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Title: Great Garden Companions : A Companion-Planting System for a Beautiful, Chemical-Free Vegetable Garden by Sally Jean Cunningham ISBN: 0-87596-847-3 Publisher: Rodale Press Pub. Date: 19 May, 2000 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.86 (7 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Useful addition to the organic garden library.....
Comment: Although GREAT GARDEN COMPANIONS appears to be about what to plant with what, Sally Cunningham's book is about much more. Cunningham is a 'Master Gardener' associated with the Cornell Cooperative Extension in upstate New York (growing zone 6) and has spent many hours practicing what she preaches in her nearby garden. Her garden (as shown in diagrams and photographs) reminds me somewhat of those shown on National Public Television's long-running Victory Gardens (raised beds, yummy soil), but Cunningham's advice and ideas are 100 percent organic.
While many people understand organic gardening involves the use of raised beds, mulch, compost, and cover plants that enhance soil friability, retain moisture, and restore soil, few books discuss the ecosystem within which gardens exist. Cunningham works a large garden at the edge of fallow farmland (where the glaciers left very nice black soil), however, many of her ideas will work in a smaller and/or less fertile places.
Some of the more interesting sections of Cunningham's book cover "old-time" notions such as how to build row hedges that attract birds and act as wind breaks; how to identify insect friends and foes and cultivate the former while repelling the latter; why toads, moles, birds, dogs, cats and horses can be great garden companions. For example, Cunningham says moles have been given a bum rap and dogs and cats can actually help you ward off the bunny rabbits and other critters who might make a meal of your lettuce. Horses are a fabulous source of organic fertilizer-should you be so lucky to own one.
Cunningham uses virtually everything that is biodegradable to make compost. She stops by the side of the road to sweep up leaves and pine needles discarded by others. She rips newspapers into long strips and mixes them into compost piles. She buries composted material directly in the garden under straw and other coverings to decompose over the winter. These practices work. I have buried half-digested material next to my roses in fall and by spring produced fabulous flowers on 3/4 canes ordinarily measuring a third of an inch.
Regarding companion planting, Cunningham suggests mixing the members of "families (i.e. tomatoes, eggplants, peppers) in the same bed along with companion herbs and perennials. She suggests members of the same family have similar growing requirements and by combining like with like you will save work. This might be so, but many garden writers suggest the opposist--combining plants from different families as companions. These writers believe the pests and diseases that attack one member of a family are likely to attack another member of the same family and by separating them you confuse the enemy. In addition, authors like Riotte (CARROTS LOVE TOMATOES) suggest certain combinations produce synergistic results. I tend to agree with Riotte, but like much else in life, you will have to experiment with various combinations to find the answer for your garden.
Rating: 5
Summary: A nice book for a beginner
Comment: As a beginner gardner, this book is helping me to, hopefully, put my garden in order. 'Great Garden Companions' is written in a conversational style and is nicely organized. Ms. Cunningham's experience in gardening shines through with helpful hints and sound advice based on years of working with her companion system. She outlines which vegetables, herbs and flowers work best together to repel pests naturally, covers many basic gardening skills (which I need to develop), and her enthusiasm is evident on every page. I think this book would be an excellent choice for any new gardner or for someone interested in gardening organically.
Rating: 5
Summary: Informative and easy to read.
Comment: I bought several books on this topic, and this book is my absolute favorite. Well written, easy to understand, fun to read.
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