Talking Dirt: A Book on Organic Gardening

No matter the season, it is always a good time to plan a garden. If you are going to garden, there is no reason not to do it organically. Not only does organic gardening produce safer, healthier foods for you and your family, but it is better for the environment as well. When you garden organically, there are no dangerous chemicals making their way into the soil or water.

You might be well aware of these facts but think that organic gardening is just too much work, or perhaps you simply do not know how to begin. Sure, there are books and articles on the subject, but they are either in terms with which you are not familiar or so boring you cannot get through them.

That is where this book comes in. Talking Dirt (The Dirt Diva's Down-to-Earth Guide to Organic Gardening) by Annie Spiegelman is packed with information in expressions that do not require a degree in botany. It is a fun read as well, as Spiegelman's voice is witty, casual and entertaining. When reading the book, you feel as though you are taking in a letter from a pal.

Talking Dirt is broken into practical sections in a workable order. The first part of the book is centered on planning what to grow and where as well as the implements you will need to undertake an organic garden. She breaks down the essential tools required including how to use and care for them. Soil, composting and irrigation are all covered as well. Organic fertilization is included, and if you are a city dweller, you will not feel excluded as organic gardening in an urban setting has its own chapter.

Do not feel as though you have to digest this entire book then go out and turn your entire yard into a garden burgeoning with flowers, trees and vegetables. In fact, you do not even have to read the entire book in one sitting. Rather, scan through the chapters and sections. Bookmark those that appeal to you and peruse others on the spot. Pick a little patch of earth in your backyard, choose a pack of seeds or two and start out small. Use the book as a gardening bible of sorts, referring to it when you have a question or one to move on to bigger things.

Talking Dirt: The Dirt Diva's Down-to-Earth Guide to Organic Gardening by Annie Spiegelman with illustrations by Maggie Agro is published by Penguin and is available at Amazon.com or your favorite book retailer.