Fresh from the garden : an organic guide to growing vegetables, berries, and herbs in cold climates

Fresh from the garden An organic guide to growing vegetables, berries, and herbs in cold climates

John Whitman, 1944-

Book - 2017

"Fresh is simply best. To get the tastiest, most nutritious produce, you have to grow your own, and in a cold climate this presents unique challenges. Fresh from the Garden will help you extend the growing season to produce the best vegetables, berries, and herbs, right in your own backyard. The guide includes more than 150 edible plants and helps you decide which varieties to choose; where and how to plant, tend, and harvest them; and what to do with your bounty. Fresh from the Garden is a clear, concise guide, with nutrition information tables and hundreds of helpful color photographs. Drawing on more than fifty years of gardeningand nearly as many years writing on the subjectJohn Whitman describes various methods of planting to mak...e the most of different sites, whether in containers, raised beds, or on level ground, and takes into consideration the abbreviated growing season and longer summer days. He discusses the merits of starting from seed indoors or outdoors, the making and uses of compost, and measures for keeping a garden healthy, from mulching and fertilizing to crop rotation and winter protection. Included in his wealth of knowledge is a generous listing of more than 1,700 varieties of vegetables, berries, and herbs, from the best known to the highly unusual, including hybrid and heirloom varieties. He covers the specifics of cultivation, nutritional values, storage techniques, and culinary usage. Dedicated to organic practices, for the health of gardener and garden alike, the information and advice in Fresh from the Garden will enrich the experience of cold climate gardeners,"--Amazon.com.

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Subjects
Organic gardening > Snowbelt States.
Organic gardening > Canada.
Organic gardening.
Vegetable gardening > Snowbelt States.
Vegetable gardening > Canada.
Vegetable gardening.
Berries > Snowbelt States.
Berries > Canada.
Berries.
Herb gardening > Snowbelt States.
Herb gardening > Canada.
Herb gardening.
Published
Minneapolis : University of Minnesota Press [2017]
Language
English
Main Author
John Whitman, 1944- (author)
Item Description
Includes index.
Physical Description
xi, 514 pages : color illustrations ; 28 cm
ISBN
9780816698394
9780816698417
  • Acknowledgments
  • Introduction
  • Part I. The Basics of Growing Vegetables, Berries, and Herbs
  • 1. Where to Plant
  • Tips on Choosing a Garden Site
  • Types of Gardens
  • Soil
  • 2. Planting Seed in the Garden
  • Buying Seed
  • Planting Seed
  • Spacing
  • When to Plant
  • Mail Order Sources
  • 3. Starting Vegetables From Seed Indoors (Transplanting)
  • About Seed Starting Indoors
  • Step-by-Step Guide to Planting Seeds Indoors
  • Buying Potted Plants
  • 4. Caring for Vegetables, Berries, and Herbs
  • Watering
  • Mulch
  • Fertilizing
  • Support
  • Weeding
  • Thinning
  • Pruning
  • Winter Protection
  • Extending the Growing Season
  • 5. Propagation
  • 6. Solving Growing Problems
  • Basic Tips That Help Reduce the Use of Pesticides
  • Using Organic Chemicals
  • Insects
  • Disease
  • Crop Rotation
  • Solarization
  • Marauders
  • Physiological Problems
  • 7. Harvesting and Culinary Uses
  • Harvesting
  • Yield
  • Storing
  • Culinary Uses
  • Nutrition
  • 8. Tools, Materials, and Gardening Aids
  • Part II. Vegetables, Berries, and Herbs
  • Individual Listings
  • Amaranth (see Greens)
  • Artichoke, globe (see Unique Plants)
  • Artichoke, Jerusalem (see Sunchoke under Unique Plants)
  • Arugula (see Greens)
  • Asparagus
  • Asparagus bean (see Yardlong bean under Unique Plants)
  • Asparagus pea (see Unique Plants)
  • Aubergine (see Eggplant)
  • Aztec Red Spinach (see Lamb's Quarters under Greens)
  • Basil
  • Batavian endive (see Endive under Greens)
  • Bean
  • Beet (beetroot)
  • Belgian endive (see Unique Plants)
  • Bitter melon (see Gourds under Unique Plants)
  • Blackberry (see Raspberry)
  • Black-eyed pea (see Cowpea under Unique Plants)
  • Black salsify (see Salsify under Unique Plants)
  • Blueberry
  • Bok Choi (see Chinese cabbage)
  • Borage (see Herbs)
  • Borecole (see Kale)
  • Boysenberry (see Raspberry)
  • Broad bean
  • Broccoflower (see Cauliflower)
  • Broccoli
  • Broccoli raab or rabe (see Greens)
  • Broccolini (see Chinese broccoli under Greens)
  • Brokali (see Chinese broccoli under Greens)
  • Brussels sprouts
  • Burdock (see Unique Plants)
  • Bush bean (see Bean)
  • Cabbage
  • Cantaloupe (see Muskmelon)
  • Cape gooseberry (see Ground cherry under Unique Plants)
  • Capers (see Nasturtium for substitute)
  • Caraway (see Herbs)
  • Cardoon (see Unique Plants)
  • Carrot
  • Catgrass (see Greens)
  • Cat mint (see Catnip under Herbs)
  • Catnip (see Herbs)
  • Cauliflower
  • Celeriac (see Celery)
  • Celery
  • Celery, bulb (see Celery)
  • Celery, stem (see Celery)
  • Celery cabbage (see Chinese cabbage)
  • Celery root (see Celery)
  • Celtuce (see Lettuce)
  • Ceylon spinach (see Malabar spinach under Greens)
  • Chamomile (see Herbs)
  • Chard (see Swiss Chard)
  • Chervil (see Herbs)
  • Chickpea (see Unique Plants)
  • Chicory, Belgian endive (see Belgian endive under Unique Plants)
  • Chicory, Italian dandelion (see Italian dandelion under Greens)
  • Chicory, Radicchio (see Radicchio under Unique Plants)
  • Chicory, Witloof (see Belgian endive under Unique Plants)
  • Chinese broccoli (see Greens)
  • Chinese cabbage (see Greens)
  • Chinese flowering cabbage (see Chinese cabbage under Greens)
  • Chinese kale (see Chinese broccoli under Greens)
  • Chinese mustard (see Greens)
  • Chinese spinach (see Amaranth under Greens)
  • Chives (see Herbs)
  • Choi (choy) sum (see Chinese cabbage under Greens)
  • Chrysanthemum (see Greens)
  • Chop
Review by Choice Review

This big book is full of useful tips and advice. The first section is largely devoted to how to get started with a garden, with general topics ranging from soils and fertilizers to garden layouts. One of the strong points is the detail that informs about how plants grow. In the second section, one finds crops listed in alphabetical order--from asparagus to watermelon, with a section on unique plants. Since the book is aimed at cold climate gardening, some of the unique plants listed are special, in that they are not associated with cold climates; others may not be thought of as food plants. How to grow, harvest, and cook these crops is central. The information is useful to both the beginner and the experienced gardener. In either case, the plant lists and recommendations are worthy of study. After reading and researching this book, one is inspired to experiment. The author wisely experiments and learns from his trials, e.g., "Now I have [grown it] and I will never grow it again." This is just the permission a gardener may need to walk away from a trial plant that has proven to be undeserving. Summing Up: Recommended. All readers. --Donald H. Pfister, Harvard University

Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review

*Starred Review* The University of Minnesota Press could hardly have made this book's journey to a library shelf any more challenging. A title by the same name by Sarah Raven, published by Rizzoli Universe in 2012, already exists and is not to be confused with Ann Lovejoy's Fresh from the Garden Cookbook (Sasquatch, 2005). Patrons would not know from the title of the book at hand only from the subtitle that it's intended as a cold-weather growing guide. On the other hand, it's equally usable in other, milder regions of the country, such as the northwest coast. Still, it's an excellent resource for home gardeners at any level, especially beginners, offering a thorough introduction to the basics of organic gardening: site selection, soil amending, planting seeds (directly in the ground or indoors), anticipating or solving pest and disease problems, harvesting and culinary uses, and recommended tools and materials. Following is a copiously detailed, alphabetical listing of dozens of cold-hardy plants about three-fourths of the book from asparagus to watermelon, each entry providing info on every aspect of growing that fruit or vegetable, from soil needs to planting requirements to unique problems to harvesting and culinary uses. An excellent handbook deserving a larger audience than it may receive.--Moores, Alan Copyright 2016 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review

In his latest book, companion to the other three volumes in his cold climate gardening series, Whitman (gardening, Univ. of Minnesota; Growing Perennials in Cold Climates) describes how gardeners with short growing seasons can pick the best plants for their areas as well as extend their harvests. Part 1 of this guide covers the basics any good gardening manual should-where to plant, how to plant, and what to do with the plants-and includes tips on cooking and a glossary of culinary terms. But the bulk lies in the extensive individual plant profiles that make up the second part. Expanding in greater detail on the topics covered in the first section, these specific descriptions, including a segment on unique plants, are in-depth and extremely helpful. One caveat: -Whitman sometimes recommends nonorganic products and materials, which he will point out and often explain why they were chosen even though they may not be approved by "organic purists." VERDICT This volume deserves a place on the shelf next to the bible of cold climate gardening, Eliot Coleman's classic Four-Season Harvest, because of the extensive information on individual plants.-Venessa Hughes, Buffalo © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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