Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series) Reviews

• Oldtime simple techniques that work when needed

  
  By A1PXI8ZUKGJV9U on 2007-03-20
  This book is written as if Steve Solomon is the grandfatherly type telling those who know nothing of gardening what's what. Initially, I was a bit put-off by this tone, but the author has earned a right to that tone and his opinions. I quickly became very interested in what he has to say, in that he rejects many ideas and fads on intensive, hyper dense garden production. Steve Solomon has been around long enough to have tried some of the high density, intensive gardening ideas and found them wanting.
  
  I had to really chuckle when I read his rudimentary back to basics tool list consisting of a shovel, a bow rake, a hoe and a file to keep them sharp and useful. A simple wheelbarrow, buckets, knife and stone fill out his recomendations. He's so very right when he suggests that it doesn't take an armada of gadgets and do-hickies and specialty tools to make a very sucessful garden. And his comments on using some commonly sold garden gadgets make for humorous images for those who have suffered too short handles, stooped backs and the associated aches and pains. Many folks pondering the latest garden knick-knack catalog could do well to remember Solomon's basic tools will get the job done advice. Admittedly, he does sound like what MY grandfather would've said in the tool chapter. ("Put down that dreambook, pick up that hoe, and get to doing something useful." ... )
  
  What I particularly thought useful was the idea of returning to planting based on choosing plant spacing not for intensity of harvest if thoroughly irrigated, but rather choosing less dense spacing based on potential for drought. In the drought chapter, Solomon makes the case that earlier gardeners more concerned with crop survival than sheer bulk of harvest knew to choose spacing that allows for stronger, more durable plants that better survive droughts. There's a lot more to it than that. I'm oversimplifying his points to make a point, and that is that there is something useful in this book for everyone; from those who've never dug their hands in dirt to those who think that they have a "better way".
  
  I'm currently recommending this book as a good solid intro to veggie gardening that will produce the produce for those interested in delving beyond the picture books. Frankly, I've got lots of gardening and permaculture books and yet this was the first that I've seen fit to review, as I think it bears some recommendation to a wider audience.
  
  

• A good, basic, orgainic vegtable gardening book

  
  By AH1VDUG9SL3RU on 2006-04-24
  This is an excellent vegetable gardening book. Although Mr. Solomon has moved to Tasmania and now expands his scope to much of the English speaking world; if you have read his "Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades", you will find much that is familiar here. If not, you will find excellent information on seeds, where to buy them, how to prepare the garden bed and plant them, how to choose and maintain quality tools, composting and fertilizing, pest and disease problems, irrigation, and some specific plant growing advice.
  
  The books subtitle, "Growing food in hard times", refers to the coming shortage of oil and the economic troubles ahead. Don't let this scare you away, the author spends very little time on this soapbox. The book falls a little short of the promise, though; after explaining why fertilizer, including the organic kinds, water, fuel for machines, etc. will be scarce and expensive, he spends a lot of space discussing imported fertilizer ingredients, sprinkler systems, and large plant spacing, none of which, by his own assertion, will be available to most of us in the future. He does discuss a few short term strategies, including compost cropping, increased plant spacing to save water and nutrients, but does little to help us prepare for the coming shortages.
  
  This is one of those rare books that improve with the second reading. There is plenty of well-presented information. If you are new to gardening, or want to expand your harvest, this book is an excellent choice. If you are an intensive method gardener, this book will introduce an alternative perspective; read with an open mind, you will learn much about the strengths and weaknesses of both methods.
  
  
  

• Good, but lacking

  
  By A36JN6NLUSYZK9 on 2008-06-20
  This book claims to tell you how to 'garden when it counts' and specifically mentions gardening during times of economic hardship (i.e. Peak Oil). Yet, it's not nearly as comprehensive or as down-and-dirty survivalist as I had hoped. I wanted simple to follow, bullet point format, but the book did not deliver.
  
  Sometimes the narrative left me behind and I didn't follow. Gardeners in general (not just this book) tend to gloss over details as if we're just supposed to know. For example, the fertigation section of the book doesn't have a really good definitive statement of what the heck fertigation is. Nor do I recall any specifications being provided on the size of the hole or how you make the hole in the first place. Good definitive (and idiot proof) topic sentences would've been a huge help.
  
  Also, it was frustrating for a book that purported to teach gardening for hard times to say it's not worth it to garden in clay soil or rocky soil. I would've thought there would be a focus on things that can be done to maximize growth in all conditions. This is Gardening When It Counts, not Gardening In Ideal Conditions.
  
  That and gardening is more expensive than I thought. Especially as the author notes that once oil prices go up so will the cost of all the fertilizers he advises you will need. Can I afford to garden when it counts? I'm not sure.
  
  Plus, unless you can buy seeds at least every other year, you are S.O.L. (which I would've hoped there would've been more discussion on alternatives, perhaps some discussion of exchanging seeds with local gardeners etc...)
  
  In addition the author recommends at least 2700 square feet of garden space times two (so you can rotate your crops). This is not practical for most of suburbia.
  
  Again, back to my point that this book is not supposed to be about Gardening In Ideal Conditions With Unlimited Funds And Space, but it often seems to take that tack.
  
  There are some positives.There is no question that the author is a master gardener so whatever info you do glean from the book is solid. Composting is covered in great detail. There are some excellent nuggets of information that make the book worth a read (the seed company recommendations were much appreciated). However, you will not learn everything you need to know in this book alone and I question whether it truly does offer any good advice on how to garden when it counts for the average person in the average house.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Highly recommend this excellent resource

  
  By AAASJBRVYRO3U on 2006-04-17
  This is the first book I've EVER liked enough to spend my time writing a review. It is thorough, well-researched, straightforward, and well-written. Solomon is expert, yet not self-congratulatory. He supports his opinions, discloses his politics, and gives genuinely useful advice in clear terms. Worth every penny.
  
  

• great information - if you can get past the condescending tone

  
  By A9XMQ24ZKXYSN on 2008-06-26
  A previous reviewer was being nice in describing the author's writing style As 'grandfatherly'. Personally, my grandfather never talked down to me like I was an idiot, and did not pat himself on the back every other sentence.
  
  While the book is intended to help the novice gardener, the tone made this title a difficult book to read. The author spends a great deal of time ridiculing other garden writers (John Jeavons in particular) that he refers to as Everyone Else. While describing these authors as foolish slaves to production quantity (apparently Everyone Else includes every person who believes in raised bed, intensive gardening), Steve Solomom extolls the virtues of planting in rows and giving plants 'room to grow'. He provides his own example of having not one, but TWO 2400sq ft garden beds - he allows one lot to lie fallow each year with a green manure while the other is planted.
  
  Steve also seems to loathe clay soil, so much so that he doesn't even bother giving any advice on how to improve it. He says clay is the worst, nutrient-sucking soil (like a battery that eats nutrients) and that even when adding lots of organic matter, it will still hurt your crop production. So instead of recommending a realistic and effective means to address this soil type, the author recommends paying someone to haul in a truckload of topsoil to create the ideal garden bed. That's what he did (spending $1200 in the process), and of course he has beautiful results. Seeing as how I am reading the book to learn how to garden 'in hard times', and I do live on northeastern American clay soil, I had to look past this ridiculous recommendation to get to the good information in the book.
  
  The book does contain very good information that covers many aspects of how to treat a garden if you are to truly rely on its production. He provides an inexpensive recipe for a complete organic fertilizer (noting that today's chemical concoctions of potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus are creating vegetables that do not give maximum nutritive value - garbage in is garbage out). He also explains the importance of seed quality and provides information on how to obtain the ideal variety for your area, as well as selecting plants for seed to improve future yields.
  
  While I did find a lot of good information, Steve Soloman's writing style made this book torturous to read.
  
  
• Great hands-on resource
  By A2ZH1MB60ZB06O on 2007-03-25
  I have a whole shelf of vegetable gardening books, but I turn to this one again and again. Solomon gives clear information on tools, making garden beds, mixing up your own fertilizer (this alone is worth the price of the book), selecting seeds, storing them (another great section), and growing individual crops.
  
  I especially appreciate his perspective as an ex-seedsman, as well as his discussion on different types of brassicas (cabbage, kale, broccoli, and the like) and onions. I had no idea what the difference between long-day and short-day onions were until I read this book. While I garden intensively, I find his discussion on the differences between the intensive method (John Jeavons, Square Foot Gardening, and the like), and the row method.
  
  This book is worth reading and rereading.
  
  
• gardening when it counts
  By A1R8ZLQ5TRDZR2 on 2006-05-28
  I own Steve's previous book and have gardened for years using his method. This book explains in great detail how plants grow and survive down to the line drawings of root structure for most vegetables. That helped me to understand just how important it is to space my plants correctly. His description of how to manage the soil before planting is great! I can't wait to get out in the garden and amaze my neighbors!!
  
  
• Good Information---Poor Binding
  By A78Z6HELIV27T on 2006-12-12
  This book is full of good gardening information. However its hard to use it. The binding came apart 3 days after I got the book
  
  
• Self obsessed author who talks down to his readers
  By A2W48VM0OP9PKN on 2008-08-02
  I would give this book zero stars if I could. I am so surprised this book has such high ratings. First, the author can not stop himself from talking down to his readers, and making himself appear as he is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Half the book is about how great he is and how "Everybody Else" is stupid and worthless. This is the most negative book on gardening I have ever read. I do not recommend this book at all.
  
  
• Sort of Gardening When it Counts
  By AE190Z87MX7H7 on 2007-03-15
  Very good book in general. For a book on extreme situation gardening he does spent too much time on sprinker systems. The author gives a very different perspective than most standard gardening book, utilizing alternative nitrogen sources most folks would not even imagine. Overall worth the cost. I am rereading it for the third time now.
  
  
• Mostly good - with attitude
  By A2FTCK5ATJLFDC on 2007-09-14
  This book was highly recommended to me and I bought it hoping to learn some techniques to help in growing food plants and vegetables for our home use. Since the author lives in a very distinct growing area, if I lived in a maritime New Zealand area it would probably be a perfect book. Many of his techniques would only work in his specific climate and for a full time gardener, which I am not. Sigh. The section on growing and storing each individual type of food is excellent if you can adapt it to your own climate. I was not too happy with the preachy, arrogant, "Everyone else is an idiot and only I know how to do it right" attitude which extends the lenght of the book by quite a bit. Overlooking that, there are a few helpful tidbits but there are other books that I think are more helpful.
  
  
• Wealth of knowledge
  By A37W3N7CVKGUFN on 2006-07-10
  Loaded with good no-nonsense information on preparing a productive garden in an efficient and economical manner.
  
  
• Great for first time gardeners
  By A2M68P7BCY1GCO on 2007-05-09
  I will be starting my first garden this summer and this was the first book on gardening I read. It makes for a great introduction. Solomon goes into detail about how plants grow and what they need from the gardener. He has a good formula for Organic Fertilizer. He has a good list of what tools you need and what to look for when buying them. He has a great section is the back of the book that goes vegetable by vegetable and explains how to grow and harvest them. He also has a great bibliography in the back that points you to a lot of additional reading.[...]
  
  
• Beginner's organic gardening book
  By A1FSF993B865G5 on 2008-07-27
  I bought this book because of the title "Growing Food in Hard Times" when I was obsessed with peak oil. The author discusses hard times very briefly and the main part of the book is low intensive organic gardening.
  
  My gardens before I got this book were pathetic low yield failures, except for tomatoes. I used only transplants and did nothing to the soil. Once I got the book I learned about complete organic fertilizer, seed planting and planting times, DIY transplants, vegetable descriptions, and a whole lot of other bits of useful information. Half of the growing season is over and I am up to my ears in beets, sweet snap peas, carrots, kohlrabi and cucumbers all planted by seed. Each of these vegetables is much better tasting than anything I can get at the grocery store.
  
  Without the information in this book I would have had another worthless garden, so I recommend this book to the beginner gardener. There are two things about this book that need addressed though. The book doesn't have any color pictures of the different vegetables that are described, so get a free seed catalog:
  
  http://gurneys.com/catalog_request_qas.asp
  http://www.burpee.com/ancillary/catalogrequest.do
  
  Also the Author describes some vegetables as being difficult to grow, such as kohlrabi. This wasn't the case in my experience as the kohlrabi was rather easy to grow, so don't decide not to grow something just because the author says it is difficult.
  
  
  
  
• best garden guide i've found
  By AW6GLJDFKPIJR on 2007-08-15
  after looking through a lot of gardening books, i can confidently say that this book provides the best basis of knowledge for starting a garden. My garden is in only its first year, but with the info in this book, I'm already making money selling organic produce through two different coops.
  
  
• Keeping it real
  By A2G20KCRYLUVMC on 2008-04-07
  Steve Solomon finally confirms what I've suspected all along - that intensive gardening doesn't deliver what it promises. Undersized beets and radishes, under-productive corn, potatoes, peas, and beans are what I've harvested using the crowded "square foot" method. This year I'm going to go back to the old fashioned row cropping method for most of my garden, and hope to enjoy large, succulent, tasty veggies again.
  
  Solomon shares the realities of composting, use of manure, and advises spacings for irrigated, rainfall, and dry-cropping. Pictures of roots on various vegetables helped me understand why these spacings are important for optimal plant performance.
  
  There is also a valuable section on recommended seed dealers according to climate. Solomon recommends only ethical seedsmen who actively test the varieties they sell, to insure that the gardener receives the very best seeds and consequently, the best results.
  
  If he had only explained where I can find affordable land so as to have room for such a widely spaced garden, the book would be complete!
  
  
• Dirty Fingernails
  By A3RVDIMSWHRNXT on 2007-12-12
  After reading this book, I can hardly wait for spring. As a self-taught gardener, I can appreciate the many solid examples, instructions, and anecdotes that weave a robust thread. Clearly, Steve Solomon is a man who loves his work and the sharing of his decades of hard-won knowledge. Whether good times or hard times, there are a lot of fine gardening tips and rules here for improving any garden. The section on making your own fertilizer and how to apply it is worth the price of the book alone. The book would have benefited from a few more drawings, but that is a small complaint.
  
  
• Gardening When it Counts
  By A3UD6S2EMPV0XL on 2007-09-24
  This book is an exciting addition to books on vegetable growing- so much so, that many
  others become unnecessary. The author covers in detail everything about the art- from seed buying,
  his own complete organic fertilizer recipe, preparing the soil, simple tools, planting and watering etc
  His long experience and total integrity and commitment shine through and make it a must for those
  wanting to seriously feed themselves.
  
  
• Author is a straight talker
  By ADSYC4W1JUG2Q on 2008-04-14
  I have read far and wide on the subject and this book is a premier choice. The author is detailed enough without being overly academic. He takes quite controversial and revealing positions on heirlooms vs. hybrids, seed saving, buying seedlings, starting seeds, seed company tactics, plant spacing, intensive garening, fertilization and how much space, time and effort you really need to either reduce your food bills or else get "off the grid".
  
  Refreshing and practical.
  
  I am very glad I got this book.
  
  
• Outstanding book
  By A3HIQXBIH04W on 2008-05-22
  This book is simply outstanding in everyway. We have been gardening for many years and found this book to just take gardening to another level. This book told us why things we had been doing for years in the garden worked. It also told us why we were having trouble with certain aspects of the gardening relm. We sent this book to everyone we know who has an interest in gardening and they all read it and gave it rave reviews. If you love being out in the dirt and working you will love this book.
  
  
• Gettig back to basics of gardening
  By A3FFDEMZVG02N3 on 2008-05-25
  Excellent book. Well written. As a gardener for over 40 years using many different methods depending on the type of crop, I even picked up some new ideas. Recommend for those who have not started a garden plot and need to know how to begin with the removal of sod and laying in of the first bed.
  
  
• Great stuff
  By A2ZO8CBWVMSENM on 2008-07-01
  This is the perfect book for people like me with no gardening grandpa at their side.
  Nobody ever told me that a garden hoe must be sharpened before first use....
  And how to start a garden if you have a patch of grass land - I never knew how to do it right or where to start.
  This book is great for basic beginners in veggie gardening. Advanced gardeners may be shocked a little about the very few and basic tools: hoe, shovel, wheelbarrow, rake, knife and file.
  But the book was written for "hard times" and than it's good to know you can do your veggie garden with just these basic tools, without all the fancy and expensive stuff around.
  
  Very remarkable is the chapter about seeds and plants from the garden centers, it opened my eyes that most of the failures of the last years weren't really mine but from the bad stuff I bought without knowing it was that bad (it looked good when I bought it....)
  
  So I want to say "THANK YOU, Mr. Solomon" for sharing your experience with us.
  Your advices gave me back the joy of gardening and the very first time in 20 years I'm running a satisfying veggie garden without any problems.
  Thank you. ;-)
  
  
  
• Just what I needed!
  By AV1F5H20RRZ08 on 2008-07-05
  Only a few pages into this book I realized I needed to read it before continuing with my gardening plans.
  I am thrilled to have the good solid advice. For me, I treasured the relearning of the things my father taught me so many years ago. Digging the garden, fertilizing the soil, using coffee grounds and how to weed were only vague memories which had been over-written by today's easy methods and equipment. Steve Solomon's words brought all the old learning back to my mind and provided so much more. I can't thank him enough and I highly recommend this book. The advice, techniques and subjects covered are of special importance for anyone interested in insuring their food source is available and safe.
  
  
• Sensational Book
  By AT5R2ZI769CYE on 2008-03-31
  We live in the high desert of rural Nevada. We try every year for a successful garden. I've really learned a great deal from this book. It won't change our conditions here, but the author's no nonsense approach to seed starting, fertilization and a multitude of other topics is refreshing.
  
  
• Stress-free gardening
  By A1GNTNZ04HFGUS on 2008-07-04
  This book is excellent. It is my new gardening bible. I've been through all the intensive gardening books, and they all stressed me out with the intensity of the work that was required to get them started and keep them up. The whole philosophy here really makes sense to me. I felt like I could go ahead, get things started, without having to have so much in place. After all, this is about growing with the minimum amount of inputs.
  
  
• The only gardening book you need
  By A1VH63NS4ION04 on 2008-08-01
  I've read so many gardening books, but this is the only one you really need. It is full of useful information you'll never see anywhere else. However, much of the important information is buried in the narrative and is not easy to find again, so mark those pages as you read.
  
  
• Fascinating crankiness
  By A3UEW1TOIWZN4G on 2008-08-22
  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.
  
  
• Detailed, Valuable Advice
  By A1G59WN8NGJASK on 2008-08-24
  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.
  
  
• Things I Never Knew About Gardening!
  By A2M5OOY8EGS9DP on 2008-10-01
  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.
  
  
• Great info!
  By A3GHYS696XAWKA on 2007-03-14
  This very informative book is easy to read. I can't wait to put Mr. Solomon's years of experience to practice!
  
  

• Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables
• Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners
• Crisis Preparedness Handbook: A Complete Guide to Home Storage and Physical Survival
• Four-Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables from Your Home Garden All Year Long
• The Self-sufficient Life and How to Live It