Can you DIG it?

Spring is around the corner and that means it’s time to think about gardening! If you’re a beginner, like me, Home sweet homegrown: how to grow, make and store food, now matter where you live by Robyn Jasko, will explain the basics. This tiny little guide talks about starting your plants from seed, planting various types of gardens, and harvesting and storing your food. There are tips about maintaining your garden and even a few recipes. It’s a sweet read! DB  

Kiss My Aster

Who Are You, Anyway?  According to the author of Kiss My Aster, Amanda Thomsen, you are either a weekend warrior, born to be a farmer, you want to spice up your landscape or you want to read her book to get a few chuckles and then hire someone to do everything (and that’s okay).  This graphic guide is everything you need to create a fantastic yard but it’s tailored to YOU.  Grasses, shrubs, flowering shrubs, best plants for shade gardens, soil, compost, trees, thinning trees, annuals.  This book devotes about two to three graphically fun pages to each topic with fun headings such as “Tree to be you and Me” or “Dropping Acid (or Alkalinity)”  The fun doesn’t stop there!  You can find everything from mad libs, to a gnome coloring page to reading about nine ways to get some shade (use a giant inflatable Godzilla is one suggestion).  Enjoy this book which is actually chock full of great tips, hints and information. SG

Set in stone!

Concrete Garden Projects is a fun book for the DIY enthusiast. The book, by Malin Nilsson and Camilla Arvidsson details how you can make beautiful planters, pots and birdbaths with concrete. The directions are fairly detailed with clear pictures and the results would make any gardener happy! ML

Fresh Veggies

The local Farmers' Market is open for business and if you're like me, you often wonder how well you'd do at vegetable gardening. If you're up for the challenge, The Everything Grow Your Own Vegetables Book would be a great first stop on your dirt journey. The chapters include information on raised beds, containers, composting, pests, tools, planting, and harvesting. If you've missed the Michigan deadlines for this year...the last chapter's for you: "Plan for Next Season."