Best Books
Below are a list of books I have come across and am happy to recommend. Not all of these books will be available everywhere, so I've included each book's ISBN number so your favourite bookshop can track it down.
As my library grows, I will keep you informed on the best organic gardening books here.
It has been republished by the Good Gardeners Association in the UK and is an interesting read on one man's efforts to grow a better vegetable.
As far as I can tell, this is the original source of the no dig movement in organic gardening.
Esther Deans has written the forward to this book which covers dozens of ways to use the no dig gardening methods she helped pioneered in Australia. It's an easy read (just 98 pages) with lots of photographs and plenty of useful information. Pure inspiration.
This is the original text written by Autralian gardening pioneer Esther Deans along with her second book called Leaves of Life. Both were recently republished by Harper Collins in this single volume. It's small format and has very few illustrations. It is a very quick read.
Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening
This is a terrific resource. While the title of the book focuses on companion planting, there are sections also on improving the soil for specific plants and a useful section on pest and disease control. The author has organised the book by plant so you can look up specifics on how to care for the actual vegetables and herbs you are growing.
Perhaps the longest titled book ever! Still, it is also a great reference work for the serious vegetable gardener. There is a large section on individual vegetable and flower plants and what sort of problems to expect with them. Lots of colour pictures show insects at various stages of development and how to deal with them. Perhaps it's single most important difference from other books is its emphasis on prevention rather than cure. 544 pages of detailed information on how to grow your garden organically!
If you are even a little concerned at maintaining the biodiversity of the plants and vegetables we enjoy, you should consider seed saving. Ashworth has grown and saved seeds from all of the 160 varieties of vegetables she writes about here. She takes you from starting the seed and growing the plant, through to harvesting and storage. She will also guide you through which variety is best for what purpose. Another great reference book for both amateur and expert.
This book explores concepts that take the average gardener beyond organic gardening to ecological gardening. There are some striking concepts and while the specifics of the book are focused on Australia and Australian conditions, these can easily be applied globally. I love this book because it made me see my garden in a whole different light. For the committed gardener. Helen has her own website if you want some sample reading, called
Garden of Words
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