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Whether they are the darlings of the local farmers market or just grow the juiciest tomatoes on the block, every successful gardener started somewhere. Some are probably lucky enough to have access to community-based gardening resources—a grandfather, an aunt, a neighbor who could act as a mentor and pass down knowledge acquired through years of experience. But for those who don’t know anyone who can provide serious horticultural insights (or those looking to supplement this advice), books are the best resource.
In building a beginner guide to growing your own food, I talked to Ashlie Thomas, an organic gardener and educator who runs the Instagram @the.mocha.gardener; Nick Storrs, an instructor at the New York Botanical Gardens and owner of Homegrown Kitchen Gardens; and Lee Reich, an author and lecturer on organic gardening with a Ph.D. in horticulture. In addition to providing a wealth of info for the inexperienced, the three of them also shared some of their favorite gardening and horticultural books—the ones they repeatedly recommend as resources for people interested in growing their own food. Some are technical reference guides; others are garden-focused cookbooks that can help you utilize all those home-grown greens in your kitchen. Find their recommendations below.
Grow Cook Nourish by Darina Allen
“This book helps you grow what you’re actually going to eat,” Thomas says. Darina Allen’s hefty tome combines technical knowledge on cultivating various fruits, vegetables, herbs, and other edible plants, with over 500 recipes that teach you how to cook and serve your bounty. For each major vegetable Allen includes comprehensive information on growing conditions, planting seasons, heirloom cultivars, and fertilization guides. “A lot of times people don’t think gardening is practical or relevant to their lives—this book bridges the connection between growing their own produce and using that produce in real life.”
Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control by Jessica Walliser
Thomas recommends two books by horticulturalist Jessica Walliser for beginner and veteran gardeners who are serious about organic growing. Walliser’s Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden won an American Horticultural Society award in 2015 for its insights on naturally deterring invasive pests by encouraging the presence of pollinators and helpful insect carnivores in the garden. This book is especially useful for organic gardeners looking for ways to keep bugs from eating their harvest without the use of pesticides.
Container Gardening Complete: Creative Projects for Growing Vegetables and Flowers in Small Spaces by Jessica Walliser
Thomas also likes Walliser’s book on container gardening, which is perfect for people living in apartments without much workable green space. The book contains 20 projects that rely on upcycled materials for growing herbs, vegetables, and flowers in compact spaces.
Tender Vol I: A Cook and His Vegetable Patch by Nigel Slater
Nigel Slater is a British cookbook author known best for his simple, predominantly vegetarian recipes that celebrate seasonal produce. Tender is arguably his magnum opus, with two volumes and over 1,200 pages containing recipes, essays, growing tips, and more. The first volume focuses on 29 vegetables and features over 100 recipes. He includes suggestions on which cultivars to grow, plus fundamental flavor pairings and cooking tips for each vegetable.
The New Organic Grower by Eliot Coleman
Both Storrs and Reich endorse this classic, which has been updated twice since 1989 and is considered by many to be an essential addition to any gardener’s library. Coleman is a leading figure in the small-scale organic farming movement in the U.S., and his book offers beginner gardeners insights on organic practices for growing produce year-round. The book is geared toward people looking to build and operate small farms, but the information is just as useful for those who want to grow food for themselves. Find chapters on soil fertility, crop rotation, seeding, pest maintenance, and more.
The Truth About Organic Gardening by Jeff Gillman
Misinformation about organic gardening can circulate—even among experienced growers—that is at best impractical and at worst dangerous. For that reason Reich recommends this book by Jeff Gillman, a professor of horticulture at the University of Minnesota. In his book Gillman discusses fads like compost tea and how pesticides labeled as organic aren’t necessarily safer or less destructive to the environment.
Weedless Gardening and The Pruning Book by Lee Reich
Reich has used his expertise to author a number of books himself. For beginner gardeners he recommends Weedless Gardening, a practical guide to weed control that doesn’t rely on the use of chemical interventions and instead focuses on minimizing soil agitation and other practical techniques. He also suggests his book on pruning, which is a methodical reference guide on how to trim trees, shrubs, flowers, houseplants, and more.
