Lemon Verbena Lady's Book Review for Timber Press-What's Wrong With My Vegetable Garden? by David Deardorff & Kathryn Wadsworth

My next book review for Timber Press is called What's Wrong With My Vegetable Garden? by David Deardorff & Kathryn Wadsworth.  This book brought me right back to the days that I volunteered as a Penn State master gardener answering the public's questions on Gardenline.  I wish I had had a copy of this book back then, but certainly glad I have it now.  This book is all about being organic, but it does have chemical solutions if the problem is beyond the beyond as far as control.  I liked having all of the solutions from least toxic to most in one place.

In the INTRODUCTION called Prepare for Success, Deardorff and Wadsworth talk about four essential physical factors for success in the vegetable garden (or any garden as a matter of fact):  temperature, soil, light and water.  Each has a related problems chart that shows photos of the most common problems with symptoms and diagnoses and cross-referenced solutions.  Love those cross-references and charts!

Then the authors talk about 50+ vegetables for the garden in Plant Portraits.  Each has a two page concise description which includes a Family Problem-Solving Guide for each veggie.  They discuss, season, temperature, soil, light, water, garden uses and planting techniques and problem-solving of each vegetable.  The Herbal Husband and I grow a limited number of vegetables in our garden, but with these concise instructions, I feel like we could successfully grow other vegetables as well.  Now the family is really going to think we have a farm and sell produce (We do not sell our produce!)   These pages are edged in dark green so they are easy to locate in the book.

Next Deardorff  and Wadsworth discuss Family Problem-Solving Guide talking about both pests and diseases of each vegetable family with photos and cross referenced solutions from least toxic to most toxic.  I always seem to have the one insect or disease a book doesn't have, but this one seems to have all of the answers or at least the majority of them.  While I always try to use the least toxic solution I can, I was glad to see all of the options including the toxic ones discussed.  I think it is important to see all of the options.

The next section covered is called Organic Solutions to Common Problems.  Deardorff and Wadsworth talk about the five rules in Safety First, such as using the least toxic product first, keep products out the reach of children and pets, read the label and use only as it is directed and on the plant is it labeled for (People think more is better and it is not!), dispose of the product properly as recommended on the label and wear protective clothing and gear if you are going to use a toxic solution.

Change Growing Conditions to Solve Problems is the next section which talks about those four important physical components.  Temperature Solutions which covers cool and warm season crops and modify effects of temperature.  In Soil Solutions, Deardorff and Wadsworth discuss how to create healthy soil, make raised beds, use organic fertilizer, has a chart of Nutrition Guidelines relating to fertilizer and what organic fertilizers to use (could have used this information many times), measure and modify pH, and how to solarize the soil.  The Light Solutions talks about modify the site.  Water Solutions gives the reader a lot of options including how to manage water.  This section has several photos to show how to make better use of water with rain barrels, soaker hoses, drip irrigation and other systems.  They also talk about how to improve drainage and watering a container garden.  In Plant Polycultures talks about planting unrelated plants together which makes it harder for pests to find your veggies, diseases can't jump from one plant to another and the garden as a whole attracts beneficial organisms.  Rotate Your Crops is a very important section that gives you a three-year rotation system.  Encourage Beneficials talks about the herbs and flowers that attract beneficials to your vegetable garden.  Learn how to Maintain a Healthy "Home" by weeding, mulching, sanitizing and moving the air.  Solving Pest Problems has a chart of Troublesome Wildlife Problem-Solving Guide and this is where they talk about organic and chemical solutions.  Just as in Solving Pest Problems, Solving Disease Problems are discussed from organic to chemical fixes.

The Appendix is full of good information including Choosing the Right Cultivar, the authors discuss resistant cultivars, annuals, biennials, hybrids, GMO, Heirloom, open-pollinated, perennials and plant patents.  There is a very nice Resources section with information on organic regulations, sources for organic and biological remedies, sources for seeds and plants of disease and pest resistant cultivars and sources for fertilizer, irrigation and other gardening equipment.  And finally, there is a nice page with additional Recommended Reading choices.

As I said at the beginning of this review, I could have used this book when answering questions in my master gardener days.  This book is full of good diagnostic photos and information on solutions for your vegetable garden.  If you are a beginner or an experience gardener, What's Wrong With My Vegetable Garden? by David Deardorff & Kathryn Wadsworth should be on your bookshelf.

Lemon Verbena Lady's Book Review For Timber Press--The Lavender Lover's Handbook by Sarah Berringer Bader

Lovely Front Cover of The Lavender Lover's Handbook

I got an e-mail from Timber Press recently asking if I would like to review books for them.  Heck yes!  I have purchased many books published by Timber Press over the years.  So it was a no-brainer.  Just so you know, I am not being compensated (Well, maybe a free book!) and just giving an honest review of the book.

My first review is The Lavender Lover's Handbook by Sarah Berringer Bader.  I wasn't familiar with the author so I went to the back of the book and read her biography.  Ms. Bader is the owner of Lavender at Stonegate in Oregon and has planted at least 5,000 (Bet it's more now!) lavender plants.  I didn't need to know more.  I think she is a bit obsessed and in my opinion, that's great.  From the cover (Who doesn't love an adirondack chair in a field of blooming lavender?  Maybe a swarm of bees!)  There are smaller photos at the bottom to tease what's inside.

So I'm just going to take you through the book and highlight my notes.  From the preface where Ms. Bader had her a-ha moment with lavender.  It actually happened for me with lemon verbena on a hot summer day.  I should have taken an herbal liking to an herb that had more than just one cultivar!  I guess it's not too late!

The next chapter summed up Ms. Bader's love of lavender called Lavender Obsession:  An Introduction.  I really liked her charts with bloom colors, favorite lavenders, best lavenders for humid summers, best cold weather lavenders and lavenders with the strongest scent.  She explains types of lavender and explains common names that are different throughout the world.  I'm always preaching about learning botanical names and this is one of the reasons because as long as you know the botanical name, it will be the same throughout the world!   I'm sure now that Ms. Bader is obsessed and it's a very good thing!

In Lavender in the Garden:  Landscapes, Containers and Herb Gardens this chapter gives you lists of drought tolerant plants to plant with lavender, a list of early bloomers, all season lavenders, hedges of lavender and lavenders for containers.  This chapter also gives you ideas with photos of lavenders in landscapes with perennials for inspiration.

While this book is labelled a beginner's guide, as a gardener who has killed her fair share of lavenders, I loved the next chapter called The Lavender Palette:  100 Varieties to Try.  Being an herb plant collector as well, 100 varieties of lavender give you something to find in your travels.  There is a flower color and foliage color guide.  It is really helpful to see the cultivars chosen in bloom.  Ms. Bader also highlights her top ten favorites.

Under the Care and Cultivation:  From Planting to Pruning, Harvesting and Drying chapter, the author's explanations of soil preparation, pH levels and fertilizers for lavender growing are very easy to understand.  She talks about the difference of growing lavenders from seed and cuttings with her own tested method for rooting lavender cuttings.  Ms. Bader goes into irrigation issues, insect, wildlife and disease problems.  Then she gives you a year by year (for the first three years) pruning schedule. Boy, do I need that!

How NOT to Prune Lavender!

Ms. Bader also talks about harvesting and drying lavender for the best results.  She goes into the best lavenders for culinary use and gives some good culinary recipes from herb blends like Herbes de Provence and main dishes such as Mediterranean Chicken to desserts like lavender and lemon verbena ice cream.  Think there is an additional reason for enjoying dessert!

The final chapter called Scented Creations:  Wands, Wreaths, Swags, Sachets and Beyond.  gives you a list of the best lavenders for crafts with the best color and staying power.  I especially liked the lavender wreaths, herb box, herb swag, all-purpose cleaner, lavender spray and lavender dryer sachet recipes.

There is a nice Resources section with lavender associations and festivals and mail order plant companies.  The Further Reading page had a nice list of supplemental reading including my favorite herb magazine, The Herb Companion.  Even the back cover is a wonderful field of blooming lavender.

The Lavender Continues to Bloom on the Back Cover!

While this is a very good beginner's book for lavender growing, I think it is just as good for an advanced gardener.  That 100 varieties chapter of lavender would encourage me to purchase it.  I also have really FINALLY learned how to prune my lavenders the proper way!  REALLY, I have!  Yes, Jekka in England, I have found out the correct way to prune lavender.  I think over all Ms. Bader takes into consideration different factors that go into growing lavender in the different regions of the U.S.  The only negatives that are keeping it from being a national book for me, would be the four-lined plant bug that attacks members of the mint family including lavender in sections of the mid-atlantic states and maybe the northeast and additional mail order nurseries that sell lavender in the eastern part of the country, like Well-Sweep Herb Farm in New Jersey, Companion Plants in Ohio and Sandy Mush Herb Nursery in North Carolina.  Maybe in the next edition!

I also found an online excerpt from the book at The Herb Companion website.  Overall, I highly recommend The Lavender Lover's Handbook by Sarah Berringer Bader to you.  Hope you enjoy reading it and using the lavender wisdom from Ms. Bader.  I have a vegetable book to review next time.

Finally, going to get outside.  The garden is growing like a weed and not an herb!  Hope you are having a great day.  Talk to you later.