What do you feel is the best gardening book or magazine on the market today

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erie

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Original poster
Nov 4, 2012
17
10
I would like to know what the best books and magazines are on  gardening today is on organic gardening?

Who would you say the best author is that gave you the most in-depth information on how to grow organically and how to market your garden produce.

I get Organic Gardening and I feel that it has changed from the 70's and 80's It sames as if back than they gave more in-depth information on organic gardening. Maybe it just me

I was not sure where to put this trend so I put it here.
 
Understanding soil, macro nutrients, micro nutrients and microorganisms is a good place to start....  Have a complete soil analysis done to the area you want to garden (cost about $80 including micro nutrients).... You can then apply the analysis to what you read...  It will give insight as to what is necessary and how to get there....    Al least you will have something tangible to compare to that may be valuable in the future....  There are many free sites on the web that have great information....

http://www.completegardenguide.com/soil_nutrients.html

http://www.growgreatvegetables.com/fertilizers/micronutrients.html

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/which-soil-nutrients-does-your-garden-need.html

http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=57
 
Without a doubt Eliot Coleman.

The New Organic Grower: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener (A Gardener's Supply Book) by Eliot Coleman

The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year Round Vegetable Production Using Deep Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses by Eliot Coleman

Four-Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables from Your Home Garden All Year Long by Eliot Coleman

Check out AcresUSA magazine for lots of good articles and book on soil and soil health.

http://www.acresusa.com/magazines/magazine.htm

You can find free older books at http://www.soilandhealth.org

~Martin
 
I have not heard of ACRES

Is there any other magazines out there that gives very good information on Organic Gardening?

I will be looking up this information that you have given me.
 
There isn't a magazine devoted entirely to organic market gardening anymore, that I know of, the AcresUSA magazine applies to natural farming in general, with some talk of market gardening.
Rodale, the publishers of Organic Gardening, used to publish an organic market gardening magazine called New Farm, but they stopped publication several years ago, made a lot of folks VERY angry.
After they ceased the print edition, they did still have some good stuff online, but looks like now it's really gone down hill.
http://rodaleinstitute.org/new_farm

I would look for old copies of Organic Gardening, it's been published for decades and was a much better magazine years ago.

HTH


~Martin
 
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You are right about OG (Organic Gardening) not being anywhere near the same as it was in the 70's and 60's.   I had not bought a copy in quite a while and picked up one the other day.  I had to double check the cover to make sure I had not picked up something else by mistake.

I don't like the current style either.  Guess I'm just getting old (or older).
 
I used to get it back in the 60's and 70's and enjoyed it very much.

My daughter give me a subsection to it this year and it is not what it was back than,

What about Mother Earth News, how is that compared to back than?

I really would like a in-depth magazine on this. Or even books that deal with this.

Does anyone know of some very good books and authors that put there life into a complete Organic Books.
 
Many years ago('60s or '70s) the PBS Victory Garden show was hosted by a fellow named Jim Crockett - in fact it was titled Crockett's Victory Garden back then. He wrote at least 1 book, maybe more on organic gardening. Check abebooks.dot. You mind find it.

There was also a good book called "Square Foot Gardening" that dates to that era. Back then, we had the Rodale Press run by Rodale himself. Despite his claim to have invented the idea of composting (which I know that my dad did before Rodale was dry behind the ears), he put out a good OG magazine. All of the Rodale stuff has gone to hell in a hand basket since the name was sold, IMO.
 
Many years ago('60s or '70s) the PBS Victory Garden show was hosted by a fellow named Jim Crockett - in fact it was titled Crockett's Victory Garden back then. He wrote at least 1 book, maybe more on organic gardening. Check abebooks.dot. You mind find it.
There was also a good book called "Square Foot Gardening" that dates to that era. Back then, we had the Rodale Press run by Rodale himself. Despite his claim to have invented the idea of composting (which I know that my dad did before Rodale was dry behind the ears), he put out a good OG magazine. All of the Rodale stuff has gone to hell in a hand basket since the name was sold, IMO.
Ha Ha Ha ha..... I forgot about Jim Crockett.  I have both his and Mel Bartholomew's book (original and the new one) and his Cash from a Square Foot Garden video.  Bob Rodale was the man back when it was his publishing company.

If you can find them, the National Gardening Association used to put out a set of VHS tapes on various topics back in the 80's that are great.  It was called "Yardening" with Jeff Ball.  I have the book and the entire set of video's. Video's were about an hour on each topic. They had a great raised bed system with PVC hoop covers made from cheap stuff from the home depot/lowes. I'm on my 2nd house with those design style of beds.  Some of the best video material I have seen for someone starting out.  I don't think they make them anymore though.

Ugh..... now I feel old.
 
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  Not to change the subject which I will come back too later but has any one heard of Ohio Earth? They put out Organic Fertilizer back than. Does anyone know if they are still around?

I see that there are allot of Organic Fertilizers out there today, but have not used any of them, can anyone tell me how those liquid fertilizers are? I see that there is allot of companies on the West Coast.

Has anyone heard of URBAN FARM can anyone tell me about this magazine? 

When I first got into organic gardening it was back in the 70's, than I got out of gardening and now I am back into it again and have found that everything as far as magazines have totally changed and they don't talk about it as they did back in those day's. You would think that they would have improved over the years, but instead of improving they have went back 10 steps and not even close to where they were back in the 70's.Just what has taken place?

Besides Eliot Coleman,  Jim Crockett and Bob Rodale who else is would you say was the best on Organic Gardening back in those day's? An who is the best informed today in Organic Gardening and writes books on this subject today?

Just what has happened over the past 40 some years?  
 
ha ha- my father-in-law.  he can tell me a thing or too thats been past on to him, and his garden provides the results to prove it.  I know it isn't a book or magazine, but all said and done it will kind of like being a narrated book on cd.
 
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