Book recommendations?

[Gardener_Wes]

Hey guys I'm interested in finding a book or two to help improve my knowledge on the world of plants. I saw this book at a shop, something Medicinal herbs. Really got me wanting to learn more about herbs as medicine. Been interested for a while, and curious if anyone can recommend me a good medicinal herb book. Also looking for a few good reads on veggie gardening.

[imafan26]

It would be helpful to post where you live. What you will be able to grow best is determined by your zone and location. Also you would grow things a little differently if you are planning to grow in containers or have limitations like if you live in an apartment. Most plants require about 6 hours of good sunlight, some require even more. If you only have shade or partial sun, you will be limited in what you can grow.

I live in Hawaii, zone 12a, so I grow tropicals and plants that are zone 9 and up. I can grow Asparagus and hollyhocks, but I must grow short day onions, garlic, and day neutral strawberries. I can grow tropical rhodies and azaleas but not rhododendrons, Japanese Maples, or most of the northern fruits like peaches, apricots, or anything that requires a winter chill.

For books I like:

Derek Fell The Essential Gardener. It is a basic gardening book with veggies, herbs, irrigation, design, landscaping. Some of the plants in his book won't work where I live, so I do have to substitute. If you live in Middle America, most of what is in the book is appropriate

Rodale books There are a series of them from the vegetable problem solver, how to grow and use herbs. Rodale uses ipm and organic pest control recommendations

Mel Bartholomew The New Square Foot Garden.

John Capinera The Handbook of Vegetable Pests

Sunset Western Garden book

R.E. Holttum and Ivan Enoch, Gardening in the Tropics.
This book is written about Caribbean plants but it works for me since I live in Hawaii and can grow these same plants here. I just had some problems understanding some of the terms like "manicotting". I finally figured out it was the same as air layering.

Peter Thompson, Owen Josie Creative Propagation

Reader's Digest Complete Illustrated book of Herbs. I have an older edition.

I suggest you check out the books in the library first to see which ones are keepers. They are quite expensive now.

You can get much of the same information online or with ebooks.

This is one of my favorite sites for unusual herbs. She also has a complete book of herbs
http://www.herbsarespecial.com.au/free- ... ation.html

Another good site for tropical plants
http://www.tropicalpermaculture.com/

You can also look up information from your local extension service which will have more appropriate suggestions for what can be grown where you live.

[rainbowgardener]

Check out the garden book club section of the forum. Several really important books have been discussed and there is a thread of book recommendations.

[Gardener_Wes]

^Oh alright. Still a little new to this site so I didn't know.

I'm from Central Florida. Zone 9 I believe. I do also run indoor lights to help start plants, but it's a 600w HPS hood light. It has quite the power to it. So, If I need to keep things warm during the winter I will. I'm probably going to go containers mostly for herbs and veggies.

[imafan26]

Containers are a good way to start.

This is a garden calendar and information on herbs from the Univ of Florida extension.
http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/law ... /calendar/
http://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/ ... Intro.html

[Susan W]

There are many books on gardening out there, and plenty on herbs and medicinal plants. Usually when I get one information is limited for me due to location, or other factors. Some of the best info I have put together is from seed catalog and the google search. I use Southern Exposure Seed Exchange and Horizon Herbs among others. See something interesting, and do the net search. Once you start you find more sources and info. Don't believe everything you read on the net! If 4 of 5 sources have similar info, may be good.

I am not discounting books, and there are good ones. Look for ones appropriate for your needs and climate.