The Vegetable Gardener's Guide to Permaculture

February 4, 2013
This handsomely designed, informative guide introduces both new and experienced gardeners to a system to transform their gardens and lawns into beautiful, edible landscapes. Schein, who owns a permaculture landscape business, covers basic permaculture concepts such as mapping sectors (the forces affecting a garden such as sun, wind, or a noisy neighbor), designing with zones (regions in the plot based on proximity and frequency of use), and creating polycultures -- "growing diverse plants together to create mutually beneficial relationships among them." Schein explains basic organic gardening methods such as soil testing, composting, and tree planting, but takes them a step further with instructions for more esoteric elements such as compost tea and permaculture favorites like herb spirals, hugelkultur, and sheet mulching. He gives cultivation advice not only for familiar vegetables but also fruit and nut trees, unusual perennial vegetables, edible weeds, and mushrooms. The book is profusely illustrated with drawings and color photographs, some of them so oversize that the plants they depict look unfamiliar. Although a little sparse on theory, the book gives gardeners a wide variety of tools to begin to use the principles and techniques of this "ancient yet cutting-edge technology."

December 15, 2012
Its origins may come from the Land Down Under, yet permaculture gardening is rapidly becoming a top-notch way of incorporating ancient practices into contemporary food production. With its goal of increasing garden productivity using ecologically safe methods long adopted by indigenous cultures worldwide, permaculture vegetable gardening can reap huge benefits everywhere, from backyards to balconies. Relinquishing the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides in favor of traditional methods that promote sustainable agriculture, permaculture promotes working with nature, rather than against it. Design concepts such as layering, horticultural practices such as planting in mutually beneficial communities, and ecological considerations such as soil enrichment and resource conservation take permaculture beyond methodology and into a committed philosophical approach to garden management. Along with detailed plans and lavish illustrations, Shein's straightforward, practical guide describes techniques and deciphers terminology to encourage gardening practices built on principles of caring for the planet and sharing its bounty, whether one is feeding a family or a village. A worthy reference for those interested in ethical gardening.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)