Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally

by Robert Kourik

First published in 1986, this classic is back in print by popular demand. It is the authoritative text on edible landscaping, featuring a step-by-step guide to designing a productive environment using vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs for a combination of ornamental and culinary purposes. It includes descriptions of plants for all temperate habitats, methods for improving soil, tree pruning styles, and gourmet recipes using low-maintenance plants. There are sections on attracting beneficial insects with companion plants and using planting to shelter your home from erosion, heat, wind, and cold.

Genres: Gardening, Reference, Nonfiction, Food

382 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, I've taken this book out before and just returned it straight to the library. It's basically a textbook. Boooooooo-ring!
But this time I was ready for it. Now I'm in the planting stages and it's turning out to be invaluable for it's info on roots and tree spacing, types of dwarf fruit and nut trees, gardening, etc. We have such an itty-bitty little yard, every foot is going to count, and it's nice to get the info I need to maximize our use of yard-space.
Definately not for casual reading.

[PJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a bit dated and also primitive in its printing (looks like a bound stack of xerox copies), but has a lot of very helpful illustrations and some great info throughout. A worthy addition to a Permaculture library, if a somewhat heavy and redundant in its multiple bibliographies. Root growth maps are especially interesting.

[Randy · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best self-published books ever made. Tells how to do what the title says. It also has some remarkable research, such as that showing that so-called "companion planting" is often more myth than science.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a novice gardener and I wish someone had given me a copy of this book (or at least told me about it!) before I started shaping our gardens three years ago.

Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally is a treasure trove of information ranging from garden design to understanding your property, from growing various types of crops to pruning your trees, from amending your soils to integrated pest control. It gives an excellent overview of everything a person would like to know before designing their own edible landscape.

While this book *is* a bit dated and the layout xerox-like, its tone is not boring or condescending. Kourik generously shares his expertise and research, infecting his readers with his passion and enthusiasm.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good plant lists, figures and tables. He debunks companion and insectory planting myths, but it actually makes me nervous to plant anything near anything else! I am sure he didn't mean for that. Otherwise, clear, concise, and an overwhelming amount of resources.

[Madelyn]

reading this for Organic Gardening Certificate Program..