The New England Gardener's Year: A Month-by-Month Guide for Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Upstate New York Hardcover – February 22, 2013

I received this book yesterday and am so happy. It was what I was hoping for. I don't own any gardening books, and so I wanted a general gardening book about vegetables and flowers that is practical, detailed, specific to New England, and easy to reference.It is a big, beautiful book, with lots of colored photos (good for visual learners). I flipped through the preliminary chapters and read through the chapter on gardening in the month of July. The information is easy to understand (I am a beginner), and I am now hungry to read more. In just a couple of hours of reading, I already have a little to-do list to tackle with the vegetables I am currently growing. The author clearly loves this work and is very knowledgeable. I want to mention that the author's writing style is a little flowery - very personal, but it does make for a pleasant read. I don't think it takes away from the usefulness of the book. I could see myself underlining the important facts and suggestions as I go, so they are easier to distinguish from the "fluff" when I need to reference the book later.This is my second summer gardening, and as I spend my time tending to my vegetables and flowers, questions and concerns frequently pop into my mind. "Am I watering enough? Too much? What's that bug do? Should I deadhead these flowers?" The internet is handy resource, but I really wanted a detailed book that I could pour over. I wanted something to help me create a game plan. I think this book will become a trusty and familiar friend. The thing I most appreciate is that the chapters are separated into months. It makes the general concept of gardening easier for my beginner mind to wrap around. It's practical. I prefer this so much more than reading plant by plant. I also like the handy index and the charts. For instance, one chart I thought would be particularly helpful is his crop rotation plan.

I am a serious lifelong gardener and a lover of garden books. I hate to be the one to break the 5 star review streak, but I was so disappointed in this book, (ordered the Kindle version), that I returned it after making it through 5 or 6 chapters. I knew I'd never reference it again. I was expecting an organic version of The Victory Garden, a favorite book with a chemical approach easily ignored if you know the basics of organic gardening. I love knowing how other gardeners handle their seasonal chores and rhythms. I would never describe this book as a "guide". It's more of a meandering journal with too much color commentary on non-gardening observations. Some surely love that approach. I don't. There's room for everyone's opinion, but this book was not at all a match for my expectations. The chapter on March started with too much chatter about February, for instance. That's when I bailed. I love birds and plant for birds, but again, there was just too much distraction from actual gardening for my tastes. The paragraph percentage of this author's emotional response to his garden was over-the-top for me. Its title is not accurate, IMO.I swear I wanted to love it. I didn't.The author quotes my favorite garden writer: Eliot Coleman. Rehashing someone else's work. I've followed Coleman since his fist book: The New Organic Grower and I have adopted so many of his approaches. I learned so many new things from Coleman! (Like planting onions in clusters with different spacing to make weeding soooo much easier!) I had hoped to discover a similar bag of tricks here.I would definitely recommend either a Coleman book or the OOP Victory garden series. Both Jim Crockett's and Bob Thompson's as a better alternative for a concise approach to the gardening year. And the Victory Garden cookbook by Morash is a treat! (I am not generally a cook book fan.) All are solidly New England based and offer many short season tips. I wish this book had been marketed differently. It's not a bad book. It's just not accurately identified, IMO.

I have a lot of gardening books. Most of them make me feel inadequate because I like to have the goldenrod pop up next to the garden or I lost a crop to some bug infestation. This book makes you realize that you are going to have those difficulties - and how to grow and maintain wonderful and fruitful gardens and look differently at "weeds" and "bugs". I look forward to following this book month after month this coming year and gleaning some great information to make my gardening experience even better next year!

This book is a comprehensive listing of plants of the Northeast which explains how to plant them and care for them, and harvent them in the case of vegetables. It is a common-sense book, and the author gardens with a view of havig a productive garden that uses good organic practices that don't harm the environment. I will use it for every season as I plant, care for, and harvent vegetables, as well as enjoying the various flowers and shrubs in my garden and on my property. Great ideas and suggestions.

This comprehensive ,well written book is full of information by the authors who have had their 'hands in the soil'for years and have a passion for gardening. It is full of tips that they have experienced first hand and they love sharing it. The importance of gardening organically is the theme of the book and this wonderful book makes us all realize that Mother Earth needs to be protected by each and every one of us and demonstrates the new interconnectedness of all living organisms.

Excellent book! So full of so much information! I suggest you buy this book right away!

Great info given in a conversational manner.

This is an amazing book for anyone looking for New England specific gardening ideas. The pictures are great and it's easy to follow. Love it.