WINTER TIME READING FOR HERB GARDENERS

Yet another snowstorm is making its way to the Finger Lakes region of New York where I live. When the roads are bad I can be snowbound. That isn't a bad thing. It's a great time to explore the world of gardening books.

There are numerous titles to make the winter season go faster. "Beautiful Easy Herbs-How to Get the Most From Herbs-in Your Garden and in Your Home" by Laurence Sombke from Rodale is brimming with useful information on growing and using herbs. The author provides the basics of how to plan your herb garden and get the most out of it. The plant directory features fifty of the most popular species. For each, there is a color photo, complete description, cultural requirements, uses, and historical tidbits. In addition, there are chapters on cooking, harvesting, and preserving herbs from the garden. I found the sample garden designs to be extremely helpful. The author provides seasonal tips, seeds and plant lists, planting chart, and color drawings of the gardens in bloom for each design.

Here the growing season can be short, and that's why I love "Culinary Herbs for Short-Season Gardeners" by Ernest Small/Grace Deutsch from Mountain Press Publishing Co. Despite the early frosts in the fall and late frosts in the spring, gardeners can still succeed if they follow the valuable tips of the authors. They've discovered lots of ways to extend the growing season. In addition, they provide step-by-step details on growing and caring for herbs. The bulk of the book is the herb directory featuring profiles of fifty plants. Several pages are devoted to each individual herb with lots of color drawings. The authors give complete descriptions of the plants, folklore, cultivation hints, tips on harvesting, and uses from culinary to crafts.

The Countryman Press published "The New England Herb Gardener-Yankee Wisdom for North American Herb Growers" by Patricia Turcotte. The author owns Wormwood Farm in Maine where she has over 250 varieties of herbs. In this book, she shares her gardening experiences with the readers. This title takes the guesswork out of growing herbs, and will be useful to herb growers in all zones. She provides all the basic information one would ever need from beginning to end, including choosing your herb species, harvesting, and using the herbs for all purposes. I like the fact that she begins with the soil. From there she proceeds to seed starting, garden design, and caring for the plants. She emphasizes the use of organic controls and beneficials for plant problems. This book is a pleasure to read and use.

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