Rodale’s Basic Organic Gardening: A Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Healthy Garden by Deborah L. Martin

336 Pages
Publisher: Rodale Inc, Rodale Books
Release Date: March 11, 2014

Nonfiction, Gardening, Home & Garden

The book is divided into the following chapters.

Go Organic
Chapter 1: Get to Know Organic Gardening
Chapter 2: Getting Started
Chapter 3: Soil Care Basics
Chapter 4: Starting Seeds, Tending Transplants
Chapter 5: Easy-Growing Plants for Every Garden
Chapter 6: Garden Care Basics
Chapter 7: Troubleshooting and Problem Solving
Chapter 8: Organic Gardening Through the Seasons

I was not aware that organic gardening started back in 1942 by J. I Rodale. I was under the belief that organic meant no pesticides. I was surprised to find that special fertilizers are also used. In Maryland, my husband’s family were farmers – first tobacco then fruits and vegetables. Now living in Florida, watering restricting and high temperatures makes gardening is difficult. In the past, I tried growing native blueberries, blackberries, and oranges. This book has given me more incentive to grow some of my own vegetables in raised beds. In this small way, I can try to reduce my carbon footprint.

At the end of the book is a resource guide to help readers learn about gardening, design, seeds, soil conditions, etc. This book is well thought out and researched. If you are interested in getting started with organic gardening, this would be a great book to read.

I found this to be a wonderful introductory book for someone just starting out, who wants to get grounded in the basics before they can move on. There isn't much here that an experienced organic gardener wouldn't know, but this is a brilliant selection for someone new to the practice of organic gardening.