Helpful Book Suggestions

General Fruit Growing
21

I agree that’s a great book. Also read the pears of New York Scott told me about this year.

2 Likes
22

I just read Norwegian wood cutting/burning book (its new)…Excellent. If you burn wood, chop wood, stack wood… this book will be right up your alley. Some interesting stats (per capita in Finland they burn nearly 900lbs of wood a year/25% of homes in Norway heat with wood). What your wood stack says about you in Norway…etc etc.

I save all my fruit tree limbs/stumps to burn in the wood stove.

http://www.amazon.com/Norwegian-Wood-Chopping-Stacking-Scandinavian/dp/1419717987/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455029545&sr=8-1&keywords=norwegian+wood

I also read a Banana book
http://www.amazon.com/Banana-Fate-Fruit-Changed-World/dp/0452290082/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455029938&sr=8-1&keywords=banana+book

Lots of banana history in this book…the future of bananas doesn’t look so good.

1 Like
23

I am looking for a book specifically about pruning and training cold hardy fruit trees. Cold hardy is key here, since I can’t make up my mind about what’s best concerning certain fruit trees, ex: what’s best for peaches? Open vase pruning on the North side of a house to avoid late spring frost by still being in the shade of the house at that time of the year or espalier against a South facing wall with winter protection such as shade from a wood pannel or heat from christmas lights, to ensure enough sunlight and heat during summer to ripen the fruits properly… maybe even step-over in my case…to completely cover with snow over winter…
Need tips, would love to find a book on that topic.

1 Like
24

Got the banana book from the library. It was really interesting, thanks for the recommendation. My daughter read the first couple chapters too.

25

I don’t think this book has been mentioned, Tree Fruit Field Guide to Insect, Mite, and Disease Pests and Natural Enemies of Eastern North America.

Great book for identifying diseases and insects, both beneficial and harmful.
Many good pictures and descriptions of tree aliments and insects at different stages in their life cycle’s. It is geared towards the north east fruit growing.

My only complaint is that I wish the page size was larger for my aging eyes. Other than that, well worth the cost in my opinion.

Best price I could find was at Adams County Nursery… Tree Fruit Field Guide — Adams County Nursery

3 Likes
26

"The Grafter’s Handbook"by R.J.Garner. This is my go too book and the one I learnt to graft from before I joined the forum. I re-read parts of this in the winter to familiarize myself with different techniques.
It covers, grafting as well as rootstocks, although it does not go into detail on varieties is covers methods of propagation very well.

I periodically threaten my book club that when it is my turn to choose a book I will choose this one, or a similar book on fruit tree culture. :slight_smile:

4 Likes
27

I know I’ve said it before but several authors inspired me when I was much younger which were Ruth Stout, sir Albert Howard, Louis braumfield, the have more plan by the robinsons etc. . In more recent times I would suggest acres USA http://www.acresusa.com/store/acres-usa-published/, soul of the soil by grace gershuny , Learn how to grow more vegetables by jeavons etc… My library is extensive and I don’t agree with all of any it but part or most of some of it.

4 Likes
28

I don’t know if anyone else on this board is aware of this but there is a new edition of “Pruning and Training, Revised New Edition: What, When, and How to Prune” book due to be released on Mar.7. The prepublication price of the book which will be available in paperback only is $15.12 and is 336 pages long. I have preordered a copy from Barnes & Noble and is due to be delivered on Mar. 10. I’ll add a link here to Amazon where you can take a look inside the book so you can decide for yourself if you are interested in ordering a copy.
https://www.amazon.com/Pruning-Training-Revised-New-Prune/dp/1465457607/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1488107254&sr=1-1&keywords=pruning+and+training

3 Likes
29

One of the most helpful books I have is.

Plant propagation principles and practices, Hartman and kester.
I started with the 3rd ed. It’s a college text book.
Recently bought the seventh Ed. On eBay very cheep.as my old one was falling apart. There may be some new info in the newer editions, but they are about the same,.the old editions are very affordable on eBay,
If you do not have this book I highly recommend it.

Also just got ; the reference manual of woody plant propagation., Dirr and Heuser.
looks interesting ',have not read yet.was much more $

3 Likes
30

I really enjoyed the Banana book. Highly recommended! A great demonstration of how huge mono-culture farms can produce inexpensive food but also disease problems that are difficult to manage.

1 Like
31

2 books by Lee Reich: Uncommon Fruits Worthy of Attention - A Gardeners Guide; and The Pruning Book. Jeff Gillman’s How Trees Die: The Past, Present and Future of Our Forests. I believe Gillman was a part of the Garden Professors Blog.

1 Like
32

Dr Chalker-Scott has two books debunking gardening myths: 1) The Informed Gardener; and 2) The Informed Gardener Blooms Again

1 Like
33

John Bunker of Fedco has just published an entertaining heirloom apple identification book, which I am so far enjoying quite a bit:

Apples and the Art of Detection: Tracking Down, Identifying and Preserving Rare Apples

4 Likes
34

Thank you for the suggestion Mrs G! I just finished reading through the Backyard Orchardist and it was a fantastic primer for someone who is trying to learn the ins and outs of starting fruit trees for the first time. The appendix information is unexpectedly useful as a quick reference for future potential challenges and solutions. I will say it’s all geared towards the growing aspect and not the propagation/grafting side but for what it is, it’s excellent.

35

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/hartmann-and-kesters-plant-propagation-principles-and-practices-7th-edition_fred-davies_hudson-t-hartmann/318997/all-editions/

A redirect from a thread I started about propagation. Thanks to @BeeDee for the book store link and @Stan for the initial suggestion! I have not delved into it yet, but a quick check and it seems to be a fairly all inclusive reference for the topic. I look forward to it being my next read.

36

I am almost halfway through Gods, Wasps, and Stranglers by Mike Shanahan. It is about the history of figs over the last 5,000+ years. for someone who is very interested in the species like @Drew51 @Naeem @eboone @hoosierbanana, I would definitely recommend it. Ed, I am happy to lend you my copy when I’m done. It’s on sale currently at Chelsea Green, although I think I scored it for 75% off during a super sale two Novembers ago.

I won’t give away all the good stuff, but I did learn about Theophrastus, the founder of botany who lived from c.371-287 B.C.E.

7 Likes
37

Thanks @mrsg47 I just ordered this book from eBay.

38

Thanks! Just bought this too.

2 Likes
39

This is a good gardening book that I have had for many years. Lots of color pictures that I also used to help teach my kids the different vegetables and lots of good gardening info.

2 Likes
40

Thanks, I just ordered this.