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what makes this list of gardening books different?
This is not a compilation of other people’s gardening book reviews like other lists you can find online.
You are reading: Books on gardening for beginners
I’m pretty obsessed with gardening books and have read hundreds of them.
I own, have read and used all the books on this list. and I have high standards for what is on this list. there are plenty of gardening books more or less out there, but you won’t find them here!
A gardening library filled with quality gardening books will improve your gardening skills no matter how long you’ve been gardening.
after all, no one is born knowing how to garden!
best gardening books for beginners
1. plants you can’t kill: 101 easy species to grow for beginning gardeners by stacy torino
Do you think you have a black thumb? get ready to change your mind! Stacy gives you practical advice on the most reliable plants to grow.
With over 100 easy-to-grow vegetables, flowers, herbs, trees, shrubs, and even houseplants to choose from, there’s something for every plant novice you can’t kill. If you only have one book on gardening for beginners, this should be it!
2. How Plants Work by Linda Chalker-Scott
This book will change the way you garden! understanding how plants work is vital to being a successful gardener.
And How Plants Work, written by a horticultural expert, is easy for non-scientists to understand, so you’ll be able to learn basic gardening terms quickly.
has a conversational style and is full of interesting and useful information that will help you make more informed decisions in your garden and give you two green thumbs.
3. The Truth About Garden Remedies: What Works, What Doesn’t, and Why by Jeff Gillman
If you’ve spent any time online looking for answers to your garden problems, you’ve seen plenty of home remedies out there. but which ones really work? Is epsom salt a miracle cure as some claim? what about using vinegar on weeds? And does corn gluten really work?
You’ll get answers to these questions and more! The Truth About Garden Remedies offers something for all gardeners, no matter how experienced.
4. The Month By Month Gardening Series (for U.S. gardeners) by various authors
written for usa gardeners. In the US, these regional gardening guides tell you what to do month by month in your state or region. they cover ground construction, landscaping, lawns, vegetable gardens, and shrub and tree care.
They are the perfect introduction to gardening in your region for first-time gardeners!
Find your state or region in the list below:
- eastern united states. new england (ct, me, ma, nh, ri, vt) | Mid-Atlantic (VA, WV, DE, MD) | new york & new jersey | pennsylvania
- midwestern united states. illinois, indiana & Ohio | Michigan | Minnesota & wisconsin
- southern united states the carolinas | deep south (al, la, ms) | flowery | georgia | tennessee & Kentucky | texas
- western usa arizona, nevada & new mexico | california | pacific northwest (wa, or, n. ca) | rocky mountains (co, id, mt, ut, wy)
prices last updated on 2022-09-02 at 22:03
best horticulture books for beginners
1. The Horticulturist’s Bible by Edward C. blacksmith
This organic gardening guide is my favorite gardening book.
You will learn how raised bed gardening and organic methods will make your garden more productive.
This is the gardening roadmap you need if you’re a new gardener or if you’ve been gardening for a few years, but don’t feel like you’ve learned how to grow edible plants. The Gardener’s Bible includes just about every vegetable and culinary herb you can think of and has detailed information on growing, including tips for planting together.
You will discover how to set up your organic garden by first creating healthy garden soil. And with easy-to-follow instructions, a list of the author’s favorite gardening tools, and pest control tips, you’ll be on your way to growing your perfect garden in no time!
2. The Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook by Jennifer and Ron Kujawski
For backyard gardeners who live in cold climates (zones 4-6), you’ll learn how to manage your schedule and prioritize what’s important in your garden.
See Also: Books for Letter B – The Measured Mom
It’s the perfect garden planning book because you’ll always know what to do and when to do it.
and is packed with gardening tips.
If you live outside of zones 4-6, the week-by-week horticulturist’s manual may not work for you.
3. The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener by Niki Jabbour
learn niki’s simple techniques for growing vegetables all year round. The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener is a fantastic guide to growing vegetables, whether or not you’re interested in year-round gardening.
profiles vegetables, from asparagus to zucchini, and gives you a schedule for planting. You’ll learn when to start indoor seeding, transplanting, or direct seeding in both spring and fall.
and, as a bonus, it provides detailed instructions for building the cold frames featured in the book.
4. Growing Perennial Foods: A Field Guide to Raising Resilient Herbs, Fruits, and Vegetables by Acadia Tucker
Although designed for gardening novices, this book will appeal to experienced gardeners who want to expand their garden palette to include these more hardy crops.
Depending on where you live, some of the plants listed in Perennial Food Crops won’t really be perennials for you, but many will.
And as a bonus, after each plant profile, there’s an easy yet delicious recipe that will encourage you to eat the unusual varieties you’ve grown.
Related: The Ultimate List of the Best Vegetable Gardening Books
best flower gardening books for beginners
1. The Flower Gardener’s Bible: A Complete Guide to Colorful Flowers All Season Long by Lewis and Nancy Hill
Grow the garden of your dreams with the flower gardener’s bible. is packed with expert advice for new and experienced flower gardeners. Learn how to plan for blooming throughout the seasons, prepare your soil, and take care of your flower garden.
2. Encyclopedia of Garden Plants for Every Location by The Smithsonian
With over 2,000 recommendations in the Garden Plant Encyclopedia for every location, gardeners in every situation will find ornamental plants that will work in their garden. With detailed descriptions and beautiful photographs, this massive book deserves a place on every flower gardener’s shelf.
3. Annuals, Perennials, and Bulbs: 377 Flower Varieties for a Vibrant Garden by The Editors of Creative Homeowner
You will learn crucial floral gardening techniques, such as how to improve your soil, design your flower garden, and care for your flowers. even includes tips for container gardening with flowers.
This guide has over 600 photos and step-by-step instructions.
and the landscaping section alone is worth the price of annuals, perennials and bulbs. learn how to use color in your garden, select the right plants and where to place them.
4. Bloom’s Best Perennials and Grasses by Adrian Bloom
How do you know you’re making the right decision when selecting perennials and grasses for your garden?
With 250 options that are reliable, beautiful and easy to maintain, you’ll find answers in the best perennials and grasses for bloom. adrian provides growing, care, and design tips you can use, no matter the size of your garden.
Related: The Ultimate List of the Best Succulent Books for Beginning & Experienced Growers
best organic gardening books for beginners
1. barbara damrosch’s garden primer
You will find wise and practical advice on planning a garden, recommended plants, pest control and the best tools to buy. Entire chapters are devoted to all kinds of plants, from annuals to vines.
While there are books that cover these topics in greater depth, you won’t find a better introduction to organic gardening than the garden manual.
If I had to recommend just one gardening book to new organic gardeners, this would be it!
2. Weedless Gardening: The Hassle-Free All-Organic System by Lee Reich
While there will always be some weeds in your garden, the simple and easy methods taught in Weed-Free Gardening will show you how to minimize them by abandoning conventional tilling advice.
See Also: Sharon McCone Books in Order: How to read Marcia Muller&039s series? – How To Read Me
You’ll also learn how to reduce water use, protect your soil, and grow healthy plants. and get useful information about growing vegetables and ornamental plants.
It’s the perfect introduction to organic gardening!
3. Let it Rot: The Gardener’s Guide to Composting by Stu Campbell
every organic gardener should know how to make good compost. But a lot of information about composting can seem intimidating to the first-time organic gardener. how do you get the right levels of carbon, nitrogen, moisture, and oxygen?
This easy-to-understand guide breaks it all down without adding details and tells you what you need to know to get started. be sure to leave room on your shelf for it to rot.
4. The Truth About Organic Gardening: Benefits, Drawbacks, and the Bottom Line by Jeff Gillman
The truth about organic gardening takes a nuanced approach to the common belief that all organic products and practices are “good” and all conventional ones are “bad.”
You will learn to think about what you are doing in your garden and why you are doing it. And in the process, you’ll make more informed and effective decisions for your garden.
Best garden maintenance books for beginners
1. The Perennial Care Manual by Nancy J. ondra
If you grow perennials, you should have this book! Written in an accessible style for new gardeners, this book provides general tips on caring for perennials, plus detailed information on 125 popular perennials.
You will learn which perennials to choose for your garden and how to care for them. if you only have one perennial care book, it should be the perennial care manual!
2. The Well-Tended Perennial Garden: The Essential Guide to Planting and Pruning Techniques by Tracy DiSabato-Aust
Absolute novices may find the well-kept perennial garden intimidating. but once you get the hang of growing perennials, it makes a great companion to the perennial care manual.
includes comprehensive details on the essentials of perennial care, including heading, pinching, thinning, and dividing. but it also covers detailed information on growing many perennials and includes a monthly planting and maintenance calendar.
One of the best features of the book is the thirty-six different lists of plants arranged by maintenance requirements. these allow you to choose plants from a particular list (clay tolerant, drought tolerant, deer tolerant, etc.) and then return to the alphabetical list for more information on that plant.
3. The Homeowner’s Complete Tree & Shrub Handbook by Penelope O’Sullivan
Do you have trees or shrubs in your garden or do you want to add more? then you need this essential guide to choosing, planting and maintaining trees and shrubs.
With a focus on selecting the right plant for the right place, you’ll learn how to add texture and shape to your garden with trees and shrubs. the complete tree of the owner & The Shrub Handbook includes over 350 plant profiles and discusses the best cultivars. you will also learn to take care of your selections.
4. Tending Your Garden: A Year-Round Guide to Garden Maintenance by Gordon and Mary Hayward
Perfect for beginning and intermediate gardeners, this book will help you keep your garden looking its best all year long.
All the seasonal chores you’ll need to do are detailed in Caring for Your Garden: Preparing a garden bed, trimming trees and shrubs; plant, stake and divide perennials; and edging, topping and weeding. you’ll also get lots of tips to reduce garden maintenance.
Best books about weeds, insects, diseases, and pests
1. weeds of north america by richard dickinson
every garden will have some weeds. And to defeat your weeds, you have to be able to identify them. that’s where this book has your back. covers more than 600 species at each stage of growth.
what do i like most about north american weeds? has close-up photos, making identification easy!
2. Garden Insects of North America by Whitney Cranshaw
This is the most complete guide to the insects you will find in your garden! With 3,300 full-color photos and detailed descriptions, this book covers the hundreds of species of insects (good and bad) you’ll find in your garden.
North American Garden Insects tells you where you are most likely to find insects, which is helpful in identifying them. (Dr. Cranshaw was one of my instructors when I became a certified gardener, so I can tell you firsthand that he knows what he’s doing!)
3. What’s Wrong With My Plant? by David Deardorff and Kathryn Wadsworth
It can be difficult to diagnose and treat a diseased plant when you’re new to gardening. what’s wrong with my plant? it will help you quickly get to the cause of the problem and suggest solutions. also includes photos of common plant problems, making identification easy for novices.
4. 50 Beautiful Deer-Resistant Plants by Ruth Rogers Clausen
As a new gardener, the first thing you think when you see a deer in your garden may be, “Bambi is here for a visit!” but after they’ve chewed your prized plants naked, you’ll start to wonder why hunting isn’t allowed in the city limits.
the problem? Chances are you’ve planted some “deer candy,” the plants that deer like best. With 50 beautiful deer-resistant plants by your side, you’ll discover what deer like and don’t like to eat. plant more of what they don’t like, remove their favorite treats and they’ll stay away.
Share your pick for best beginner gardening book
Did I miss a great book? what do you think is the best gardening book for beginners? share in a comment below!