The best gardening books, according to real gardeners
The Weekly Dirt readers reveal their most-loved gardening books, plus gardening goes virtual and a lemon tree gets an identity.
If you like the insights, tips and advice in this newsletter, share it with a gardening friend.
Hello, friends!
Back in December, I asked you to share the books that taught you the most about gardening and that you still rely upon today. I’ve compiled them into a list — and it’s on point!
Replies via comments and emails revealed some recurrent favorites. Here’s a recap of mine — along with your standouts (some of these are out of print, but I’ve linked to a resource for used copies, in case you’re interested.)
Jeanne Terry
"Crockett's Victory Garden” (by James Underwood Crockett) was my first gardening book. "Total Tomato" (by Fred Dubose) was inspiring and full of helpful information for those of us who struggle with tomato blights, bacteria and fungi and other problems but [continue] on anyway. "Shady Lady's Guide to Northeast Shade Gardening” (by Amy Ziffer) [is] invaluable for those of us without sun. Five Plants Garden (by Nancy J. Ondra) is helpful for those of us who are not good designers. [I also like] Sunset Northeastern Garden Book (by Anne Halpin) and Barbara Damrosch’s "Garden Primer" for lots of basic information.
Belle Isis
“Bringing Nature Home,” by Doug Tallamy.
Ed Martello
Wyman’s Gardening Encyclopedia, by Donald Wyman was a required book at Farmingdale (State College), where I majored in ornamental horticulture. Great reference book.
Pat
I have many gardening books, of course, but two stand out: Herbaceous Perennial Plants by Alan Armitage is a "must-have" book. I’m not sure about now, but at one time it was used as a textbook in the horticulture classes at SUNY Farmingdale. The other book I love is NY Times 1000 Gardening Questions and Answers by Dora Galitzki, Leslie Land and Linda Yang. It is easy to read especially in short bursts and chock full of good information.
Recapping my favorites
I’ve relied on “The American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants,” by Judy Zuk and Christopher Brickell, for as long as I can remember. It’s since been revised a couple of times (mine is from 1996) and may now be out of print, but I see it’s still available used from various sources.
“Carrots Love Tomatoes,” by Louise Riotte introduced me to the concept of companion planting many years ago, and I’ve been hooked since.
And, I second Belle Isis’ “Bringing Nature Home,” by Douglas Tallamy, which is more than an eye-opening book — it’s largely, if not wholly, responsible for the current native plants movement. It will change the way you see the natural world — in a good way.
I have to add my 2021 Day-by-Day Gardening Calendar, which is the only calendar of its kind — designed to remind you of exactly what your garden and plants need every day of the year. Timing is everything, and that’s what you get when you buy this calendar; every date box contains a little nudge from me to you to ensure you never miss a sowing, planting, harvesting, fertilizing or pest-control window again (and much more!) Order yours here.
Purchasing via some of the above links will provide a small commission to help keep this newsletter free.
Gardening goes virtual
Speaking of Doug Tallamy, I spoke with him recently while working on a Newsday cover story about the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s virtual Spring Gardening School, coming on March 20. Read all about it, and register for the event, which will include my “Tomatomania!” presentation and a keynote address by Tallamy.
Looking for more? Check out my upcoming virtual presentations, most of which are free and open to the public. I hope to see you there!
🍋🌱Naming rights!
Thank you to all who voted in The Great Meyer Lemon Naming Survey. Elvira has edged out Monte, Norm and Joan (of Arc).
I don’t quite agree she looks evil, as Terry Winters contended, but she is still fighting an evil greasy spot fungus (a first for me!), despite repeated copper and neem oil applications. I’ll keep you posted on her progress (or lack thereof). It’s not looking too good.
📬Question of the week
DEAR JESSICA: I have had this plant for over 25 years. It loves being on my deck all summer long. As it grows I repot it and always spray it with bug spray before I bring it indoors in the fall. This year there are so many brown spots on some of the leaves and the edges are very brown. I don’t see any bugs on the leaves. Can you help me save my plant? I am not even sure of what it is. —Cathy Meena, Floral Park, NY
DEAR CATHY: Your plant is a lacy tree philodendron (Philodendron bipinnatifidum). Since you’ve had it for 25 years, presumably without major issues, you’re likely doing everything right, but let’s go over its needs.
These plants prefer full sun but can adapt to handle quite a bit of shade, and do best in moist, rich soil that’s slightly on the alkaline side. They don’t take kindly to salt buildup, so it’s best to water exclusively with distilled water (or thoroughly flush the soil every month if using tap water) and avoid over-fertilizing.
It’s very difficult, if not impossible, to definitively identify a bacterial disease from a photograph, but I reached out to my friend Margery Daughtrey, plant pathologist with Cornell University, and she believes that although the spots do look like they may be the result of a bacterial infection (possibly spread further by spraying or misting the leaves), the fact that the plant has been in the house for years leads her to believe “these could be injuries from something like Lemon Pledge, hairspray or [some other] aerosol-applied chemical.”
Of course, you did tell me the plant vacations outdoors over summer, so infection is a possibility. You know best what your plant may or may not have been exposed to based on where you keep it and what happens in that room.
You didn’t say how extensive the damage is; if only one leaf is affected, clip that stem off; if it’s all or most of the leaves, leave them be. And if you believe your plant may have been exposed to a chemical, as Daughtrey suggests, my advice is to treat it with kid gloves for the next year or so: Start by washing the tops and bottoms of each leaf with water and soap, then rinsing well. Do not use detergent or any soap containing a degreaser, or you’ll just be adding to the plant's chemical problems. Use a mild dishwashing soap, such as Ivory Liquid, diluted with plenty of water. And again, rinse well. Going forward, take extra care to water properly and fertilize once in spring, adhering to package directions.
If, however, you believe chemical exposure is not a possibility, then you should treat the plant as if it contracted an infection outdoors over summer: Again, if one leaf is affected, remove it — and disinfect the scissors or pruners afterward (and between cuts). If you’ve been misting or spraying the plant, stop. Decrease humidity or move the plant to a less-humid room.
There aren’t any bactericides to combat such an infection, but you can further prevent spread by removing the plant from its pot and shaking off as much soil from its roots as possible. Discard the soil, scrub the pot with a 90/10 water-to-bleach solution and rinse well, then repot the plant using fresh potting mix.
💡If you do one thing this week…
Repot houseplants. It’s time. But go up only one size on the pot, from a 6” to an 8”, for example, as pots are sized in 2” increments. Go any bigger, and you’ll risk root rot.
📧Send me your feedback!
I welcome your comments and suggestions, so please send them along — as well as any topics you’d like to see covered and questions you’d like answered in the Question & Answer section.
If you’re sending photos of your garden, please include your full name and the name of anyone depicted, your hometown, details about your plant or garden, the name of the person who took the photo, and a sentence granting permission for its use in this newsletter and archives.