The New Seed Starters Handbook (Rodale Organic Gardening)

Tells you what you need to do.

I've got so many notes, highlighted paragraphs, and post-it notes in this book that it's obvious I got a lot out of it.I had never grown anything from seed before, but my greenhouse is full of plants I grew from seed. It's Winter and it was fun to go out during Oklahoma's record-breaking Christmas Eve Blizzard and there I was in the middle of my vegetable garden. The plants didn't mind the blizzard outside and I'm now harvesting some of what I planted.I learned what not to include in the potting soil when propagating seeds and signs of soil deficiencies, and what to do about it. I'm learning about soil acidity, but I need some time to get a handle on that one. I learned about the spacing of seeds and I used the suggested method of planting lettuce and carrots and the putting radishes inbetween. They are harvested first, leaving plenty of space for the lettuce and carrots. That is important when planting space is scarce. There are notes under pollination, where I learned the different ways specific plants can be pollinated, with or without insects. I am just now trying the method of jiggling tomatoes. I read about but don't yet understand humidity requirements.I learned when to plant outside, by counting back. I need to work on that.My greenhouse is full of beautiful, growing vegetables. I've harvested some, even though I would rather just leave them there. They are beautiful. January is half over. It won't be long until I can take my new skills outside and practice them.I'm glad I had this book. It took some of the 'guess' out gardening from seeds. I really like this book.

Hello Fellow Gardeners,All I can say about this book is "WOW!" This book is hands down the best I've ever read on gardening. It has everything from "What is a Seed", to "Germination", "Starting Seeds", "Transplanting Seedlings", to "Cold Frames", and a lot more! It is VERY WELL Organized and not a conglomeration of gardening tips. It is really organized very well! Everything I have read in online articles such as those about "Moon Phase Gardening", "Rotating Crops", "Planting Vegetables Together", "The Signs of Spring for Planting", and "Soils & Testing" is in this book. This is my #1 book on Gardening! Whether you are a seasoned gardener or just beginning, THIS BOOK, "The New Seed Starters Handbook" is a must read. Don't let the title fool you. This book definitely discusses seed starting, but there is nothing it does not have about gardening. And again, I can't say enough about how well organized it is making it easy to read. Definitely get this book! You will be very happy with it for sure. Good Gardening!!!

It’s a great book for home gardeners. They have a lot of wonderful detail. My only issue is they don’t cover exotic plants. If you like to grow tropical plants in a greenhouse this may not be the best purchase. If you have some experience with plants and want to expand this is a great book. They do give a list of comon garden plants and some trees for germinating the seeds. It’s helpful when your starting out to know the tips in this book.

This book is written in common everyday users vocabulary by a person who has done all the things she is writing about. It covers basic seed starting then expands into all of the facets of the seed world. Besides being practical, it is also.a.great reference for the nuances.

I love this book! I have been gardening for about 8 years now and this book is a wealth of information. I highly recommend it to those who like to hobby garden and start their own plants from seeds - or even to those who buy and plant right in the garden. There is so much helpful information in the book, and solutions to many of the problems I have run into over the years.

This book covers every aspect of seeding, from soil preparation to transplanting and even saving your own seeds. I am an experienced gardener and bought the book mainly because I figured it could help me have better success with starting some veggie and flower seeds indoors instead of always seeding outdoors. The book exceeded my expectations because it goes into detail about soil preparation, seed pre-treatment, differences in indoor/outdoor/greenhouse planting, pests, seed viability, etc. -- I could go on and on because there is so much great info! All categories are covered too: vegetables, annuals, perennials, herbs, trees and wild flowers. There aren't pretty pictures, just some B&W photos and illustrations, but what they have is more than sufficient for explaination. I will definitely get a lot of use out of this book, and I highly recommend it.

Excellent book for those looking to start their own home gardens whether vegetable or cut flower. The author writes about the science of germinating and growing seeds in a way that is easily understandable. I really enjoy having this book around and I know I’ll be using it throughout my lifetime of gardening.(Pictured are some tomato plants I started after readings this book)

Very informative book! Lots of good, detailed info for starting seeds.

While this handbook is very informative, clear and well written, I imagined it would have more pictures/drawings, especially of plants and flowers which are listed in the encyclopaedia, one of the main reason I purchased the hard copy. I'm also disappointed in some of the directions on "how to plant" . For example, marigolds .."spacing varies from 8-10", but no details on how to plant - sprinkle on top of soil, cover, at what depth, etc., most other entries offered the same vague details. This handbook is definitely valuable and recommended to anyone who has time, money and space.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this book. I have found it to be very useful It is an interesting manual and perfect for me as I can just 'dip in' and find out a little bit more.

Very knowledgeable

Good book lots of insight. Have had this book volume 1 for many years.