20 Best Books On Organic Gardening (2023 Update)

Winner of the garden media guild (uk) practical book of the year award for 2017 no dig organic gardening saves time and work. it requires an annual dressing of compost to help accelerate the improvement in soil structure and leads to higher fertility and less weeds. no dig experts charles dowding and stephanie hafferty, explain how to set up a no dig garden, including how to: – make compost and enrich soil – learn skills you need to sow and grow annual and perennial veg – harvest and prepare food year round – make natural cosmetics, cleaning products, and garden preparations the no dig approach works as well in small spaces as in large gardens. the authors' combined experience covers methods of growing, preparing and storing the plants you grow for many uses, and includes recipes and ideas for increasing self-reliance, saving money, living sustainably, and enjoying the pleasure of growing your own food, year round. an acknowledged expert in no dig and author of a half-dozen books on the subject, charles' advice is distilled from 35 years of growing vegetables intensively and efficiently. stephanie, a kitchen gardener, grows in her small, productive home garden and allotment, and creates no dig gardens for restaurants and private estates. she creates delicious seasonal recipes made from the vegetables anyone can grow. she also explains how to use common plants you can grow and forage for to make handmade preparations for the home and garden.

Charles dowding has been practicing no-dig organic growing for over thirty years. in this new, full-color edition of organic gardening he shares the wealth of his experience, explaining his approach to soil and plants and revealing the range of techniques that have enabled him to grow healthy and vibrant plants for decades. his success is based on some key principles:no-dig enhances soil structure and encourages healthy growth, especially when soil life is encouraged and multiplied through the addition of good compost and manure. – organic matter is best spread on the surface – just leave it on top and let the worms take it in, aerating the soil as they do so. – when starting with weedy soil there is a period of three to twelve months, depending on weed types, when the emphasis is on cleaning and improving the soil. – using a no-dig method you can easily control weeds with just a little hand weeding or hoeing every ten days or so, when weeds are small. – based on this approach and his experience with a system of permanent, slightly raised beds, organic gardening: the natural no-dig way shows you how to grow a delicious variety of fruit and vegetables: what to choose; when to sow, plant and harvest; and how best to avoid pests and diseases without the need to dig.

Whether you're new to being organic or an old pro, there are many benefits to adding an organic garden to your backyard, patio, windowsill, or even driveway. you don't have to have a large backyard or a large wallet for that matter to benefit from this method. you don't even have to spend that much time for daily maintenance if you know the right tricks. at first, going organic may seem like a handful, but you'll soon learn that this process can be much simpler and fulfilling than you might think. by taking up organic gardening, you can find therapeutic peace while tending your gardening, increased physical exercise, recycle waste to turn into compost rather than allowing it to build up in landfills, lower the number of chemical-based pesticides and herbicides in the environment, and find increased health for both you and your loved ones as you're provided with nutritious and flavorful harvest season after season… whether you choose to use a traditional garden bed, raised beds, container gardening, or square foot gardening, with this book you'll learn all the tricks you need to have a healthy and thriving crop and harvest. no longer will you have to rely on the chemical-laden and taste-deficient vegetables and fruits from the grocery store. by choosing organic gardening, you'll be able to grow fresh produce free of nasty chemicals, full of nutrients, and bursting with flavor. traveling no further than your backyard to your dining room table, this produce will be the freshest food you've ever enjoyed… with the helpful knowledge presented in this book, there's no reason to not practice organic gardening. if you choose to take up this practice, you'll thank yourself later. are you ready for a better and healthier life? this five-in-one series includes the following 5 books: 1. (book 1) 2. organic vegetable gardening: beginner's guide to quickly learn and master how to grow your own vegetables and how to start a healthy garden at home (book 2) 3. hydroponics: beginner's guide to quickly start growing your own vegetables, fruits, & herbs and learn how to build your own hydroponics home gardening system (book 3) 4. aquaponics: beginner's guide to building your own aquaponics garden system that will grow organic vegetables, fruits, herbs and raising fish with your own aquaponics home gardening system (book 4) 5. greenhouse gardening: beginner's guide to growing your own vegetables, fruits and herbs all year-round and learn how to quickly build your own greenhouse garden (book 5) the time has never been riper to get your hands dirty with organic gardening. in the end, you'll reap the rewards of these efforts in ways both local and global. to feed your family and friends food that you grow is an immeasurable pleasure, the ultimate act of love, and to do this in a way that supports environmental sustainability is quite literally groundbreaking. sustenance is more than mere fuel for the body- it's an active fare for the spirit! grab your copy of organic gardening now!

You’re excited to plant your first vegetable garden—but where to start? *winner of the gardencomm 2022 media awards silver award of achievement in the photography/book general readership category* homesteader jessica sowards, the warm and energetic host of youtube’s roots and refuge farm, is the perfect teacher for new gardeners, offering not just know-how but inspiration and time-management tips for success. before you sink your hands into the soil, she’ll answer all those questions rolling around inside your head: where do i put my new garden? how do i prepare the soil? what vegetables should i plant? is it better to start new plants from seed or should i buy transplants? what about watering, feeding, and taking care of my garden? what do i do if bugs show up? there are no stupid questions here. everyone has to start somewhere, after all. not only will you learn how to prepare, plant, and tend your first vegetable garden, you’ll also learn: how to design an eco-friendly layout how to grow with the seasons how to maximize your harvest, even if you only grow in a small space jessica wants your first food-growing experience to be a positive one, and she’s prepared to go the distance to make sure tending the earth becomes your new favorite hobby. a single growing season is all it takes to fall in love with growing your own healthy, organic, nutrient-dense food. with jessica as your guide, you’ll soon discover all the satisfactions, challenges, and great joys of growing your own food garden. this book is part of the first-time gardener’s guides series from cool springs press, which also includes the first-time gardener: growing plants and flowers and the first-time gardener: raised bed gardening. each book in the first-time gardener’s guides series is aimed at beginner gardeners and offers clear, fact-based information that’s presented in a friendly and accessible way, including step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations throughout.

Gardeners tend to assume that any organic product is automatically safe for humans and beneficial to the environment—and in most cases this is true. the problem, as jeff gillman points out in this fascinating, well-researched book, is that it is not always true, and the exceptions to the rule can pose a significant threat to human health. to cite just one example, animal manures in compost can be a source of harmful e. coli contamination if imporperly treated. gillman's contention is that all gardening products and practices—organic and synthetic—need to be examined on a case-by-case basis to determine both whether they are safe and whether they accomplish the task for which they are intended.ultimately, gillman concludes, organic methods are preferable in most situations that gardeners are likely to encounter. after reading this eye-opening book, you will understand why, and why knowledge is the gardener's most important tool.

The award-winning television and podcast host joe lamp’l is here with insider tips and next-level insight for creating a lush, fruitful, and resilient vegetable garden. just when you think you have a secure grip on what it takes to grow a vegetable garden, a pro like joe comes along to surprise you with a wheelbarrow full of new-to-you information to knock your gardening socks right off. in the vegetable gardening book, joe distills insight from years interviewing highly experienced growers for public television’s growing a greener world and the joe gardener show podcast along with his own extensive, hands-on knowledge of the craft to present practical and useful info on everything from starting seeds and selecting varieties to building the perfect tomato cage, encouraging pollinators, and creating biodiversity-rich soil in a 100% organic food garden. this book is essential reading for anyone interested in growing the best edible garden their backyard (or balcony!) has ever seen. inside you’ll find: ideas for designing and laying out your garden for the greatest yields in the smallest amount of space a sure-fire plan for reducing maintenance and trimming down the traditional workload of a garden detailed growing profiles of 40 of joe’s favorite cropsa handy reference chart with an easy-to-follow crop rotation plan advice and tips for extending the growing season, building raised beds, setting up a potting station, and deciding which garden tools are worth your time and moneystrategies to grow anywhere and everywhere—from in-ground garden beds and containers to grow bags and raised-bed planters among the most trusted, recognizable, and sought-after voices in the gardening world, joe lamp’l is here to help you “grow like a pro – no experience required!”

Over 400 entries of the most practical, up-to-date gardening information ever, collected from garden experts and writers nationwide!" gardens are places to renew yourself in mind and body, to reawaken to the truth and beauty of the natural world, and to feel the life force inside and around you. and the organic way to garden is safer, cheaper, and more satisfying. organic gardeners have shown that it's possible to have pleasant and productive gardens in every part of this country without using toxic chemicals. they make their home grounds an island of purity." robert rodale

"updated for its 30th anniversary edition; [this book] remains as relevant as ever."–new york times book review since its original publication in 1989, the new organic grower has been one of the most important farming books available, with pioneer eliot coleman leading the charge in the organic movement in the united states. now fully illustrated and updated, this 30th anniversary edition is a must-have for any agricultural library. eliot coleman's books and innovative methods have helped innumerable organic farmers build successful farms in deep accordance with nature. the wisdom in this seminal book holds true even as the modern agricultural canon has grown–in large part due to coleman's influence as a wise elder with decades of experience. new information has been included in this edition to showcase the new tools and techniques that eliot has been developing over the last thirty-five years. inspired by the european intensive growers, the new organic grower, 30th anniversary edition, offers a very approachable and productive form of farming that has proven to work well for the earth and its stewards for centuries. gardeners working on 2.5 acres or less will find this book especially useful, as it offers proof that small-scale market growers and serious home gardeners can live good lives close to the land and make a profit at the same time. the new organic grower is ideal for young farmers just getting started, or gardeners seeking to expand into a more productive enterprise. new material in this edition includes: beautiful color photographs throughout, taken by master gardener and author barbara damrosch (eliot's wife and co-farmer) updated information throughout on how eliot's practices have changed through his experiments over the years a new section from damrosch about incorporating flowers on the small farm more information on new tools eliot has invented that don't appear in any of his other books "i was interested in the environment, farming, science . . . and there was eliot's book lying on the shelf. i remember grabbing it, and i just fell in. . . . i remember reading it like it was the bible."–dan barber, chef

The ultimate organic gardening resource, gardening for geeks provides readers with everything they need to know about designing, building, and sustaining their own garden. filled with step-by-step processes, helpful diagrams, and expert tips on the best practices, this book covers it all for anyone who dreams of gardening, even the city dweller. starting off with the basics and progressing into more advanced concepts for a wide scope of gardening strategies and techniques, this is a comprehensive and geeky look at your favorite hobby. founder of gardenerd and author, christy wilhelmi shares her expertise to break down the biology and ecology of gardening in an easy, breezy writing style that will make you appreciate and understand gardening even more than you did before!

If you care about what you eat, you should care about how you grow it. gardeners can demonstrate that by going beyond organics to veganics – growing without animal inputs – they are a driving force in saving the environment. this book gives you the tools to grow without harming the planet and animals, and explains why moving beyond organics towards super organic vegan gardening is the way to show you are genuinely concerned about environmental issues and the industrial commodification of living, sentient creatures. from advice about how to make and buy natural fertilisers and compost, to putting nutritional values on what you grow, and to how to cook it, and how to share your plot with wildlife, this book covers all the bases. the foreword is by rhs chelsea flower show best in show winner cleve west, who is a passionate vegan gardener. vegan organic network and garden organic have backed the book too.

The ultimate starter guide to a naturally healthy home garden imagine cooking with organic tomatoes right off the vine or seasoning with fresh, homegrown herbs. organic gardening for beginners shows aspiring home gardeners how to get started. learn to raise dozens of fruits and veggies at home with sustainable and eco-friendly practices that protect the environment and produce safe, nutritious food–no grocery store required. discover what it means to keep a completely organic garden with tips, advice, and step-by-step instructions for planting the right plants at the right time, designing an efficient layout, and attracting the right pollinators to help every garden thrive. dig into organic gardening: getting started–begin with an overview of the most popular types of organic gardening–from in-ground to containers–and decide which one works best in every space. natural growth methods–find out how to choose soil, control pests with no chemicals, and combine the crops that grow well together. plant profiles–get an explanation of each crop that breaks down what it needs to grow and what beginners need to know for success. grow your own thriving backyard ecosystem with expert advice on nourishing organic gardening.

"if you wish to live well and eat well no matter what is going on in the rest of the world, this book is for you. . . . will bonsall will help you enjoy the good life under any and all conditions."–eliot coleman, author of the new organic grower "society does not generally expect its farmers to be visionaries." the marketplace distorts our values, and our modern dependence on petroleum in particular presents a serious barrier to creating a truly sustainable agriculture. for him the solution is, first and foremost, greater self-reliance, especially in the areas of food and energy. by avoiding any off-farm inputs (fertilizers, minerals, and animal manures), bonsall has learned how to practice a purely veganic, or plant-based, agriculture–not from a strictly moralistic or philosophical perspective, but because it makes good business sense: spend less instead of making more. what this means in practical terms is that bonsall draws upon the fertility of on-farm plant materials: compost, green manures, perennial grasses, and forest products like leaves and ramial wood chips. and he grows and harvests a diversity of crops from both cultivated and perennial plants: vegetables, grains, pulses, oilseeds, fruits and nuts–even uncommon but useful permaculture plants like groundnut (apios). inside will bonsall's essential guide to radical, self-reliant gardening you'll also find: milling, baking and sprouting freezing and vermentation best practices to handle plant disease and animal pests collecting and storing seeds and so much more! in a friendly, almost conversational way, bonsall imparts a wealth of knowledge drawn from his more than forty years of farming experience. "my goal," he writes, "is not to feed the world, but to feed myself and let others feed themselves.

Permaculture is a movement that is coming into its own, and the concept of creating plant guilds in permaculture is at the forefront of every farmer's and gardener's practice. one of the essential practices of permaculture is to develop perennial agricultural systems that thrive over several decades without expensive and harmful inputs: perennial plant guilds, food forests, agroforestry, and mixed animal and woody species polycultures.the massive degradation of conventional agriculture and the environmental havoc it creates has never been as all pervasive in terms of scale, so it has become a global necessity to further the understanding of a comprehensive design and planning system such as permaculture that works with nature, not against it. the guild concept often used is one of a “functional relationship” between plants–beneficial groupings of plants that share functions in order to bring health and stability to a plant regime and create an abundant yield for our utilization. in other words, it is the integration of species that creates a balanced, healthy, and thriving ecosystem. but it goes beyond integration. a guild is a metaphor for all walks of life, most importantly a group of people working together to craft works of balance, beauty, and utility.this book is the first, and most comprehensive, guide about plant guilds ever written, and covers in detail both what guilds are and how to design and construct them, complete with extensive color photography and design illustrations. books on permaculture cover this topic, but never in enough depth to be replicable in a serious way. finally, it's here!

More and more home gardeners are discovering the rewards of growing their own vegetables. but along with the pleasures of homegrown produce come a host of problems: bugs, diseases, and mysterious ailments that don’t have an obvious cause. what’s a gardener to do? don’t panic—help is at hand. teaches you how to keep your vegetables healthy, so they’re less susceptible to attack, and when problems do occur, it shows you how to recognize the problem and find the right organic solution. among the book’s highlights are:clear information about how to team with nature to create the best growing conditions for your vegetables. – detailed portraits of the most commonly grown vegetables, including growth habit; information on the plant’s season; temperature, soil, light, and water requirements; and best garden uses and planting techniques. – illustrated problem-solving guides that enable you to identify at a glance what’s ailing your plant. – discussions of the most effective organic solutions, ranging from how to modify the growing conditions in your garden to how to cope with and eliminate specific pests and diseases. – if you care about raising the freshest, healthiest, most problem-free vegetables possible, then what’s wrong with my vegetable garden? will quickly become one of your most essential tools.

Written as he talks, this is monty don right beside you in the garden, challenging norms and sharing advice.discover monty's thoughts and garden ideas around nature, seasons, color, design, pests, flowering shrubs, containers, and much more. read about the month-by month jobs he does in his own garden that he hopes are relevant to you. monty's intimate and lyrical writing is accompanied by photos of his garden, showing areas rarely seen on television. this is the perfect gift for the gardener in your life." i have written many gardening books but this is the distillation of 50 years of gardening experience. it has all the tips and essential pieces of knowledge that enable you to make your garden grow well, and it also shares my view that gardening is the secret to living well too." – monty

The indispensable one-volume reference guide to gardening simply, beautifully, and well"—now 100% organic.. jam-packed with useful information, old-fashioned common sense, and a lifetime's worth of experience, the garden primer is a classic, thoroughly revised and expanded to be 100% organic in its recommendations. updated with the latest on plants, soils, techniques, and told, it includes: the basics of landscaping, emphasizing sustainable methods. understanding what plants need and avoiding complex rules and formulas, how to choose and combine flowers for seaon-long color, orchestrating with perennials and accenting with annuals. extending the season—that's right, harvest carrots in january. the secret to raising roses without fuss, less demanding lawns, vines with discipline, and trees that will enhance your property. there is new information on native species, and all the gardening resources you need—explained in a voice that "has the snap of a snow pea and the spice of an old rose" (seattle times/post-intelligencer). with more than 370 plant profiles, 500 illustrations, easy to-read diagrams & design plans for all types of gardens and landscapes. "barbara damrosch delivers the goods."—chicago tribune "best of the crop."—house beautiful "barbara damrosch's writing has the snap of a good snowpea and the spice of an old rose."—the seattle times/post intelligencer "covers just about everything you could think of and then some." — the atlanta journal-constitution "an extraordinarily comprehensive guide." — the san francisco examiner-chronicle "takes your soaring visions of garden splendor and plants them firmly in the ground."—the toronto star

The indispensable one-volume reference guide to gardening simply, beautifully, and well"—now 100% organic.. jam-packed with useful information, old-fashioned common sense, and a lifetime's worth of experience, the garden primer is a classic, thoroughly revised and expanded to be 100% organic in its recommendations. updated with the latest on plants, soils, techniques, and told, it includes: the basics of landscaping, emphasizing sustainable methods. understanding what plants need and avoiding complex rules and formulas, how to choose and combine flowers for seaon-long color, orchestrating with perennials and accenting with annuals. extending the season—that's right, harvest carrots in january. the secret to raising roses without fuss, less demanding lawns, vines with discipline, and trees that will enhance your property. there is new information on native species, and all the gardening resources you need—explained in a voice that "has the snap of a snow pea and the spice of an old rose" (seattle times/post-intelligencer). with more than 370 plant profiles, 500 illustrations, easy to-read diagrams & design plans for all types of gardens and landscapes. "barbara damrosch delivers the goods."—chicago tribune "best of the crop."—house beautiful "barbara damrosch's writing has the snap of a good snowpea and the spice of an old rose."—the seattle times/post intelligencer "covers just about everything you could think of and then some." — the atlanta journal-constitution "an extraordinarily comprehensive guide." — the san francisco examiner-chronicle "takes your soaring visions of garden splendor and plants them firmly in the ground."—the toronto star

Even great gardeners like monty don are always learning and always experimenting.this extensively revised new edition of his complete gardener, first published in 2003, brings you right up-to-date on how monty gardens today – and his recommendations for you. the most comprehensive, practical, and highly illustrated book monty has ever written, it covers what he believes are the most important aspects of gardening. organic techniques have always been at the core of his practice, but this new edition picks up on another key principle: the need to provide habitats in your garden for local wildlife.over half of the photographs in this new edition will be new, taken over a year in his long meadow garden, and he is going through the text with a fine-tooth comb to ensure everything he says reflects his latest approach.

Even great gardeners like monty don are always learning and always experimenting.this extensively revised new edition of his complete gardener, first published in 2003, brings you right up-to-date on how monty gardens today – and his recommendations for you. the most comprehensive, practical, and highly illustrated book monty has ever written, it covers what he believes are the most important aspects of gardening. organic techniques have always been at the core of his practice, but this new edition picks up on another key principle: the need to provide habitats in your garden for local wildlife.over half of the photographs in this new edition will be new, taken over a year in his long meadow garden, and he is going through the text with a fine-tooth comb to ensure everything he says reflects his latest approach.

This quintessential guide to creating an organic garden shows you how to grow beautiful plants while turning your yard into a chemical-free haven for children, pets, and wildlife. this beautifully illustrated guide includes practical advice, as well as step-by-step photographs and artworks to help you on your organic gardening journey. whether you want to grow better-tasting fruit and vegetables free of chemicals, find natural methods of pest and weed control, or simply create a safer garden environment, organic gardening is your practical, easy-to-follow guide to gardening with, rather than against, nature. this comprehensive reference book contains everything you need for cultivating organic trees, flowers, and plants, as well as advice on ponds and aquatic vegetation. hailed as a "great book" by american gardener, this manual was originally written by organic gardening pioneer geoff hamilton, then updated by his son, nick hamilton, to include additional modern gardening techniques. organic gardening an essential reference for experienced gardeners, as well as a user-friendly starter guide for novices. in short, it's everything you'll need to be an organic gardening expert.