In article ,
"SteveB" toquerville,utah@zionvistas wrote:

We bought a house with a garden. A nice one where the soil has been
prepared down about eight or ten inches. It had weeds and had been
neglected a while. A few live items.

Enter us. I have gardened in Louisiana for about ten years, so know a
little about it. Well, SWMBO bulldozes in and just starts ripping and
tearing. Digging ditches. Arranging things on the slope with the idea that
the sprinklers will flow by gravity from high to low. Digs up the good dirt
down to the rocky level, where she plants new plants. Piles up the good
loamy dirt in large mounds that I immediately flattened some and planted the
melons on.

I let her go. When all was done, she asks hows that, expecting heaps of
praise. I explain that all that was needed was to till it all up, rake out
the weeds, make rows laterally so they are not sloped, and plant the plants
on the top of the mounds, not in the gullies where they can get fungus and
rot. I do recall mentioning this the first ten or fifteen minutes into the
ordeal, but she says I didn't. I know I did, and I know I would never plant
things so a good rain would wash everything away.

What's a good book for me to go buy her and casually place next to the
toilet or wine cabinet or someplace she's sure to see it? Something REALLY
simple that goes over some of these most basic things, so she can read it
somewhere. If she reads it or hears it on Oprah, it's the rule for the
month in our house, even though I may have said the same thing for ten
years.

Help in tender loving firmhanded manipulation appreciated.

Steve

Just received "Gaia's Garden" A guide to Home-Scale Permaculture today.

By Toby Hemenway

ISBN 1-890132-52-7

Sure I know some of this stuff but with perhaps a 5 % retention rate it
does not hurt to read anew. P 112 has a small list of perennial food
plants.

Bill

Albert said soon as you know you stop thinking about possibilities.

......

Small ethic joke follows.

Why have the Chinese with all their amazing ancient major scientific
advances not have a science of biology?

Seems that they would start a study of a plant or animal and wonder
what it would taste like.

--
Garden in shade zone 5 S Jersey USA

"SteveB" toquerville,utah@zionvistas wrote in message
...

What's a good book for me to go buy her and casually place next to the
toilet or wine cabinet or someplace she's sure to see it? Something
REALLY simple that goes over some of these most basic things, so she can
read it somewhere. If she reads it or hears it on Oprah, it's the rule
for the month in our house, even though I may have said the same thing for
ten years.

Help in tender loving firmhanded manipulation appreciated.

Steve

Have I got the book for you!!

Clueless in the Garden: A Guide for the Horticulturally Helpless
ISBN: 1552634094
Yvonne Cunningham

I gave this book to my son when he moved into his first house. He
practically needed an arrow on a plant saying "this end up". Worked pretty
good too, he's now to the point of trying to slip some of my 'more advanced'
garden books out the door when he visits and his garden (landscaping to
veggies) is looking darned good too. I spent an evening reading through this
book before I wrapped it up for him. I was really impressed with very clear,
concise instructions and explanations and common sense advise. Plus she
writes with a witty sense of humor so it's fun to read. You might want to
read the reviews on Amazon.com if you need more convincing.

You could always make a 'faux cover' for the book before you put it out for
SWMBO to trip over........"Oprah's Guide To Gardening". Or break out
PhotoShop and your color printer and make a big sticker to slap on the cover
that says "Number 1 on Oprah's 2008 Must Read Book List" She'll jump on it
like a chicken does a grub worm.

Val

In article ,
"SteveB" toquerville,utah@zionvistas wrote:

We bought a house with a garden. A nice one where the soil has been
prepared down about eight or ten inches. It had weeds and had been
neglected a while. A few live items.

Enter us. I have gardened in Louisiana for about ten years, so know a
little about it. Well, SWMBO bulldozes in and just starts ripping and
tearing. Digging ditches. Arranging things on the slope with the idea that
the sprinklers will flow by gravity from high to low. Digs up the good dirt
down to the rocky level, where she plants new plants. Piles up the good
loamy dirt in large mounds that I immediately flattened some and planted the
melons on.

I let her go. When all was done, she asks hows that, expecting heaps of
praise. I explain that all that was needed was to till it all up, rake out
the weeds, make rows laterally so they are not sloped, and plant the plants
on the top of the mounds, not in the gullies where they can get fungus and
rot. I do recall mentioning this the first ten or fifteen minutes into the
ordeal, but she says I didn't. I know I did, and I know I would never plant
things so a good rain would wash everything away.

What's a good book for me to go buy her and casually place next to the
toilet or wine cabinet or someplace she's sure to see it? Something REALLY
simple that goes over some of these most basic things, so she can read it
somewhere. If she reads it or hears it on Oprah, it's the rule for the
month in our house, even though I may have said the same thing for ten
years.

Help in tender loving firmhanded manipulation appreciated.

Steve

"How to Grow More Vegetables" by John Jeavons
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/...=search-alias%
3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=How+to+Grow+More+Vegetables&x=0&y=0

Just about everything except Lasagna Gardening.
--

Billy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aEo...eature=related

We bought a house with a garden. A nice one where the soil has been
prepared down about eight or ten inches. It had weeds and had been
neglected a while. A few live items.

Enter us. I have gardened in Louisiana for about ten years, so know a
little about it. Well, SWMBO bulldozes in and just starts ripping and
tearing. Digging ditches. Arranging things on the slope with the idea that
the sprinklers will flow by gravity from high to low. Digs up the good dirt
down to the rocky level, where she plants new plants. Piles up the good
loamy dirt in large mounds that I immediately flattened some and planted the
melons on.

I let her go. When all was done, she asks hows that, expecting heaps of
praise. I explain that all that was needed was to till it all up, rake out
the weeds, make rows laterally so they are not sloped, and plant the plants
on the top of the mounds, not in the gullies where they can get fungus and
rot. I do recall mentioning this the first ten or fifteen minutes into the
ordeal, but she says I didn't. I know I did, and I know I would never plant
things so a good rain would wash everything away.

What's a good book for me to go buy her and casually place next to the
toilet or wine cabinet or someplace she's sure to see it? Something REALLY
simple that goes over some of these most basic things, so she can read it
somewhere. If she reads it or hears it on Oprah, it's the rule for the
month in our house, even though I may have said the same thing for ten
years.

Help in tender loving firmhanded manipulation appreciated.

Steve

--
"...the man who really counts in the world is the doer, not the mere
critic-the man who actually does the work, even if roughly and imperfectly,
not the man who only talks or writes about how it ought to be done."
Theodore Roosevelt 1891

"Val" wrote in message
...

"SteveB" toquerville,utah@zionvistas wrote in message
...

What's a good book for me to go buy her and casually place next to the
toilet or wine cabinet or someplace she's sure to see it? Something
REALLY simple that goes over some of these most basic things, so she can
read it somewhere. If she reads it or hears it on Oprah, it's the rule
for the month in our house, even though I may have said the same thing
for ten years.

Help in tender loving firmhanded manipulation appreciated.

Steve

Have I got the book for you!!

Clueless in the Garden: A Guide for the Horticulturally Helpless
ISBN: 1552634094
Yvonne Cunningham

I gave this book to my son when he moved into his first house. He
practically needed an arrow on a plant saying "this end up". Worked pretty
good too, he's now to the point of trying to slip some of my 'more
advanced' garden books out the door when he visits and his garden
(landscaping to veggies) is looking darned good too. I spent an evening
reading through this book before I wrapped it up for him. I was really
impressed with very clear, concise instructions and explanations and
common sense advise. Plus she writes with a witty sense of humor so it's
fun to read. You might want to read the reviews on Amazon.com if you need
more convincing.

You could always make a 'faux cover' for the book before you put it out
for SWMBO to trip over........"Oprah's Guide To Gardening". Or break out
PhotoShop and your color printer and make a big sticker to slap on the
cover that says "Number 1 on Oprah's 2008 Must Read Book List" She'll
jump on it like a chicken does a grub worm.

Val

$44 to $100 on amazon.com

It must be good.

Steve

I paid around $50.00 plus in 2004 for my son's book and I really think it
was well worth it. He uses it all the time for reference and trouble
shooting. This book holds it's content value even beyond the initial novice
stage. It isn't a one time read through. I got the book at Flora & Fauna in
Seattle. When the owner handed me the book with his recommendation my
reaction was a polite smile while thinking...."No way in hell am I paying
that....and certainly not for a used book!" After thumbing through it I
decided to bite the bullet. After getting it home and really examining it I
was OK with the price......after I saw how much my son got out of the book
and still does I'm glad I got it for him. It was a good investment IMO.
YMMV

That book is being reprinted with a different title for Canadian
distribution. I have no idea the particulars or if the price will be less.

I will put out feelers to my used book stores and also my garden meet up
groups. I'll let you know if I hear any news.

Val

"SteveB" toquerville,utah@zionvistas wrote in message
...

"Val" wrote


Have I got the book for you!!

Clueless in the Garden: A Guide for the Horticulturally Helpless
ISBN: 1552634094
Yvonne Cunningham

I gave this book to my son when he moved into his first house. He
practically needed an arrow on a plant saying "this end up".

snip

Val

Do you or anyone in the ng have an extra copy? I can't seem to find one
for less than $40, and I'm sorry, but I won't pay that much for a 200 page
paperback book unless it is a rarity. And then, I'm not sure. I Googled
for a while, and most were out, or overpriced. IIRC, it came out in 2003.

Steve

"Val" wrote


Have I got the book for you!!

Clueless in the Garden: A Guide for the Horticulturally Helpless
ISBN: 1552634094
Yvonne Cunningham

I gave this book to my son when he moved into his first house. He
practically needed an arrow on a plant saying "this end up".

snip

Val

Do you or anyone in the ng have an extra copy? I can't seem to find one for
less than $40, and I'm sorry, but I won't pay that much for a 200 page
paperback book unless it is a rarity. And then, I'm not sure. I Googled
for a while, and most were out, or overpriced. IIRC, it came out in 2003.

Steve

My very favorite book for brand new, clueless gardeners in training:
Rodale's Chemical Free Lawn and Garden. Really good chapters at the beginning
on soil, water, diseases, prevention, how plant selection can make or break
a garden. Following chapters on common plants, selection, care and feeding
thereof. Clearly written, and a good foundation for any gardener.

Because the methods espoused are organic, there's not a whole lot in there
that can hurt anyone or anything. If you care to go off towards gardening
on the LISA model (low input sustainable agriculture) or permaculture or
high-management, heavy chemical gardening, you've still got a good set of
basics from this book.

And you can get a used copy cheaper than dirt. Get several and spread 'em
around. :-)

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sear...tn=rodale+chem
ical+free+yard+and+garden&x=44&y=10 or http://preview.tinyurl.com/6pbnmh

Kay Lancaster


Kay Lancaster

In article ,
Kay Lancaster wrote:

My very favorite book for brand new, clueless gardeners in training:
Rodale's Chemical Free Lawn and Garden. Really good chapters at the beginning
on soil, water, diseases, prevention, how plant selection can make or break
a garden. Following chapters on common plants, selection, care and feeding
thereof. Clearly written, and a good foundation for any gardener.

Would that be Rodale's Chemical-Free Yard & Garden: The Ultimate
Authority on Successful Organic Gardening (Paperback)
by Anna Carr (Editor), Fern Marshall Bradley (Editor),

5 star rating out of five, and

26 used & new available from $1.98?

Good to see you back with us. Your council is always worth of attention.
Some may think this is sarcasm, but we know it is not. Good to have your
presence with us.
--

Billy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTf...ef=patrick.net
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aEo...eature=related

In article , Charlie wrote:

On Mon, 12 May 2008 16:26:43 -0400, Bill wrote:


Albert said soon as you know you stop thinking about possibilities.

:-)

.....

Small ethic joke follows.

Why have the Chinese with all their amazing ancient major scientific
advances not have a science of biology?

Seems that they would start a study of a plant or animal and wonder
what it would taste like.

Heh heh...kinda reminds me of Beijing Fast Food.

Charlie, wondering now about cicadas......

lol I got that e-mail too...

It's finally getting hot enough here to set off the cicada chorus during
mid-day.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people
until they put their foot down." -- Stephan Rothstein

In article , Charlie wrote:

On Tue, 13 May 2008 07:48:31 -0500, Omelet wrote:


lol I got that e-mail too...

And honestly, I found most of the food quite appealing. There were a
couple that carry too much cultural baggage, but they were visually
appealing. Andrew Zimmer I ain't, closer to Tony Bourdain. ;-)

I'd not say most of it, but some of it looked tasty. Frankly I think
deep fried star fish would be a bit "crunchy" and I'll pass on ALL the
insects except for waterbugs (crawfish and that ilk). I've even had
urchin roe, fresh raw on the beach when we lived in California.



It's finally getting hot enough here to set off the cicada chorus during
mid-day.

Are you serious? It is still effing too cool here. Zirrie bugs don't
often startup here until late july and don't midday sing until Aug,
usually.

I heard them start up about 2 days ago. We are well into the 90's here
right now most days.


My sons told me that if I were to fry them and eat them myself, they
will be forced to follow suit. same for a couple other bugs.

I'll pass. g


Yes, we are kinda nuts, as viewed from the "normal" cultural
perspective. ;-)

BTW, fried buzzworm is good eatin'. Been there, done that
several times. ;-) My long gone uncle in Wash. state turned me on to
that.

Care
Charlie

Whatever floats your palette babe! :-)
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people
until they put their foot down." -- Stephan Rothstein