annieb123's review against another edition
5.0
Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.
The First-time Gardener is a beginner+ guide to vegetable gardening by Jessica Sowards. Due out 2nd March 2021 from Quarto on their Cool Springs Press imprint, it's 176 pages (print edition) and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
This is an information dense but also upbeat and accessible guide for readers planning and creating their first vegetable gardens. There's a lot of general garden siting/building/planning information, so this is also a valuable resource for readers looking for info on growing flowers, herbs, and other non-veggie crops. There's also a sister volume with the same layout from the same publisher releasing roughly the same time which is flower specific in focus.
The book has a logical layout: a short (easily understandable, not too technical) intro on botany and some good advice about the willingness to learn and keeping notes is followed by step-by-step chapters on siting and planning, soil building, seeds and plant material, implementation, seasons, garden management, harvesting and planning for next year. The author is very upbeat and encouraging and I found myself smiling and nodding along at places reading the text.
The photography is simply gorgeous. Nearly every page has full color photographs and illustrations.
This was a useful resource. It would make a superlative choice for public or school library acquisition, community garden groups, home library, and for homesteaders and home gardeners. Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
The First-time Gardener is a beginner+ guide to vegetable gardening by Jessica Sowards. Due out 2nd March 2021 from Quarto on their Cool Springs Press imprint, it's 176 pages (print edition) and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.
This is an information dense but also upbeat and accessible guide for readers planning and creating their first vegetable gardens. There's a lot of general garden siting/building/planning information, so this is also a valuable resource for readers looking for info on growing flowers, herbs, and other non-veggie crops. There's also a sister volume with the same layout from the same publisher releasing roughly the same time which is flower specific in focus.
The book has a logical layout: a short (easily understandable, not too technical) intro on botany and some good advice about the willingness to learn and keeping notes is followed by step-by-step chapters on siting and planning, soil building, seeds and plant material, implementation, seasons, garden management, harvesting and planning for next year. The author is very upbeat and encouraging and I found myself smiling and nodding along at places reading the text.
The photography is simply gorgeous. Nearly every page has full color photographs and illustrations.
This was a useful resource. It would make a superlative choice for public or school library acquisition, community garden groups, home library, and for homesteaders and home gardeners. Five stars.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
jennaothomson's review against another edition
5.0
What a beautiful testament to the beginner gardener. Thank for the lessons and more so the inspiration!
erindarlyn's review against another edition
5.0
An excellent book for beginning gardeners who are just getting started with growing food and are eager to build a happy, healthy garden. I’ll be recommending this book to my students, as gardening is part of the programs I teach and many of my students are just starting their first garden when we begin class.
jasminemattey's review against another edition
5.0
Jess has been the biggest source of inspiration as well as the most well spoken and practical teacher. Her passion ignites my own for homegrown food. She sparks wonder and amazement in the garden. Love all her content and I will support her forever
lbuckley22's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book, it is very informative. I've only had a garden for the last two years and most of the information I've used had been from Jess and her Youtube channel, Roots and Refuge. This book is just an expansion of all of her knowledge from YouTube and I will be buying this when it's released. The pictures in this book are gorgeous and make me very excited for my garden this summer. This book would be great for gardeners new and old because of all the great information.
yohina1989's review against another edition
5.0
This is such an informative and helpful book for first time gardeners. I love Jessica and her enthusiasm for the garden. Her garden tours are what dreams are made of and make me jealous of her space. I found her channel last year when we bought a house and I was looking for information on putting a small garden in our backyard. Little did I know the rabbit hole I would fall into after binging on her garden tours.
Anyway, back to the book. It's a really lovely book with great information for beginners. The section I found most useful included the section on pest control, as well as the planting time guidelines. But what I love most is that her positive attitude to encourage you to try comes through in this book. I can almost hear her voice reciting the wisdom and encouragements as I read the book.
I will keep dreaming of the day I will have an amazing space for a large garden that I can grow full of food and flowers, but until then I will flip through this book and keep watching her youtube channel.
The only negative information is that if you are looking for super in depth information on any one topic, this book won't be for you. Instead, it covers a wide range of topics from soil preparation, to seed starting, to transplanting and harvesting for a lot of variety of vegetables and seeds. It's a great book for a beginner gardener just starting out.
Anyway, back to the book. It's a really lovely book with great information for beginners. The section I found most useful included the section on pest control, as well as the planting time guidelines. But what I love most is that her positive attitude to encourage you to try comes through in this book. I can almost hear her voice reciting the wisdom and encouragements as I read the book.
I will keep dreaming of the day I will have an amazing space for a large garden that I can grow full of food and flowers, but until then I will flip through this book and keep watching her youtube channel.
The only negative information is that if you are looking for super in depth information on any one topic, this book won't be for you. Instead, it covers a wide range of topics from soil preparation, to seed starting, to transplanting and harvesting for a lot of variety of vegetables and seeds. It's a great book for a beginner gardener just starting out.