Rodale published Rodale's Pest & Disease Problem Solver by Linda Gilkeson, Pam Peirce and Miranda Smith in 1996. This is a book that should be on every gardener's shelf because it takes a totally organic approach to solving these problems.
The book is divided into 4 distinct parts. The section called What's My Problem lists common diseases and pests of plants. It groups plants into categories such as "vegetables" or "Lawns". Within the discussion of each plant's problems, you'll find a description of common pests and diseases specific to that plant. There is a colored box containing information on each plant called "Rosemary at a Glance" which lists the botanic name, height, spread, shade tolerance, hardiness and preferred soil for each plant species discussed. Many of the plants are also illustrated with a photograph.
The second section is called What Garden Pest or Disease is That? It presents an encyclopedia of pests, diseases, and other disorders. This section presents life histories of common pests, detailed information on recognizing common diseases and other disorders.
The third section, defines The Healthy Garden. It tells the gardener what is necessary for building healthy soil which leads to fewer pest or disease problems, selecting healthy plants at the local garden center, and information on preventing and controlling various pests and diseases.
Where's That Pest or Disease is the final section in this book. Here you find nothing but a list of diseases and pests common to various geographical regions and the page number where you can find detailed information. This section could serve as an index.
The second book under consideration today is The Gardener's Guide to Common-Sense Pest Control by William Olkowski, Sheila Daar and Helga Olkowski. Taunton Press published it in 1995. I opened this book expecting one similar to the book discussed above. I was not expecting what I found. The book contains 14 chapters, split between two general topics: The Basics and Pests in the Garden. The book contains detailed chapters on topics such as Natural Pest Controls, Pest-Treatment Strategies and Preventing Lawn Pests. If you want to experiment with releasing beneficial insects in your garden, you'll find detailed information on this topic. You'll also find information on some of the new techniques of using microbials instead of chemicals to control pest problems. The second section contains chapters on garden design and maintenance and managing weed in the garden and lawn.
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