Customer Reviews:
 practical advice not found in other gardening manuals October 21, 2008
Whoa... talk about turning my whole world of gardening upside-down! This tome has earned a permanent spot on my bookshelf by telling me things that make good common sense I've never read elsewhere. Solomon really laid it out to me about composting. It turns out everything I've thought I should do... like turning my compost frequently and chopping it into tiny bits to get it to decompose faster... burns up much of the nutritional value of the stuff by making it burn too hot. The most earth-shattering for me was discovering that I am not leaving anywhere close to enough space between plants for their roots to develop. Solomon's sketches of the root systems of vegetables alone make this book worth it to get ahold of a copy. I'm just glad I got this before I started planning for next spring. Thanks, Steve!!
Things I Never Knew About Gardening! October 1, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I am a gardener and I read books and magazines in addition to my hands on efforts. This book has made me think about the way I have been gardening and the complications that I have put on my efforts. This is a much more simple way to do things and I have learned so much about larger spaces, the effort levels of fruits and vegetables, simple tool use and care and water resources.
Excellent book. Although I bought it for myself, I had to get it away from my husband.
 Good book, very detailed September 6, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I think this book is a very honest account of how to grow veggies under difficult circumstances. He has honest criticisms of the seed/garden center/etc businesses and how to avoid buying stuff that is of poor quality.
His advice on simple methods for determining your soil type, making your own compost fertilizer, spacing for various crops, type of sprinklers that work best and where to get them, and a whole lot more is here and very valuable.
I especially liked his advice on simple garden tools; how to find them and how to use them and how to maintain them. Truly great stuff that does not always mean a rototiller (although he tells how to use them, too, and which kinds work best).
The only reason I did not give it a 5 is MY problem. I have not finished the book yet but I am still reading it. Just MY lack of time right now.
Here is the deal. What if the grid is down and you cannot irrigate your crops with city water? How do you grow a garden without irrigation? How do you grow a garden without a gas-powered tiller? How do you save seeds for the next year's crop? Where do you find open-pollenating seeds?
It's all here and more.
Thanks for a great read.
Warren of Kansas
Detailed, Valuable Advice August 24, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
Gardening When It Counts is truly a book for our times. There's already a well-deserved buzz about this book among home gardeners I know. For one thing, it firmly refutes the supposed advantages of mulch gardening. In the burgeoning nationwide return to growing our own vegetables, it's important to produce the most food for the least amount of effort and expense, and this book offers the very advice we need. The author is a Master Gardener from whom beginners and experienced gardeners alike can learn much. Steve Solomon has provided full details on everything from soil preparation to harvesting, and the illustrator Muriel Chen has contributed helpful drawings for even further clarification.
Fascinating crankiness August 22, 2008
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
This is a serious manual for subsistence gardeners. Steve Solomon differentiates himself from "everybody else" and the result is a no nonsense guide delineating the right way to get maximum yield from a piece of land using organic methods. He has no time for hobbyists, so this book is meant for those who are really trying to feed themselves from their gardens. I really appreciate the advice here, but for a light read, I would stick with Barbara Damrosch, who provides good advice in a more light-hearted way.
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