The Backyard Homestead Guide to Growing Organic Food: A Crop-By-Crop Reference for 62 Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts, and Herbs

This essential guide to growing a bountiful food garden includes detailed seed-starting, growing, and harvesting information for 62 vegetables, fruits, and herbs, a complete companion-planting guide, and organic pest-control handbook.

The latest addition to Storey's bestselling Backyard Homestead series, The Backyard Homestead Guide to Growing Organic Food is a one-stop reference for all the key information food gardeners need to grow a healthy, bountiful garden. Author Tanya Denckla Cobb presents key information based on extensive research and years of experience, including when to start seeds for each type of crop (and at what temperature), how far apart to space seedlings, how to tell when a crop is ready to harvest, and notes on preservation. The book features a comprehensive companion planting guide and an in-depth review of the most effective organic pest control practices, including recipes for how to make your own pest deterrent sprays.

Table of Contents:

Chapter 1 Creating a Self-Sustaining Garden
The Self-Sustaining Garden
Partners in a Self-Sustaining Garden
Planning and Maintaining a Healthy Garden
How to Use This Book

Chapter 2 Vegetables
Artichoke
Asparagus
Dried Beans
Lima Beans
Snap Beans
Beet
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrot
Cauliflower
Celeriac
Celery
Corn
Cucumber
Eggplant
Kale
Lettuce
Muskmelon
Onion
Pea
Peanut
Pepper
Potato
Spinach
Squash
Sweet Potato
Tomato

Chapter 3 Fruits & Nuts
Planting a tree
Almond
Apple
Apricot
Blackberry
Blueberry
Sour Cherry
Sweet Cherry
Chinese Chestnut
Filbert/Hazelnut
Grape
Kiwi
Peach
Pear
Pecan
Plum

Chapter 4 Herbs
Sweet Basil
Caraway
Chives
Cilantro
Dill
Fennel
Garlic
Lavender
Sweet Marjoram
Oregano
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Tarragon

Chapter 5 Organic Remedies
* Selected Beneficial Insects
* First line of Defense: Plan Ahead
* Second Line of Defense: Prevention Strategies
* Third Line of Defense: Identify the Problem
* Identifying and Treating Common Problems
* Overview of Symptoms and Remedies
* Glossary of Organic Remedies
* Controlling Diseases
* Controlling Insects and Animals

Chapter 6 Allies & Companions

Afterword
Bibliography
Suggested Reading
Index

Review Quotes:
"This fantastic resource will put you on the fast track to gardening success."-- Niki Jabbour, author of The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener and Growing Under Cover

"Tanya Denckla Cobb presents a wealth of gardening information in an accessible format, while showing that creating a healthy soil and working with the earth's natural systems are the foundation of a productive, sustainable, and satisfying garden!"-- John Jeavons, author of How to Grow More Vegetables

"Anyone can become a steward of a sustainable garden with the help of this comprehensive and superbly organized book. There is a treasure trove of useful information here for gardeners of every experience level."-- Barbara Pleasant, author of Starter Vegetable Gardens and Homegrown Pantry

"A straightforward, serviceable guide to an array of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and herbs that can be grown organically by the home gardener."-- Booklist

"A solid reference guide that's best for established gardeners looking to introduce organic methods and self-sustainability into their practice."-- Library Journal

"Whether the subject is earthworms, compost, or the way gardening supports mental health, I'm drawn to the quiet passion that flows just beneath the surface of these detail-rich pages. Unlike the author, I only grow a few herbs and tomatoes for the kitchen. And yet, I found the particulars of raising my favorite vegetables endlessly fascinating and educational."-- Ken Haedrich, author of The Harvest Baker and Pie Academy

"Tanya shares her knowledge and resources in such a clear and actionable way. There is useful information here, whether you grow a mini-farm or a simple border of hardy herbs. I really appreciate the afterword where Tanya breaks down what "organic" means as a label and what organic means in our backyards... where we have the most control over what goes into our food."-- Renee Brooks Catacalos, author of The Chesapeake Table: Your Guide to Eating Local

Tanya Denckla Cobb is the author of Reclaiming Our Food and The Backyard Homestead Guide to Growing Organic Food and is director of the Institute for Engagement & Negotiation at the University of Virginia, where she co-founded and chairs the Sustainable Food Collaborative and has taught food system planning. She co-founded and serves as faculty for the Virginia Natural Resources Leadership Institute. At home, she enjoys the restorative energy of gardening and cooking. She lives in rural Virginia.

Storey Publishing

Pub Date: February 20, 2024

0.7" H x 9.0" L x 7.0" W

328 pages

paperback