Soil Books

Let it Rot!: The Gardener's Guide to Composting (Third Edition) (Storey's Down-to-Earth Guides)

Stu Campbell

Amazon Price: $10.36 List Price: $12.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Storey Publishing, LLC Amazon Marketplace: 59 new & used starting at $5.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Creating the best garden ever starts at the bottom 5 out of 5 stars.
16 of 16 people found this review helpful.

Composting, in case you aren't terribly familiar with it yet, is simply the practice of allowing waste matter to rot and decompose until it's fit to be tilled right into the soil. However, while the basic concept is as old as mother nature and often very easy to execute, it also helps to know more about it. What materials should you compost, and which should you avoid? Do you have to worry about animals or flies in your compost? How do you make sure your compost will turn into dirt and not a slimy, stinky sludge?

While nearly every gardening book these days has a section on composting and most of these are enough to get you by, Stu Campbell's Let It Rot! is an entertaining, folksy and in-depth take on the art that will see you through nearly any foreseeable difficulty. I was certainly able to successfully compost with the simpler directions in other books, but there's information in here I wish I'd had back when I first started. For instance, now I know the cobweb-like stuff that I feared was mold was the natural activity of Actinomycetes, a part-bacteria, part-fungus organism that aids decomposition in certain parts of a compost pile.

Mr. Campbell's book also introduces a great many different types of compost piles and composters that you can use, depending on what you're trying to accomplish, what area you have to work with, or what you're trying to decompose. He also suggests many ways to use compost in and around your garden, and how to get the most out of it. I'm glad I picked up Mr. Campbell's book, because I learned an incredible amount of new material!

Editorial Review:

In 1975, Let it Rot! helped start the composting movement and taught gardeners everywhere how to recycle waste to create soil-nourishing compost. Contains advice for starting and maintaining a composting system, building bins, and using compost. Third Edition. 267,000 copies in print.

Teaming with Microbes: A Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web

Jeff Lowenfels, Wayne Lewis

Amazon Price: $16.47 List Price: $24.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Timber Press, Incorporated Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $12.62

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 38 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Excellent resource 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Despite the short length of this book, it was packed with lots of good information and was easy to read. It brought to my attention aspects of fungi versus microbial activity that I was never aware of and how these affect soil quality for gardens versus shrubs. The book has had an immediate payback for me, as I am a novice composter and now know how to do that better. It also described compost teas which I was only vaguely familiar with. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in gardening in an earth-friendly way or to those who have relied solely on inorganic fertilizers and need to learn their true effects.

Editorial Review:

Teaming With Microbes enlightens readers in two important ways. First, in clear, straightforward language, it describes the activities of the organisms that make up the soil food web, from the simplest of single-cell organisms to more familiar multicellular animals such as insects, worms, and mammals. Second, the book explains how to foster and cultivate the life of the soil through the use of compost, mulches, and compost teas. By eschewing jargon, the authors make the text accessible to a wide audience, from devotees of organic gardening techniques to weekend gardeners who simply want to grow healthy, vigorous plants without resorting to chemicals.

Secrets to Great Soil (Storey's Gardening Skills Illustrated)

Elizabeth Stell

Amazon Price: $13.57 List Price: $19.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Storey Publishing, LLC Amazon Marketplace: 42 new & used starting at $6.75

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Perfectly formatted, easy to read work of gardening art! 5 out of 5 stars.
79 of 80 people found this review helpful.

I went to the library today to see if they had anything new. I've read about every book our small library has which pertains to gardening. Out of the corner of my eye I happened upon "Secrets to Great Soil." It looked interesting; I checked it out. I am now here at amazon.com to purchase this book. I've been organic gardening for 25 years and in all these many years have not found a book which thoroughly lists organic, inorganic, and synthetic fertilizers in a format which is easy to discern. It is easy to read for anyone, regardless the experience. Both novice and advanced gardeners will enjoy this journey of soil science along with the explanation. I am deeply moved by all the work which went into this highly recommended publication.

Great Gardening Book 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

Simply a marvelous book that is so easy to use. Addresses many questions the gardener may ask about soil nutrition, structure, pH level and how to adjust them. I have been a gardener for thirty five years but questions about soil and what to do to make the best of a particular situation arise still. This book has become a wonderful resource for me. Chaptered and indexed for easy accessibility. Very thorough in its information for both organic and formulated solutions. Highly recommend.

Editorial Review:

Create productive soil anywhere with step-by-step instructions for making compost and fertilizers.

The Soul of Soil: A Soil-Building Guide for Master Gardeners and Farmers

Grace Gershuny

Amazon Price: $22.50 List Price: $25.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Chelsea Green Publishing Amazon Marketplace: 29 new & used starting at $15.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Soil is the basis not only for all gardening, but for all terrestrial life. No aspect of agriculture is more fundamental and important, yet we have been losing vast quantities of our finite soil resources to erosion, pollution, and development. Now back in print, this eminently sensible and wonderfully well-focused book provides essential information about one of the most significant challenges for those attempting to grow delicious organic vegetables: the creation and maintenance of healthy soil. Chapter 2, "Understanding the Soil System," is alone worth the price of admission. Gershuny and Smillie give lay readers and experts a clear explanation of subjects--soil life and nutrient cycles--that have confounded most authors. Nowhere will the reader find simpler and more coherent descriptions of key concepts including cation exchange capacity and chelation. The soil fungi - 23977 Bytes There are other books about soil available, including Grace Gershuny's comprehensive Start with the Soil, and there are books that feature chapters on soil building. What distinguishes The Soil of Soil is the authors' concise presentation; they give readers important information, including technical essentials, without getting bogged down in scientific or quasiscientific mumbo-jumbo. In addition, useful tables list specific compost materials, green manures, and other resources that allow growers to translate into action the more general information provided by the book. The soil-building techniques featured include: * Organic matter management * Building and maintaining humus * On-site composting * Green manures and rotations; * Cultivation and weed control; * Nutrient balances and soil testing; * Using mineral fertilizers; * Planning for organic certification. Updates to the 1999 edition include analysis of Proposed Rules for the National Organic Standards, and expanded recommendations for private testing services and soil-testing equipment for home gardeners and organic farmers. All of us involved in the cultivation of plants--from the backyard gardener to the largest farmer--need to help regenerate a "living soil," for only in the diversity of the soil and its creatures can we ensure the long-term health of ourselves and our environment. The Soul of Soil offers everyone a basic understanding of what soil is and what we can do to improve our own patch of it. Seen in this light, this practical handbook will be an inspiration as well.

Gardening in Clay Soil: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-140 (Storey Publishing Bulletin ; a-140)

Sara Pitzer

Amazon Price: $3.95 List Price: $3.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Storey Publishing, LLC Amazon Marketplace: 26 new & used starting at $1.11

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Review of Gardening in Clay Soil 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 10 people found this review helpful.

This small, easy to read pamphlet lays out the exact how to's and what not to do working with clay soil. Clay soil can be so frustrating to work with but with the help of this book I feel that I can be much more successful in improving my soil thereby enjoying greater success in my gardening.

Duh! 1 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Don't waste even the $4 for this pamphlet unless you are a complete idiot. Let's see - the best way to deal with clay soil is to cover it with over a foot of good quality top soil (at major expense). Gee - I never would have thought of that! I'm surprised that moving to an area with better soil wasn't a suggestion as well.

good if short 4 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I was not sure about these Storey County pamphlets, since they obviously enjoy a high profit margin despite their lower cost. But I haven't been able to reproduce this information on clay soils after looking in several longer texts.

Editorial Review:

Since 1973, Storey's Country Wisdom Bulletins have offered practical, hands-on instructions designed to help readers master dozens of country living skills quickly and easily. There are now more than 170 titles in this series, and their remarkable popularity reflects the common desire of country and city dwellers alike to cultivate personal independence in everyday life.

Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 2. Microbiological and Biochemical Properties (Soil Science Society of America Book, No 5) (Soil Science Society of America Book, No 5)

R. W. Weaver, Scott Angle, Peter Bottomley, David Bezdiecek, Scott Smith, Ali Tabatabai, Art Wollum

Amazon Price: $52.00 List Price: $65.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Soil Science Society of America Amazon Marketplace: 16 new & used starting at $38.95

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Subjects -> Medicine -> Basic Science -> Microbiology
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Editorial Review:

One of the primary references on analytical methods in soil science, Part 2 of the Methods series will be useful to all biogeoscientists, especially those with an interest in microbiology or bioremediation.

Also available:

Methods of Soil Analysis. Part 4. Physical Methods - ISBN 089118841X
Minerals in Soil Environments, 2nd Edition - ISBN 0891187871
Soil Testing and Plant Analysis, Third Edition - ISBN 0891188444

Improving Your Soil: Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin A-202 (Storey Country Wisdom Bulletin, a-202)

Stu Campbell

Amazon Price: $3.95 List Price: $3.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Storey Publishing, LLC Amazon Marketplace: 13 new & used starting at $2.64

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Soil Information 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I use the Storey series to help customers in my landscape design business.They are a concise and an inexpensive way to support my customers with landscape maintenance questions.

Editorial Review:

Since 1973, Storey's Country Wisdom Bulletins have offered practical, hands-on instructions designed to help readers master dozens of country living skills quickly and easily. There are now more than 170 titles in this series, and their remarkable popularity reflects the common desire of country and city dwellers alike to cultivate personal independence in everyday life.

Turfgrass Soil Fertility & Chemical Problems: Assessment and Management

R. N. Carrow, D. V. Waddington, P. E. Rieke

Amazon Price: $92.00 List Price: $115.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Wiley Amazon Marketplace: 18 new & used starting at $91.95

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Editorial Review:

This is one book no turf manager should be without! Turfgrass Soil Fertility and Chemical Problems is the best single-source, practical management tool that will help you overcome every fertility management challenge you face!

Fertilization is perhaps the key component of a successful turfgrass management program and yet few books, seminars or academic programs approach this critical topic from a field-application perspective. Until now! Turfgrass Soil Fertility and Chemical Problems addresses how to establish a sound fertilization program in a problem-solving manner that not only presents detailed scientific principles, but also applies them to practical management.

Gardener's Guide to Better Soil

Gene Logsdon, The Editors of Organic Gardening & Farming

By: Rodale Books,US Amazon Marketplace: 25 new & used starting at $0.48

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A great book 5 out of 5 stars.
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.

If you're seriously into gardening organically (the real organic
gardening where you care for the soil rather than just
dumping on organic fertilizer instead of chemical
fertilizer) - I recommend this book; I learned a lot. It covers
different types of soils and what to so with them, additives
and green manures, cultivation; it's very readable. It's a bit
dated-looking but the information is sound. It spends more
time than I'd like suggesting how to identify good land
before you buy it.

The Humanure Handbook: A Guide to Composting Human Manure (The Humanure Hand Book, 2)

Joseph Jenkins

List Price: $19.00 By: Jenkins Publishing (PA) Amazon Marketplace: 11 new & used starting at $12.95

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 64 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great for the environment 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Due to a plumbing fault in the house, my family have been composting in the back garden on a daily basis for over a year. What a bonus to stumble upon this book and find out that our actions have been helping to preserve the future of our planet! A number of residents in our street have complainined that the local environment has been suffering from some kind of unpleasant air pollution of late, so we feel proud to be putting something back.

Editorial Review:

The most comprehensive, up-to-date, and thoroughly researched book on the topic of composting human manure available anywhere. It includes a review of the historical, cultural, and environmental issues pertaining to "human waste," as well as an in depth look at the potential health risks related to humanure recycling, with clear instructions on how to eliminate those dangers in order to safely convert humanure into garden soil. Written by a humanure composter with over twenty years experience, this classic work now includes illustrated, step-by-step instructions on how to build a "$25 composting toilet." Also new to the second edition is a chapter on alternative graywater systems; color photos of humanure compost gardens; a review of U.S. state regulations pertaining to compost toilets, graywater systems, and constructed wetlands; and a list of compost toilets sources worldwide. The humor throughout the book, however, remains execrable.