St. Lynn's Press just published "Tomatoes Garlic Basil" the latest book by gardener and garden writer Doug Oster. List price is $19 and the online price is $12.
It's a lovely read
and I was able to go through it today from back to front because the stories were delightful.
In honesty, it could have been called Mostly Tomatoes with a Pinch of Garlic and Basil. Tomatoes are the bulk of the story - to page 159. Garlic is pages 159 to 197 and basil is pages 197 to 227.
Oster's writing style will carry his readers along, with nostalgic remembrances, up to the minute gardening tips and recipes for savory dishes.
Since it's a tomato growing book, let's start there. You will find gardening information on seed starting, pruning, staking, seed saving, pests, diseases and soil. Plus, heirlooms vs hybrids, tomato varieties past and present. And, future tomatoes as well, since Oster explains how to hybridize your own tomato variety to get the characteristics you seek.
Every recipe sounds good and worth a try.
On to Garlic - varieties, planting, mulching, pests, harvesting, preserving and recipes.
The basil section introduces the qualities of several basil varieties, as well as interesting tips on growing it indoors and saving the seeds. Great recipes in this section also.
Throughout the book, Oster has interplanted stories of friends and families that illustrate the happiness we gardeners take in knowing each other.
Doug Oster has his own website here. And, he has a blog with gorgeous photos here.
Perhaps most interesting of the Oster online links I found, the Allegheny Front posted some of his radio shows with Jessica Walliser here so you can enjoy hearing their voices on the air. Their show is called "The Organic Gardeners" and airs weekly in eastern PA.
Oster and Walliser co-authored, "Grow Organic". Walliser wrote another book I liked called "Good Bug Bad Bug".
So, if you are in the market for a pleasurable read with gardening tips, check it out!
It's a lovely read
and I was able to go through it today from back to front because the stories were delightful.In honesty, it could have been called Mostly Tomatoes with a Pinch of Garlic and Basil. Tomatoes are the bulk of the story - to page 159. Garlic is pages 159 to 197 and basil is pages 197 to 227.
Oster's writing style will carry his readers along, with nostalgic remembrances, up to the minute gardening tips and recipes for savory dishes.
Since it's a tomato growing book, let's start there. You will find gardening information on seed starting, pruning, staking, seed saving, pests, diseases and soil. Plus, heirlooms vs hybrids, tomato varieties past and present. And, future tomatoes as well, since Oster explains how to hybridize your own tomato variety to get the characteristics you seek.
Every recipe sounds good and worth a try.
On to Garlic - varieties, planting, mulching, pests, harvesting, preserving and recipes.
The basil section introduces the qualities of several basil varieties, as well as interesting tips on growing it indoors and saving the seeds. Great recipes in this section also.
Throughout the book, Oster has interplanted stories of friends and families that illustrate the happiness we gardeners take in knowing each other.
Doug Oster has his own website here. And, he has a blog with gorgeous photos here.
Perhaps most interesting of the Oster online links I found, the Allegheny Front posted some of his radio shows with Jessica Walliser here so you can enjoy hearing their voices on the air. Their show is called "The Organic Gardeners" and airs weekly in eastern PA.
Oster and Walliser co-authored, "Grow Organic". Walliser wrote another book I liked called "Good Bug Bad Bug".
So, if you are in the market for a pleasurable read with gardening tips, check it out!
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