Staff Picks: Gardening 101
by lucroe
Join us for the Gardening & DIY Fest on May 21 from 11am-5pm for hands-on activities, presentations, & artisan items for sale. Below you will discover some gardening books that are great for the beginner and anyone looking to help keep nature thriving!
Saving our Seeds : the Practice & Philosophy by Bevin Cohen | Request Now
Local writer, gardener, as well as a lecturer (he will be presenting a talk on seed saving at the Garden & DIY Fest) brings together his years of experience in this excellent guide to seed saving. He includes steps to save seeds from 43 different veggies and fruits as well as a history of seed saving and heartfelt stories from his own life as a seed activist. Great for the beginner or anyone just interested to know more about the importance of seeds and pollination. Interested in growing veggies? Check out his book, Grow Great Vegetables in Michigan
Michigan Gardener’s Companion by Rita C. Henehan | Request Now
This is a great introduction to gardening in Michigan for those new to the state as well as those new to gardening in general. Her conversational style makes this an easy read with chapters on soil composition & amendment, understanding the hardiness zones, & watering guidelines with an overview of rain gardens & xeriscaping. Further chapters go over different types of gardening including vegetable, flowers (annual & perennial), trees & shrubs, grasses, & coping with pests & diseases using non-toxic approaches. Another good resource for those new to Michigan gardening is Michigan Gardener’s Guide by Tim Boland.
Field Guide to Urban Gardening by Kevin Espiritu | Request Now
Espiritu has a large subscriber base on his Youtube channel, Epic Gardening for good reason. With this, his first book, he starts with the basics, like type of containers to use, soil type, & picking the right location. Whether you plan to utilize an apartment balcony, grow indoors, try a raised bed, or a vertical garden, this is a great go-to for the small space gardener. He also goes over hydroponics, feeding needs, & growing problems. With thorough & easy to follow directions, Espiritu makes an apartment or any small space a gardener’s dream. Another excellent book for gardening in small areas is Tiny Space Gardening by Amy Pennington who includes windowsill & countertop ideas too.
Lawns Into Meadows : Growing a Regenerative Landscape by Owen Wormser | Request Now
Tired of the mowing and upkeep of lawn? Look to this book that dispels the myth that a lawn is a must for the suburban home owner, and consider creating a beautiful meadow. Lawns take up a considerable amount of water & some use toxic fertilizers that leech into the waterways causing more damage to the environment. Meadows bring in biodiversity, build better soil, and support pollinators and other beneficial insects and plants. Whether is just transforming a small patch of grass along a curb or a total overhaul of an entire lawn, here is a place to start learning how to prepare, design, & grow a meadowscape. Need even more ideas for a no-mow lawn try Evelyn Hadden’s Beautiful No-Mow Yards: 50 Amazing Lawn Alternatives
Soil : the Story of a Black Mother's Garden by Camille T. Dungy | Request Now
There are not only environmental issues to consider as a gardener but social issues that come into play and evidenced in poet, Dungy’s poignant story. As a new resident of a predominantly white neighborhood in Fort Collins, CO she wanted to create a plot of flowers & vegetables in her front yard but the housing association was restrictive. Her garden thrived nonetheless and became a vehicle for discussing non-human diversity which in turn led to a conversation about human diversity and what that means to her, a Black woman, & her family. She uses the garden as a metaphor for the lack of Black representation in environmental literature and the complex relationship Black Americans suffered as slaves to the land. Through telling her story, Dungy uses poetry to connect the prose and provides lessons in creating diverse communities of plants and people. Another excellent title Farming While Black by Leah Penniman provides the historical & sociological background of Black farming as well as guidance for those looking to become a grower from business planning to seed keeping.
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