The Wildlife-Friendly Vegetable Gardener

October 21, 2013
Hartung (Homegrown Herbs) issues a call for gardeners to work with varmints and critters rather than view them as hostile combatants and offers a delightful guide for how to undertake the challenge simply and organically. Highlighted by whimsical color illustrations by Holly Ward Bimbo and armed with horticultural knowledge and common sense, Hartung makes a case, for example, for embracing the presence of skunks: “We’ve learned that skunks are not as problematic as people often assume,” she writes confidently. With section titles within chapters that express sentiments such as “Welcome the Predators!” and “Plant a Surplus and Share Some,” the author describes making simple adjustments to the garden and homestead that work with natural habitat to encourage the development of proper habits in would-be predators. At the end of book she includes a helpful Reference Chart for Remedies, which is invaluable, particularly if, as Hartung notes, “your resident insect and animal predators aren’t controlling the pests you need to intervene.”

December 15, 2013
Anyone who has ever planted and maintained a backyard vegetable garden understands the struggles of keeping pests at bay, whether they're tiny and creep on six legs or furry and walk on all fours. The good news, which internationally renowned herbalist and organic gardener Hartung shares in this easy-to-follow guidebook, is that an abundance of time-tested, nontoxic techniques can easily protect your garden without causing undue harm to wildlife. In eight colorfully illustrated chapters, Hartung offers a range of invaluable strategies for designing gardens that keep the critters out without hurting them, such as borders of parsley that rabbits will munch on instead of lettuce, and built-in, bird-friendly habitats that encourage our winged friends to feed on bothersome bugs. Beginning with proper soil preparation, the author also covers such basics as crop rotation, water sources, whether or not to use organic pesticides, and growing backbone plants like hedgerows where beneficial creatures can nest. Novice and expert vegetable growers alike will find Hartung's well-presented advice both revelatory and warmly reassuring.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)