Book Review: Rodale's Basic Organic Gardening: A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Healthy Garden by Deborah L. Martin, Editors Organic Gardening

Rodale's Basic Organic Gardening: A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Healthy Garden by Deborah L. Martin, is a great resource for those starting out in gardening, and for those that now a bit about gardening but want to go organic. The guidebook starts with the questions any begining gardener will have, such as "Do I need to dig?", "Where do I dig?", "How do I plant a seed?", and "How much should I water?". questions and their answers are presented in growing-season order, from garden planning and planting to growing and harvesting. other important subjects such as soil, compost, seeds, pest control, and weeds are explained in simple language to ensure success. over one hundred common garden terms are defined, and flower, vegetable, and herb finder highlights plants with good track records.

Rodale's Basic Organic Gardening offers the answers to just about every question a novice, and some more experienced, gardener might have. as someone that has always been around gardens and plants there were still small bits of information for me to make use of in this current growing season. I really liked that there were no-dig garden methods, simple garden layouts, and tips and hints on just about everything. I found the troubleshooting section particularly helpful since it targeted the most likely problems, and offers realistic solutions for gardeners of all skill levels.

If you are looking for an all around guidebook on getting started with a garden, particularly an organic garden, I suggest making use of the Rodale's Basic Organic Gardening. It is a good starting place, and a nice reference to keep around for the entire season as your garden, plants, and possible complications grow.