Tanya Denckla Cobb’s book, Guide to Growing Organic Food, is a comprehensive guide to growing food crops by sustainable, organic methods. Cobb covers a wide range of science-backed practices with step-by-step instructions and detailed explanations, translating complex ecological concepts into clear, doable steps. Written for everyone interested in cultivating their own food with eco-friendly methods, the book gives readers from beginners to experts all the information they need to be successful whether farming on the balcony of an apartment or on acres of land.
The book is divided into six chapters beginning with a brief introduction to the self-sustaining garden with an emphasis on earthworms, compost, and flying creatures (birds and bats that eat insects). The three chapters that follow present 62 plant profiles of three categories of common crops: vegetables, herbs, and fruits and nuts. Each plant profile is full of details and includes the common and botanic name, description of the plant with growing tips for success, optimum temperature for germination and/or growth, soil and water needs, height, breadth, root depth, spacing, pest, diseases, companion plants, incompatable plants, and tips for harvest and storage.
The fifth chapter (over 100 pages) provides a holistic approach to minimizing diseases and pests emphasizing prevention. The author follows with a guide to identifying and treating common problems, an overview of symptoms and remedies, a glossary of organic remedies, and guides for controlling over 150 specific diseases and pests, presented by causative agent. Entries in the guides include all the information necessary to identify and control the problem such as plants affected, symptoms or appearance of damage, and organic remedies. Many remedies are included such as application of wood ashes, spray with mixture of glue and water, and use of black fluorescent lamps.
A final chapter presents a chart on plants that actively repel insects or enhance the growth or flavor of a target plant. The chart lists over 90 protective plants and gives the plants enhanced, the pest controlled, and the method of control. For example, planting buckwheat as a cover crop with fruit trees controls codling moth by attracting beneficial insects. Some plants such as tansy, nasturtium, marigold and garlic protect over 10 other plants from various pests.
Guide to Growing Organic Food is a treasure trove of information. It offers easy to understand practical advice on how to establish and maintain an eco-friendly garden of vegetables, herbs, fruits and nuts using methods that reduce environmental impact. The extensive charts and tables are especially helpful and facilitate troubleshooting common gardening problems. An excellent resource for organic gardening.
To buy Guide to Growing Organic Food from Amazon.com, click here.