This well-written and well-illustrated volume surveys the careful planning for starting vegetable and flower gardens from seeds. Plant listings include information on general culture; when to sow outdoors or indoors; germination; soil, sun, and water conditions; transplanting; harvesting; depth of seeds and distance of plants; and a photograph of the mature plant with its common name. For flowers, the uses, height, colors, size of bloom, and blooming seasons are delineated along with the basic growing factors. Highly recommended for all public libraries and all horticultural collections--a very practical, no-nonsense guide to the ever-growing seed market and the many new strains in flowers and vegetables.-- Daniel S. Kalk, St. Alphonse Coll. Lib., Suffield, Ct. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publishers Weekly Review
Though breaking no new ground, this book covers its terrain--growing a garden from scratch--attractively. Beginning with the basics, Bittman ( Joy of Gardening ) organizes and explains his material clearly. He discusses techniques and equipment and recommends ecologically sound gardening practices: companion planting, the use of organic fertilizers (especially compost) and ways to control pests without poisoning other wildlife or the water supply. The bulk of the book is devoted to profiles of over 200 flowers, herbs and vegetables. However, since Bittman doesn't discuss the full gamut of each plant's varieties, readers in search of counsel on the varieties best suited to their needs (and eager to order them in seed from catalogues) may have to content themselves with the more limited number of varieties stocked as seedlings at their local nursery. Illustrated. (Apr.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Booklist Review
Bittman contends that vegetables, flowers, and herbs should all be grown from seeds--not an original idea, by any means, but the inspiration for a most comprehensive guide nonetheless. He presents detailed information on planning and planting, choosing a garden site, selecting seeds and fertilizers, and controlling pests and diseases. There is a chapter on starting seeds indoors that covers everything from constructing shelves to using fluorescent lighting to transplanting the plants outdoors (which leads the author to the subject of cold frames and hotbeds). There is also a listing of more than 200 plants; each entry includes a color photograph of the full-grown plant, an illustration of the seed~ling, and information on sowing and growing the plant. A beautiful and informative book for all gardeners. Index. --George Cohen
TextPublication details: New York : Bantam Books, 1989.ISBN: