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It felt like a therapy session for him to write this book. I found the author very interesting, but am put off by his constant criticism of other gardening methods. If, however, you just like reading books about gardening and growing in general then it will do just fine. This book is mostly an autobiography, I think. Some gardening advice that appeals to me but I haven't been able to try yet. I don't recommend this book for someone who just want to know how to grow food on the cheap.
I thought I knew a lot about gardening.but I have learned so much. This is a must-have for the serious gardener; particularly one who is not just a "hobbyist" and wants to be more self-sufficient and frugal. Very easy to read and understand.
This is a good book to have on hand for reference. I would like to of seen more illustrations in it because the reading can be a bit boring but it still is a great book.
A sensible piece of equipment that I had never thought of seeking out. There may come a time when you will need it. What a novel idea for starting those seeds directly in soil. And for people going through hard times, a thriving veggie garden can be the difference between painful poverty and a much more pleasant existence." (page 105, @2005 New Society Publishers, Canada)If you are a hobby gardener or a staunch enthusiast of intensive methods you are going to dislike this book. If you must garden intensively I recommend Sally Jean Cunningham who is as chummy as Solomon is crotchety. Most organic gardening guides don't approach the subject because most of their advice is quite costly, such as irrigation, growing of transplants and doubling up on seed for the necessary companion planting. Read the seed chapter and you are going to learn a lot from an ex-seedsman about what makes a good seed, how to save and buy seed, and for how long seed can be kept to contain your purchasing costs.
It is independence. 4) Low germination rates - it may not be your fault. But I am going to look for one. A contrarian voice is sometimes needed when the prevailing wisdom fails us. That is how we humans grow, not just as gardeners but as people. Solomon who describes himself as "gardening grandfather" is like all grandfathers, set in his ways, a bit crabby and way past any pretense of political correctness. This book is an articulate beginning primer into the actual science behind gardening.
When he trashes a practice he admits to his negative tone but does not soft peddle his recommendations. 6) A soil amendment is provided in his COF formula (page 21) that addresses the trace minerals needed by plants over time and that doesn't flood the soil with one nutrient to the detriment of others. No matter your gardening persuasion, if you are beyond beginning gardening, Solomon is worth a read. Having homesteaded so many years he doesn't have experience with the average shady city lot and may not realize just how much many urbanites relish home grown produce. It is health for my family. 8) The cornstarch gel for laying out seeds, or fluid drilling, (page 126) what an awesome idea I have never seen anywhere else. Gardening is as simple as putting a seed into dirt, but it is also a craft with a large body of research, experience and debate. Don't let any irritation with the old man lose you the chance to take in what he imparts.
Much current garden literature perpetuates a garden of eden myth that purports to be an enlightened response to the supposedly brutal crass monoculture practices of the past. Solomon provides a revealing if somewhat depressing look at the gardening industry and explains why I have been so often puzzled by low germination rates, low yield, or a piece of equipment simply not performing adequately. They don't want to move 50 miles from work so they can have a large garden plot and the world still needs doctors, lawyers and such who keep our infrastructure going. Again cost containment is integrated in his approach and he brings some of the most valuable insider knowledge to the serious home gardener. His strengths as an advisor are:1) If you take away nothing else, at least learn how to sharpen your tools from this man. Solomon's strength is bringing professional information to the lay person and his writing will actually hold your attention as he talks about trace minerals and other arcane bits of soil fertility. Actually I recommend that you read both authors, both organic growers whose well-explained diametrically opposed approaches will give you a strong broad knowledge base that will support you through years of gardening.
That means utilizing the seed you buy as efficiently as possible. Solomon's one recurring limitation is one that we all share, he has a hard time imagining a life vastly different than his own. No other gardening book is going to tell you how to do this simple thing that every farmer knows. Solomon provides a system for measuring your sprinkling system water output and gives ideas for cost management and placement that could be a huge help to someone whose environment makes irrigation a must. More people are cooking from scratch and they want to cook vegetables they have grown. Don't take to heart your failure to start plant from seed and resign yourself to buying costly transplants.
Possibly overwhelming for a beginner, but intriguing and blessedly honest for the gardener or homesteader seeking to push ahead their soil management skills and increase their yields significantly. He shoots straight from the hip and be prepared to hear some of your more cherished notions challenged. If you plan to keep the same garden lot for many years you may find that you have decreased yield over time. Plants are not political nor are the insects that feed on them. 5) Professional farmers know about the plow pan where the soil compacts over multiple plowings and they understand that managing soil fertility is more than applying Miracle-Gro a few times a year. Gardeners are an opinionated lot and Solomon doesn't pull any punches concerning his own experience successfully running a mail-order seed business or working a homestead. Get mad but don't throw away your copy. It is life itself.
Homesteading is not for everyone nor should it be. The methods and products sprouting from this glorified ideal make for good sales but often leave home gardeneners feeling like failures when their efforts do not pay off. Though seed is cheaper than starters if you have to buy enough seed the bill can run high. I don't see this item in the gardening shops as often as the light meters and such.
But for me, gardening has never been a minor affair. 7) When you are paying for water knowing just how much is needed can save you a bundle.
You may even get your feelings hurt. 2) Solomon never loses his emphasis on cost containment and the little balancing trick we all must do on this subject.
The ingredients are accessible and it is worth a try. When considering your particular environment raised beds, irrigation and intensive planting schemes may be your best or only option.
3) A soil thermometer. "If your food gardening is little more than a backyard hobby, an amusement, an entertainment that leads to a random mix of positive outcomes and disappointments, then getting great seeds and seedlings is of little consequence.
Cost is a real world struggle for most of us and this issue permeates Solomon's experience and advice. Part of the intensive movement is a response to urban gardeners wanting to engage in more sustainable responsible environmental practices and partly due to an increased interest in gourmet, ethnic and traditional foods.
This is an incredibly resourceful book for any type of gardener. We have been farming organically for 16 years and found a lot of information we are now practicing in this book.
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