Although it is still winter, chances are you are starting to think about your spring garden. After all, the best gardens are planned months in advance.
Whether you want to plant a vegetable garden, or one filled with flowers, books are one of the best ways to find gardening tips and tricks. Read on to discover some of the best books about gardening.
The 9 Best Books About Gardening
Before we begin, we would like to preface this article with a brief description of your reading options. Though all of these books come in print versions you can order and have delivered, books are bulky and take up a lot of space, and if you are downsizing, you might be looking for a more economical option. One of those options is to buy an Amazon Kindle or iPad (and download the Amazon Kindle App), which can allow you to purchase the less expensive digital version of these books and save you space!
Now, without further ado, the best books on gardening!
1. The Old Farmer’s Almanac Vegetables Gardening Handbook
Looking to grow some tasty vegetables to enjoy all winter long? There’s nothing quite like the Old Farmer’s Almanac Handbook! As you are probably familiar, the Old Farmer’s Almanac has been around for a long time, and they know what they are doing. Everything you could possibly need to know about vegetable gardening is included in this book—unless, of course, you would rather grow flowers. Do note that this book is only available in physical format, but it isn’t too expensive, which is nice for your wallet.
2. Raised Bed Gardening for Beginners
Unless you have a large yard all to yourself, chances are you’re considering raised bed gardening—either on your porch or in a community garden. If that’s the case, reading this book, Raised Bed Gardening for Beginners, is a must; it’s got all the basics, including which plants are a good idea to grow on a raised bed and the ones you are better off skipping.
3. Fruit Gardener’s Bible
Are you looking to grow some fruit this summer? Then you absolutely must buy the Fruit Gardener’s Bible. Fruit is one of the more finicky crops to grow, and you’ll want to make sure growing fruit is possible in your location before giving it a try! Regardless, this book is full of information that will help you on your fruit-growing journey!
4. The Old Farmer’s Almanac Flower Gardener’s Handbook
Don’t worry, if you were looking to grow some beautiful flowers, we didn’t forget about you! The Old Farmer’s Almanac has done it again with a guide specifically for Flower Gardeners!
Not only will this book help you select the best blooms for your location, but it will also walk you through handling common problems you might experience during the growing season. Again, these books are sadly only available in paperback, but you can save cash by buying used!
5. The 12-Month Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook
It’s no secret that what vegetables you will be able to grow depends heavily on where you live. This book, the 12-Month Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook, is a great reference for learning more about your gardening zone and what vegetables you can expect to flourish.
We will say that this guide is best suited for zones 1-2. Those living in zones 3-5 may find this book too basic for their needs, but if you are an absolute beginner, it may still be worth reading!
Don’t know what zone you’re in? Check out The Best Plants to Grow for Your Gardening Zone to learn more.
6. The Companion Planting Playbook for Beginners
Those new to gardening may not realize that they can increase their yield simply by choosing to plant plants that grow well together. We recommend checking out The Companion Planting Playbook for Beginners to get you started on finding plants that will boost each other. Additionally, you might want to take a look at this related article: Companion Planting: Which Plants Grow Best Together.
7. Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook
Successful gardening has everything to do with timing. If you aren’t sure what to plant, and when, then you’ll benefit from this Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook. Filled with information and step-by-step processes, this guide can truly help your garden grow to its full potential. We especially love the easy-to-manage tasks to ensure you don’t feel overwhelmed!
This book is only available in paperback, as it is spiral-bound—making it easy for you to leave the page open to manage your weekly tasks. While you can buy this one used, you might want to consider buying it new so you can make your own notations in the margins as you go.
8. Garden Planner and Logbook
Okay, this one isn’t a book you read, but if you want to get serious about your gardening, it is a worthwhile investment. The Garden Planner and Logbook can be used alongside the Week-by-Week handbook above to ensure you stay on task. It also allows you to log the available sunlight, water given to your plants, and more—ensuring you can learn about what works best for you as you garden.
Of course, this is one of the few books you absolutely must buy in a physical version, and there are no used options available.
9. The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener
Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean your gardening comes to a standstill! There are so many plants, vegetables and flowers alike, that can grow during the winter, especially in the more mild climates. Even if you live in a frozen tundra, The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener has numerous suggestions for ensuring you can grow things you like to eat year-round.
Just be prepared to put in a little bit of carpentry, as this book will direct you on how to make your own inexpensive greenhouses with gardening tools you likely have lying around the house!
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