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E**A
Deeply anecdotal in a lot of places
The way this book has been talked about in other gardening books I've enjoyed, I thought it would be a little more authoritative. The anecdotal form of many of the entries isn’t necessarily a flaw, but readers should know that this book is as much aspirational as informative, a hopeful todo list for plant breeders. Still, useful for understanding availability of perennial vegetables in various climates.
K**R
Really great for permaculturists and gardeners with adventurous taste.
I bought the kindle version and the images are easy to see. The information is useful, well organized and inspiring. Absolutely worth the money. Even the references he lists are interesting and definitely worth exploring further. The only annoyance I have is that there were multiple spelling and grammar errors. The booked seemed professional otherwise.Note: Some people up North may find they can use less of the species listed. I live in the deep South, so 98% of the species listed were relevant to me.
J**0
Excellent Resource Book and Step-by-Step Guide to Perennial Gardening
This book is both a great guide to getting started with perennial gardening for beginners, and a great resource book on where, when and how to plant and care for all manner of perennial fruits and vegetables for gardeners of any skill level. Toensmeier's style is easy to read, and the book is full of interesting anecdotes about the author's experience with many of the plants discussed, which helps to keep the book engaging and interesting. The book explains how to set up an edible perennial garden, and starts with basic explanations on various families of vegetables, such as melons, tubers, aquatics, etc, then goes into a detailed explanation of planting and caring for individual species from each group. Each plant description includes beautiful glossy pictures of the plant in question, and a diagram of its geographic range in North America. Plants appropriate to all regions are covered, meaning this book is useful whether you're looking to start a garden in South Florida, or looking for hardy perennials that will survive a Canadian winter. This book has given me a lot of great ideas, some of which I've already successfully put into practice here in upstate New York this growing season, and I've thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
M**G
Insight to a first time gardener
There is a wealth of info in this book. I have read through it once then re-read sections. The information in this book has helped me constructed a potential food forest for my planting zone (6a).
K**R
Great Resource
Covers most of the edible perennial plants for North American that had, have, or will have economic value. There are just a few more I've found over the years. Then there are probably a hundred more plants that are wild that can be eaten. But that's another book. His book was the basis for a talk I gave to a group of master gardeners. Everyone loved the talk and I had a slide showing his book and giving him credit for making the talk as interesting as it was. Must book for everyone who is tired of digging vegetable beds every year. Plant once and enjoy the fruits of your labor for a very long time.
S**D
Great content, but my copy was printers upside down and backwards
Great book, content from the author is great, but my copy is upside down and the pages are in reverse order. I totally forgot to post this review and was outside my return window. Great content from the author, just poor quality control to have a book published like this.
P**S
Very useful book - highly recommended.
I very seldom buy new books, and even more seldom buy books as expensive as this. But I had a $25 Amazon gift certificate, so I went ahead and bought it, and I'm very glad I did.The first section of the book is useful information on growing perennial vegetables (and other perennials, for that matter), and on landscaping using these plants, many of which have great ornamental value.Part Two is a listing of each of the more than 100 (I didn't count) perennial vegtables, with information on each species. About half the listed plants have quite extensive growing information, and about half have shorter descriptions. A map is included for each species, showing where it will grow as a perennial and where it can be grown as an annual. Toensmeier has not included plant 'thugs' such as kudzu or Japanese knotweed, and warns the reader if any of the other plants may naturalize.The author's inclusions of certain species (as vegetables) may be slightly questionable: we are more apt to think of them as fruit or as herbs, for example, rhubarb and lovage. (However, my daughter cooks a lot of Persian food, and uses rhubarb as a vegetable in a meat and vegetable stew.) Also, this book will be of even more use to people who live in a warmer climate than I do (northern Pennsylvania in the mountains, with Zone 4 weather). I actually already grow four of the vegetables in the book: rhubarb, lovage, Good King Henry, and sorrel. I discovered some others that I'll definitely try - two of which I had never even heard of before. Those who live considerably further south than I will find a wealth of species to try.The book is well written, and carefully edited. It includes a list of recommended reading, a list of recommended web sites, a list of sources for seeds and plants, a list of sources for garden supplies and equipment, a bibliography, an index by both scientific and common names, and a really valuable list of perennial vegetables that will grow in each of the various climate types in the USA (including Hawaii).If you're at all interested in growing perennial vegetables - or in permaculture in general - I think you'll want to read this book and probably to own it. I think it's a very useful book and a pleasure to read. I recommend it most highly.
A**R
Homesteading here I come!
I dream of being a homesteader but until that happens I can at least learn and prep. Great book and it’s earned its home on my greenhouse bookshelf.
A**R
new ideas for growing vegetables
I like the way how different vegetables are described. Although written for the USA, provided information can be easily transferred into UK conditions.
O**A
Didn't know there were so many perennial vegetables!
It's been difficult to find information on perennial vegetables/fruit other than asparagus, rhubarb, and strawberries so I was glad to find this book. There is a lot of information about the vegetables - where they come from, where they can grow, what they taste like, what parts of the plant to eat, and sometimes, even a recipe. I found it first at the library and then ordered it as a reference. Very informative, with easy-to-access format. Highly recommended.
S**E
..gut, aber als eBook nur bedingt brauchbar
Wie bei manchen eBook Ausgaben, sind Listen , Tabellen, Bilder, Zeichnungen etc. sehr klein und können bei Vergrössering nur sehr unscharf oder garnicht gelesen werden.Gerade bei einem Pflanzenbuch ist dies aber unerlässlich, musste also das Print Buch bestellen, um die ansonsten guten Inhalte nutzen zu können. Das Ebook also besser nicht kaufen.
C**N
La mejor inversión
Un libro que debe tener cualquier persona que quiera diseñar un bosque o jardín comestible, estoyMuy feliz con mi compra
T**T
This is an excellent read up on cool and interesting vegetables
This is an excellent read up on cool and interesting vegetables. I am only upset that I live in a zone that doesn't let me grow 80% of the featured foods.
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