I’ve just finished reading Ed Rosenthal’s latest book called, “Protect Your Garden” and it’s something that’s easily recommended for beginner to intermediate gardeners.
Seriously, this is a book I’d think of keeping on my bookshelf or give to one of my kids rather than give it away to some fundraising book sale. It’s that useful.
Note to readers: This book was sent to me for review by the publisher.
From a beginner’s point of view, the pictures alone are worth the price of the book. If an insect is being discussed, there’s at least one picture of the pest (or beneficial) If a disease is being examined, there’s a reference picture you can use to judge if this is what your plants have. The pictures make this kind of problem solving book.
Layout and design, something I’m becoming more and more aware of and it’s excellent in the book. Easily on the eyes, the headings are clear and navigation between topics is easy. You can find your answers given in the book because of the layout. So high marks for a useful design are given.
Let me give you a sense of this and the kinds of things Ed covers.
Table of contents
Pests. Thirty-seven common pests are covered in the first 114 pages and organic controls are listed.
Diseases: Eleven of the most common diseases are described, pictured, and dealt with. Again, all organically.
Two sections on Environmental Stressors and Nutrients Deficiencies – again with pictures and recommendations split the problems from the Remedies.
Eco-Friendly Solutions are presented and take up the next 23 pages in short easily read bursts of information.
Biological Controls Section lists twenty-six different insects and bacteria/fungi that can be purchased or encouraged to assist you in solving various problems in your garden.
There’s a small bibliography at the back of the book in case you’re looking for more specific info but my guess is you’ll never use it. (I won’t)
And the fun part of the old book is the return to a very old publishing tradition of having advertisements in the back of the book. I say, “fun” in that I have some very old books with this form of income earning but I have no sense of whether these ads will help you in any way. I’m recommending the book, not the advertisers.
Bottom line? Good book.
This is a good book. It packs a ton of useful information into just over two-hundred pages and it does it in a way that’s both easy to find and read.
It’s worth a place on any beginning to intermediate gardener’s bookshelf and would make a great present (Amazon Link) for the gardener in your family.