Seed Library and Resources

Successful gardeners know that a beautiful, fruitful garden depends on healthy soil. This complete guide to understanding and improving the soil shows how to begin the process with easy-to-find organic materials.

Based on the scientific developments in various areas, this introduction to soil sciences covers the spectrum of traditional and soil topics - taxonomy, soil formation, properties of soils, common soil problems and their solutions, evaluation of soils, pollution from use of soils, precision agriculture, GIS and GPS.

Discovering how to meet the soil's needs is the key task for every market gardener. In this comprehensive guide, Farmer Jesse Frost shares all he has learned through experience and experimentation with no-till practices on his home farm in Kentucky as well as from his podcast interviews and visits with highly successful market gardeners. He provides practical information on all the best tools and practices for growers who want to build their livelihood around maximizing the health of their soil. Farmer Jesse reminds growers that "as possible" is the mantra for protecting the living soil: disturb the soil as little as you possibly can. He provides in-depth information on turning over beds, using compost and mulch, path management, incorporating biology and maintaining fertility, cover cropping, diversifying plantings through intercropping and production methods for 7 major crops. Jesse's goal is to provide a comprehensive set of options, materials, and field-tested practices to inspire growers to design a soil-nurturing no-till system in their unique garden or farm ecosystem.

In this comprehensive guide, you'll learn everything you need to know about the various methods of composting and how to adapt them to your home and garden. With full-color photographs and easy-to-follow instructions, this will be an essential addition to every gardener's library. Great compost is one of the most important secrets of successful organic gardening. Topics covered here include what you can and can't throw on your compost pile, how to balance nitrogen and carbon in your pile for quick decomposition and rich compost, buying or building the best tools and containers, vermicomposting, how to compost indoors, troubleshooting smelly compost, dry compost, and other problems, and how and when to apply the compost to your garden beds. With growing concerns about the use of pesticides, herbicides, and GMOs in mainstream gardening practices, more and more families are turning to their backyards to grow their own food using methods they know are safe. The need for clear, straightforward instruction on organic gardening techniques has never been greater. With Composting for Absolute Beginners, readers will get the information they need to prepare their gardens for healthy, abundant crops.