a gardening books giveaway! April 21, 2010

I was very excited to review two of my favorite gardening books for CRAFT: this week — The Sunset Western Garden Book of Edibles: The Complete A-Z Guide to Growing Your Own Vegetables, Herbs and Fruits,

and Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades: The Complete Guide to Organic Gardening.

The publishers have generously offered up a copy of each one for a giveaway! Just leave a comment on this post by 5pm Pacific time Friday, April 23rd (with a valid email address in your profile – no need to also include it in your comment itself). Optional: let me know what you’re growing this year, or share a gardening tip!

I’ll draw two names randomly and notify the winners soon after the deadline. US addresses only, and one comment per person, please.

A huge thank-you to CRAFT: for the chance to review such fun books, and to Sunset and Sasquatch Books! Good luck!

No Comments

Reply
Sarah
April 21, 2010 at 10:02 am

Wow, they both look great! Where are your reviews?

This year my daughter picked corn, peas and tomatoes (she loves corn and peas but hates tomatoes so…??) And our strawberries came back and are huge already. Other than that, zinnias, sunflowers and tending the perennials.
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Carly
April 21, 2010 at 10:27 am

Hi Susan!

I am in need of all the gardening help I can get! This is my first year having a vegetable garden. It’s a little nerve racking but I keep telling myself it’s a learning experience. Time is of the essence and I hope I will learn as I go along. I think I am going overboard as a first timer but I am planting peas, beans, tomatoes, zucchini, spinach, radish, beets, onion, brussel sprouts, and romaine. I also picked up some strawberries and a blueberry bush! Crazy!
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Christina
April 21, 2010 at 10:40 am

I didn’t know about that western garden book! A friend regularly quotes the second book to me – I would be thrilled to have either as a reference!
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Mackenzie
April 21, 2010 at 10:53 am

These books look great! I know they will come in handy in my future gardening plans
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Miss Prickly
April 21, 2010 at 11:21 am

This year, I really want to grow carrots. We eat a ton of them, and they freeze well. I’ll grow chard again this year, even though everyone else in my family hates it. I get excited just thinking about the garden!
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Autumn
April 21, 2010 at 11:25 am

These books seem amazing! A must for the Western Garden.
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Sarah
April 21, 2010 at 11:30 am

I’m on a mission to help my hitherto black-thumbed mother turn her spacious backyard in into a jungle of edible deliciousness. She’s taken the bait, now just needs some guidance and inspiration. We’ve started with planting pole beans, spinach, kale, chard, squash, and carrots, as well as some strawberries and blueberries, and a small herb garden! Either one of these books could be the perfect “keep-at-it” gift!
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mon ami
April 21, 2010 at 11:37 am

Perfect timing! I just went and picked up my seeds today for my first veggie garden ever. I built our raised beds at the new local community garden and I can’t wait to get started. (Of course these books would help a lot with my success;)

As for what I am growing I decided to stick with salad veggies – ones that could be enjoyed raw right off the vine in all their glory. So – tomatoes (heirloom and cherry), bush cucumbers bush peas, bush beans, scallions, mesculin mix, red romaine lettuce,spinach, chard and broccoli.

My fingers are crossed for the season ahead for all of us!
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Lynn
April 21, 2010 at 11:51 am

I am so excited about our garden! we were able to get a few fall veggies in last year after we bought the house, but this is our first REAL garden. we have so much out there! a few pepper varieties, tomatoes, peas, squash, onions, carrots, cucumbers, herbs of all shapes and sizes, and i know i’m forgetting some! yay!
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Danielle Barton
April 21, 2010 at 12:19 pm

What am I growing? So far, two kinds of squash, green, yellow and red peppers, basil, oregano, strawberries, parsley, cucumber, and 3 different types of tomatoes. I hope to add in some cilantro, pumpkins and eggplant this weekend! Just have to clean out my second garden box! 🙂 Thanks for the chance to win! I love gardening books!
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Annie
April 21, 2010 at 1:03 pm

Wow! The second book looks like exactly what I have been looking for to start my own little garden at my apartment.
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stacy
April 21, 2010 at 1:18 pm

I’ve been eyeing that Sunset book for a while!

Growing so far: tomato sprouts, kale, lettuce, basil, tarragon, cilantro, flat leaf parsley. Eaten by the cat: arugula and oregano.
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kendra
April 21, 2010 at 1:31 pm

oh, i have the 2nd – would love the 1st! we’ve saved seeds from years past and have starts for tomatoes, broccoli, beets, cabbages, and lots more. i found uprising seeds on facebook has been posting planting recommendations that are helpful too! cheers!
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myste
April 21, 2010 at 2:25 pm

ooh! i have had my eye on the second book for awhile but i would be happy with either. this year i am growing: snow peas, beets, kale, amaranth, red potatoes, many squashes, tomatoes and habanero peppers so far.
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gillian
April 21, 2010 at 4:26 pm

We just made some raised beds, and these books would be perfect for my inaugural gardening adventure. I will be growing (if things go well) strawberries, tomatoes of all kinds, peppers, cucumbers, zucchini and a bunch of herbs. Crossing my fingers!
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jennifer Decker
April 21, 2010 at 5:24 pm

So excited! This is my first time trying my hand at gardening. My husband built me a raised bed, following your fabulous tutorial. We planted lots! Peppers, tomatoes, sunburst squash, Japanese eggplant, rainbow chard, and lemon cucumbers. I love to check up on my babies every morning. 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration!
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lorena
April 21, 2010 at 5:54 pm

Fantastic giveaway, thanks! I so want my husband and I to work on putting up our own raised bed. Sadly we’ve let our little ‘farm’ patch go and need to get back to it. Your blog is inspiration indeed! 😉
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Kathy M
April 21, 2010 at 5:57 pm

I would love to have a copy of the Book of Edibles. Steve Solomon’s Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades is an excellent resource for the PNW gardeners.

This spring I’ve started lettuce, broccoli, asparagus, snap peas, onions and chard.

Thanks for the giveaway.

Kathy
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kelli
April 21, 2010 at 6:47 pm

We’re growing tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos, herbs, sunflowers, peas. And all of the regulars for our yard: raspberries, plums, oranges, lemons, apples, apricots, cherries, peaches and pluots. Yum!
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Emily
April 22, 2010 at 7:28 am

Oh my goodness! I have been coveting both of those books, especially Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades.

I’m growing TONS of tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, blueberries & strawberries, peas, herbs, garlic, and peppers.
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liz
April 22, 2010 at 7:35 am

oh, i LOVE ‘growing vegetables west of the cascades’! it was my go to guide for gardening in portland and seattle. this year i am growing my first balcony garden in kyoto, japan; a lot of guessing and trying unfamiliar local varieties, and i am very excited to see how it all turns out.
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Leah
April 22, 2010 at 7:44 am

wow – either of those would be so helpful! i’m still in the infant stages of gardening so i need all the help i can get.
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Leslie
April 22, 2010 at 10:18 am

I am starting a garden this year at our community garden so could really use the resource material.
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Susan Kelley
April 22, 2010 at 12:43 pm

I try to only grown edibles– I love the photos in the Sunset book but the other one sounds so very useful, from your review.

I am excited to try a new okra this year– every year my yield doubles and last year I got 32 pods. Not very much, I know, but Portland’s not the best climate for it 😉
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Rachel
April 22, 2010 at 1:42 pm

I’m a big fan of the Sunset gardening books, and this one looks especially great. I’m growing tomatoes, peas, pole beans, greens, herbs, and, at my 3-year-old daughter’s request, carrots and radishes this year. All in a small, very urban garden in San Francisco. Yay for urban veggies!
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Lisabee
April 22, 2010 at 3:18 pm

I’m growing tomatoes. I live in an apartment, so space is limited. I also have a few herbs and flowers going right now.
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Ginny
April 22, 2010 at 4:02 pm

We’re planting tomatoes, cukes, zucchini, snap peas, corn, green beans, raspberries, strawberries, basil, cilantro, and dill. Mmmm…can’t wait for those fresh fruits and veggies!
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Holly Elam
April 22, 2010 at 7:27 pm

Awesome books. I am going to grow some vegies in containers on the deck.
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Jill
April 22, 2010 at 9:43 pm

Tomatoes, lots of tomatoes! Baby cukes, spinach, beans, peas, strawberries. Radishes, herbs, and others we haven’t decided on yet. Half of these are new to us growing ourselves. If I get out this weekend, I’m going to snag 1 or 2 blueberry bushes!
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Sivyu
April 23, 2010 at 9:42 am

Hi Susan! I just started a container garden on my balcony a few weeks ago! I’d love the first book!
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Brenda
April 23, 2010 at 12:12 pm

Hi Susan. We just moved into an actual house with room for a garden. I’m planning on tomatoes, garlic, onions, different lettuces, and maybe some squash. Plus, we got our first orange tree. Can’t wait!
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wishes, true and kind
April 23, 2010 at 12:37 pm

Wow — no one needs a vegetable gardening book more than I do. I’m so hit or miss! Thankfully, there’s always the Farmer’s Market to make up for my failures! Great giveaway!

joan
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pam
April 23, 2010 at 2:21 pm

Whew! Am I glad i just ran across this! Not much time to spare!

What a great giveaway, Susan. Thank you.

We are currently enjoying the flowers on our reblooming lilac bush. And even though we promised ourselves we were only growing tomatoes and cucumbers this year, we lost our resolve at the garden store and are also growing zucchini, tomatillos, rosemary, and Anaheim chile peppers. We have mint, Greek and Turkish oregano and garlic chives that wintered over and we discovered a large pot sprouting potatoes my sweetie had forgotten he planted! So – way more than we planned!

a gardening books giveaway! April 21, 2010

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