Decoding Gardening Advice

November 21, 2011
Before laying spade to the first row of soil or planting that first bulb, most gardeners hear plenty of advice—wanted or not—from a variety of sources. As horticulturist Gillman and master gardener Maynard point out in this fun-to-read guide, such words of gardening wisdom can tender good advice, debatable advice, or advice that’s just wrong. Covering subjects ranging from soil and water to lawn care, they explain each piece of advice before going into what will happen if you follow it; they then explain how to do each practice under discussion and offer their bottom-line opinion or recommendation (“the real dirt”) on the gardening practice. For example, the age-old counsel to water deeply and infrequently to encourage good root systems is good advice because such a method of watering allows plants to establish the deep, healthy root systems they need. Conversely, the authors point out that the advice to provide plenty of water to a lawn, especially in the heat of the summer, is just plain wrong, for overwatering plants causes their roots to suffocate. Although plenty of gardeners are likely to disagree with the authors’ advice, Gillman and Maynard’s entertaining guide to the scientific reasons behind each practice makes this a valuable guide for a gardener to have on the shelf next to the seed catalogues.

August 1, 2011

Gillman (horticultural science, Univ. of Minnesota) and Maynard, a certified master gardener, have put together a focused guide for navigating the dos and don'ts of gardening. Born of the authors having been asked the same questions repeatedly, their book aims to evaluate popular gardening advice without turning gardening "into a joyless, by-the-numbers exercise." In this they are successful; the book is well organized and reader friendly and delves into the "reasoning and research" of common gardening advice without being preachy or overly scientific. Each chapter focuses on a different topic and is divided into good advice (e.g., "Do not plant trees too deeply"), debatable advice (e.g., "Always stake young trees"), and wrong advice ("Beat a tree to get it to flower"). For quick reference, readers can check out "The Real Dirt" at the end of each section. VERDICT Helpful for novice and experienced gardeners alike, the practical advice here is backed up with interesting popular science and delivered in an engaging format. Although apartment dwellers may be sad that they can't take the authors up on all this advice, there's some coverage of pots and hanging baskets.--Jenny Contakos, Wolford Coll., Naples, FL

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2011
Anyone who has been in the home-gardening game for any length of time has probably encountered much dubious advice passed on by neighbors, self-styled experts, and even Internet posters. In this concise, well-written guide to separating the scientifically valid tips from the invalid, seasoned horticultural specialists Gillman and Maynard cover a great range of gardening topics, from soil chemistry to watering to lawn care. Each chapter is divided into three sections reviewing good advice, advice that's debatable, and advice that's just wrong. Some examples of good advice include applying pesticides in the morning and keeping shrubs together. The more surprising debatable advice includes cautions about using pricey grow lights for seeding and planting vegetables in rows. In the just wrong column, the authors debunk such ideas as the need for gravel in container bottoms for drainage and the necessity of plentiful lawn watering during a hot summer. A well-researched, indispensable resource that belongs on every gardening shelf.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)