Books for Reference Library for Garden Dept.

[FarmerCathy]

Ok ladies, I'm trying to put together a small library at work that employee's and customers can use, besides myself to find pest solutions (I need a mainstream one besides organic), also for plant problems, fungus, wilt etc. I need one for veggies and trees, shrubs, houseplants, with pictures. Any other you suggest would be awesome. I don't have to have anything big, but something pretty complete to help my customers.

So far, I'm bringing in the A-Z guide to growing food, A-Z to growing flowers, and that organic pest management with pics to identify bugs, though I need mainstream treatments as well, I will be trying to get them to use organic as much as possible, but there are always those stubborn won't change their way people that I want to keep coming back to me for other questions that I can steer them in the right direction for. Should I bring in the New Organic Gardener and possibly 4 season harvest? Hmmmm.... I can't wait to hear what you think I should put in my library at work.

[MissMommyNiceNice]

I think some of it's going to depend on your locatoin, Cathy! And as I'm learning from my MG class, you're going to have to come to terms with Roundup. *sigh*

Anyway, up here we have one called "weeds of the mid-atlantic" so I only can assume there's one for your area too. I would go to your extension office & peek in their library for some ideas.

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by MissMommyNiceNice

I think some of it's going to depend on your locatoin, Cathy! And as I'm learning from my MG class, you're going to have to come to terms with Roundup. *sigh*

Anyway, up here we have one called "weeds of the mid-atlantic" so I only can assume there's one for your area too. I would go to your extension office & peek in their library for some ideas.

I know, huh. I was complaining yesterday to the seed rep about it. I figure its only a year, I can cringe to sell it for a year. I'll definitely be trying to lead them away from the dark side. We can basically bring anything in we want. I figure I could probably persuade him to bring those weed torches in.

Yes, that is a great idea, I guess I need to get used to going in there anyway and looking around at the books at the extension office.

[lmonter]

Root Cellaring by the Bubels.
Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth.
Anything by Eliot Coleman.
Lasagna Gardening by Patricia Lanza
SFG by Mel Bartholomew.

Oh crap, just saw you wanted pest things. I have some old-school 1970's something (it's like 500 pages), but it's packed up in a box in the storage unit. Sigh. I just look things up online as/if I feel the need. My solution is to overplant, and live in a cold climate that kills the bugs over the winter.

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by lmonter

Root Cellaring by the Bubels.
Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth.
Anything by Eliot Coleman.
Lasagna Gardening by Patricia Lanza
SFG by Mel Bartholomew.

Oh crap, just saw you wanted pest things. I have some old-school 1970's something (it's like 500 pages), but it's packed up in a box in the storage unit. Sigh. I just look things up online as/if I feel the need. My solution is to overplant, and live in a cold climate that kills the bugs over the winter.

Thanks Lanna. I think I'm also going to have a print-out of companion planting as well. I think I will also add the "Asparagus to Zucchini" book so people know how to cook the things they grow.

[MissMommyNiceNice]

Originally Posted by FarmerCathy

I know, huh. I was complaining yesterday to the seed rep about it. I figure its only a year, I can cringe to sell it for a year. I'll definitely be trying to lead them away from the dark side. We can basically bring anything in we want. I figure I could probably persuade him to bring those weed torches in.

Technically, once you become a MG you have to recommend MG best practices and roundup is one of those. I'm starting to see it may be better to instruct people in the proper use of their chemical solutions than to try to lure them over. THe fact is, lots of people just want to spray a chemical & fix the problem, so we have to do our best to teach them how to use them safely. It's better than nothing! Now, if they ask how you would personally handle something, that's different, but if they're seeking your MG advice, you have to give the MG answer. And the way roundup works, it's often a good solution for them. Unfortunately, but that's the fact.

And weed torches kick butt! But not on poison ivy...

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by MissMommyNiceNice

Technically, once you become a MG you have to recommend MG best practices and roundup is one of those. I'm starting to see it may be better to instruct people in the proper use of their chemical solutions than to try to lure them over. THe fact is, lots of people just want to spray a chemical & fix the problem, so we have to do our best to teach them how to use them safely. It's better than nothing! Now, if they ask how you would personally handle something, that's different, but if they're seeking your MG advice, you have to give the MG answer. And the way roundup works, it's often a good solution for them. Unfortunately, but that's the fact.

And weed torches kick butt! But not on poison ivy...

Wow, did not know that. Interesting, though I will be persuading at work more likely. If that's what I gotta do for MG, I'll do it. The other day at work a guy came in and was like Round-up doesn't work. I used it 6 months ago and now the weeds are growing back. It doesn't last forever, esp. around here where it rains, a lot.

[elanorh]

Damrosch's Garden Primer is good (Eliot Coleman's wife) - basic info on all sorts of plants, lawn to garden to perennials to trees - and pest information too (organic) incorporated. I really like the book.

[FarmerCathy]

Originally Posted by elanorh

Damrosch's Garden Primer is good (Eliot Coleman's wife) - basic info on all sorts of plants, lawn to garden to perennials to trees - and pest information too (organic) incorporated. I really like the book.

Thanks! That is a good book.