Jerry Baker's Backyard Problem Solver (2004, Hardcover, Illustrated)

I bought this book for my husband, who has trouble reading, but loves to garden. It is GREAT for him and I like it, too! Fairly large, easy to read print, using everyday language. Each topic is in a short paragraph - no long chapters to read to get to what you really wanted to know! This book deals with preparations of the soil before planting, nourishment after planting, recipes for sprays, common garden problems and how to fix them. Jerry doesn't know the answer to everything, (if someone claims that, beware!), but he combines science and tradition to come up with stuff that works. Many of his treatments are organic or use commonly available items, like beer, dishsoap, and tobacco. I have tried several of his sprays and my garden of roses, foliage and vegetables seems to be doing better this summer, despite terrible heat. The anti-aphid spray, the epsom salt for the roses, the common sense solutions... they work and they are laid out in a nice format for browsing while you watch tv. If there is a complaint, it might be that info on a particular topic might be scattered through the book. BUT there is a good index and the reason it is in different places is that the same spray may be used for different plants or pests. This is a nice basic reference book for the home gardener who hates buying heavy duty chemicals all the time.