Square Foot Gardening review:3 stars (Pretty detailed information, ought to be good for expert or novice) - Lots of information here on all aspects of gardening, layout, types of plants to use, maybe everything for the novice.
I found the diagrams to be of more value than the photograph selection, you've got some of both giving details on every aspect of gardening from soil perparation to putting up your harvest. You'll find charts and diagrams for planting, watering,plant support, just about anything.
There are even recipes and other tips for some of the things you might find yourself growing. About the only thing I could really find to complain about is the lack of any sort of watermelon information, muskmelons/ cantalopes were mentioned- why not some variety of watermelon?5 stars (Simply a Great Gardening Book) - 55 Reviewers pretty much say it all, but I just had to add to the applause. I have used this book as a reference for over 20 years, and have used Mel's methods in the sands of Florida, the gumbo of Texas, and now the 'barely there' soil of Northern Virginia. And what have I gotten... production and ease!

Based in part on the French Intensive method of gardening, you pretty much can avoid the inherent soil problems of where you live and grow veggies and flowers with little weeding and grunting.

Ideas in this book include:

How to prepare the soil (fertilizers, conditioners)
How to put together raised beds and other support structures if you want them

A guide for popular vegetables
-- how and when to plant them, including how to start seeds
-- the what-fors of watering
-- common pest and disease problems

In my opinion this easy to read book is a gardening staple good for all levels of experience. 5 stars (I tried it and it worked!) - I bought this book last spring and put it to use immediately in my 4x8 foot raised bed. I am in SE Alaska with rocky soil, lots of rain, long days and short growing season but my garden was beautiful.

It was also low maintainance! I could probably count on one hand the number of times I weeded.

We had fresh salads whenever we wanted (all summer long) and best of all my 4 year old daugther loved to help pick it. She is insisting on her own garden this spring and I am going to build her the recommended children's garden from the book of a 3x3 foot square.

The system is so simple and the results are very satisfying. I had doubts about my garden from the beginning but I shouldn't have worried. It far surpassed my expectations and I have plans for an even bigger garden this spring.

The only thing that would make the book even better (it's already got 5 stars from me though) is that I wished they covered growing organically.

I wish I could post pictures of my garden, it was truly beautiful.


Square Foot Gardening Features:
Author: Mel Bartholomew
Gardening / Techniques
Vegetables

Square Foot Gardening is the Paperback version. The full version can be purchased by clicking on the "CLICK HERE TO ORDER" button below for around 11.53USD.