FAQ -- rec.gardens.ecosystems: Appendix B

Recommended Reading

Most of the books are also available from Webgardens which provide their own reviews of the books as well. Depending on your location on earth, either IBS or Webgardens may turn out cheaper.

(A.) Environmentally Friendly Gardening; General Principals

• Thoreau, Henry David. "Walden" London: Everyman's Library. Thoreau's classic account of his live in harmony with nature at the banks of Walden lake.
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• Carson, R.. 1962. "Silent Spring". Greenwich, Conn.: Fawcett. . . . This book marked a major turning point in public awareness of the side effects of pesticides. Historic classic, general reading
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• Johnson, Hugh. 1979. "The Principles of Gardening". New York: A Fireside Book, Simon & Schuster, Inc. . . An overview of gardening and the art of gardening, general reading
  
  
• Pollan, Michael. 1991. "Second Nature". New York: The Atlantic Monthly Press . . . reflections on gardening with nature, delightfully written, general reading
  review by Swani
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(B.) Soils and Soil Science

• Brady, Nyle C.1990. "The Nature and Properties of Soils". New York: Macmillan Publishers . . . a good, college level text book and reference
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• Handreck, K.A. and Black, N.D. 1984. "Growing Media for Ornamental Plants and Turf". Kensington, Australia: New South Wales University Press . . . a good, college level text book on soils
  
  

(C.) Compost and Composting

• Campbell, Stu. 1975. "Let it Rot! The Gardener's Guide to Composting". Pownal, Ve.: A Garden Way Publishing Book . . . A general guide on composting, general reading
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(D.) Plant Nutrition

• Soil Improvement Committee, California Fertilizer Association. 1995. "Western Fertilizer Handbook". Danville, Il.: Interstate Publishers, Inc. . . . a handy reference with many charts and tables on nutrients and soils, general reading
  
  

(E.) Cultural Practices

• Coleman, Eliot. 1995. "The New Organic Grower". Halifax, N.S.: Nimbus Publishers . . . A general guide on the cultural practices of organic gardening
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• Rodale, J.I., ed. 1978. "How to Grow Vegetables and Fruits by the Organic Method". Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale Press . . . This book is one of the classics of organic gardening, general reading
  
  

(F.) Botany for Home Gardeners

• Capon, Brian 1990. "Botany for Gardeners - An Introduction and Guide". Portland, Oregon: Timber Press . . . a basic overview of botany for the home gardener, well illustrated, general reading
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• Stern, Kingsley R. 1997. "Introductory Plant Biology". Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Publishers . . . a classic college text and reference, well illustrated, advanced reading
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(G.) Plant and Soil Disease

• Agrios, G.N. 1988. "Plant Pathology". San Diego: Academic Press. . . One of the better plant pathology texts, college level
  
  
• Horst, R. Kenneth. 1990. "Westcott's Plant Disease Handbook". New York: An Anvi Book - Van Horstrand Reinhold . . . A classic, excellent reference and guide
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• Pirone, Pascal P. 1978. "Disease and Pests of Ornamental Plants". New York: Wiley-Interscience Publication . . . A good reference and guide, easier read.
  
  
• Powell, Charles C. And Lindquist, Richard K. 1992. "Ball Pest and Disease Manuel". Geneva, Ill.: Ball Publishing . . . A good reference for identifying plant disease with accounts of the pathogen's life cycles
  
  

(H.) Plant and Soil Pests

• Carr, Anna. 1983. "Rodale's Color Handbook of Garden Insects". Emmaus, Pa.: Rodale Press . . . A classic in organic gardening as well as a handy reference and guide, general reading
  
  
• Flint, Mary Louise. 1990. "Pests of the Garden and Small Farm: A Grower's Guide to Using Less Pesticide". Oakland, Ca.: ANR Publications . . . A standard for Integrated Pest Management with quality illustrations of various pests found in U.S. and Canada, general reading
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• Marer, P.J. 1988. "The Safe and Effective Use of Pesticides". Davis: University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Project, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Publication 3324) . . . William Olkowski calls it, "This is the best basic discussion of pesticide composition, behavior, toxicity and appropriate methods of use currently (1991) in print", college level
  
  
• Olkowski, William, Sheila Daar and Helga Olkowski. 1991. "Common-Sense Pest Control". Newtown, Conn.: A Fine Gardening Book, Taunton Press . . . A classic and standard of Integrated Pest Management and pest control principles, college level
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• Van den Bosch, R., P.S. Messenger and A.P. Gutierrez. 1982. "An Introduction to Biological Control". New York: Plenum Press . . . textbook introduction to beneficial insects, general reading
  
  
• Yepson, Roger B. 1984. "The Encyclopedia of Natural Insect and Disease Control". Emmaus, Pa: Rodale Press . . . a general guide and reference, general reading
  
  
• Pleasant, Barbara. "The Gardener's Guide to Plant Diseases". Pownal, Vermont: Storey Communications, Inc. . . of particular interest and value because it covers the life cycles of the disease organism. It deals primarily with diseases that effect fruits and vegetables but it does have a section on disease effecting roses. Barbara Pleasant is a good writer and the book is a pleasant and easy read.
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(I.) Weed Control

• California Weed Conference. 1989. "Principles of Weed Control In California". Fresno, California: Thomson Publications . . . Good reference on alternatives to toxic herbicides
  
  
• Western Society of Weed Science. 1990. "Weeds of the West". Jackson, Wyoming: University of Wyoming Press . . . One of the better general references, well illustrated for weed identification.
  
  

(J.) Gardening for Wildlife

• Homes, Roger, Editor 1993. "Taylor's Guide to Natural Gardening". New York: Houghton Mifflan Co. . . . a reference and guide with a comprehensive listing of wild flowers and plants that attract wildlife, general reading
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• McElroy, Thomas P. 1960. "The New Handbook of Attracting Birds". New York: Alfrd A. Knopf. . . A classic reference, general reading.
  
  
• Morse, Roger A. 1972. "The Complete Guide to Beekeeping". New York: E.P. Dutton & Co. . . A little dated but still a classic and one of the best general references on bees and bee keeping, easy read
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• Sedenks, Jerry 1991. "The Butterfly Garden". New York: Villard Books. . . A good reference and guide, general Reading
  
  
• Sunset Book Editors 1974. "Attracting Birds to your Garden". Menlo Park, Ca., a general reference, general reading
  
  

(K.) Growing Edible Crops

• Creasy, Rosalind 1982. "The Complete Book of Edible Landscaping" San Francisco, Calif.: Sierra Club . . . an overview of foodscaping, well illustrated, a handy reference and guide, general reading
  
  
• Kourik, R. 1986. "Designing and Maintaining your Edible Landscape Naturally". Santa Rosa, Calif.: Metamorphic Press . . . a guide to the practical aspects of garden layout and use of companion plants, general reading, college level
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(L.) Ecology

• Begon, M.,Harper, J.L., and Townsend C.R. 1996. "Ecology". (3rd Edition) Oxford: Blackwell Science . . . a classic text on ecology, college level
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