything the home gardener is likely to face. Houseplants, trees and shrubs, ornamental plants as well as productive plants. It covers general topics, such as crop rotation, in addition to specific plants. And it is all arranged alphabetically, and nicely cross-indexed, so that you can nearly always find what you need.

The first and second time I bought this book, it was as a gift. I finally had to get it for myself as well. It is the best I have found so far.

This book is the most basic, and most frequently used, gardening book I own. Rodale uses layman's terms which the beginning or expert gardener will readily understand. The text is comprehensive in its plant listings. I use it all the time!

An excellent overview of soil, plants, and pest and disease control. Some entries (such as peppers or mushrooms) are terse or absent, but a more definative guide would be ten volumes this size and unaffordable. Other entries [such as cane/bramble fruits and asparagus] are so well illustrated that I intend to jump into them next season, possibly without even seeking further texts. I purchased my copy straight from Rodale - without the discount from Amazon - so your copy will hold even greater value. :} It does seem geared more towards cooler climates, but since I get the benifit of a longer growing season, I can give the Zone 4 folk the textual bias!