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Mother Earth News Wiser Living
The Intelligent Gardener: Growing Nutrient-Dense Food
“It is bold, it is courageous, and it challenges many of our preconceptions about food, about soils, about farming, and about health.” ―Michael Ableman, farmer, author of Farm the City To grow produce of the highest nutritional quality, the essential minerals lacking in our soil from intensive agriculture must be replaced. The Intelligent Gardener is the practical, step-by-step guide for any serious gardener who wants Accompanied with customizable web-based spreadsheets, this toolkit calls for far more attention to detail than the simple addition of composted manure or NPK fertilizers. It conclusively establishes the link between healthy soil, healthy food, and healthy people. Vegetables, fruits, and grains are a major source of vital nutrients, but centuries of intensive agriculture have depleted our soils to historic lows. As a result, the broccoli you consume today may have less than half the vitamins and minerals that the equivalent serving would have contained a hundred years ago. This is a matter of serious concern, since poor nutrition has been linked to myriad health problems including cancer, heart disease, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. For optimum health we must increase the nutrient density of our foods to the levels enjoyed by previous generations. The Intelligent Gardener goes beyond organic―it offers the essential tools for those who care about the quality of the produce they grow. “It’s hard to imagine this book not having a significant and lasting impact on the way organic farmers and gardeners grow their crops.” ―Mark McDonald, West Coast Seeds
336 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2012
194 people are currently reading
766 people want to read
About the author
Steve Solomon
45 books25 followersSteve Solomon is the founder of the Territorial Seed Company. He has been growing most of his family's food for over 35 years, and is the author of several landmark gardening books. A lifelong evangelist for the value of self-sufficiency, his writing, lectures and classes are focused on helping people become financially independent through producing their own necessities. He currently homesteads in Tasmania.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 53 reviews
July 2, 2015
Reading the other (glowing) reviews, I wonder what I'm missing here. I did not love this book. The author actually implies that the AMA blatantly disregards knowledge of poor soil fertility leading to human disease to further it's own monetary interests in treating those diseases. Um, no. I can get behind assuring our soil is appropriately mineralized to grow nutrient rich food - I'm going to test the soil of our veggie plot and amend the beds appropriately. I can even believe fertilizer manufacturers would have farmers believing that traditional commercial fertilizer is all they need. But a conspiracy by doctors? Give me a break.
And the microbiologist / geneticist in me reels at his assertions that the plague ( and other bacterial or genetically-influenced disease) only affects those eating food grown from nutrient poor soil. I'm sorry, but being "already convinced" *without* a study being done is ridiculous. Sure, just make totally unfounded assertions and call yourself intelligent. Gah. This book drove me crazy.
And the microbiologist / geneticist in me reels at his assertions that the plague ( and other bacterial or genetically-influenced disease) only affects those eating food grown from nutrient poor soil. I'm sorry, but being "already convinced" *without* a study being done is ridiculous. Sure, just make totally unfounded assertions and call yourself intelligent. Gah. This book drove me crazy.
July 29, 2020
There's this line in the book in which the author writes, "I am entirely without a footnote for that assertion, but still, it’s obvious." And how that sentence lands really depends on the reliability of the person who says it.
If author wrote this and everything else in their book was rigorously researched and based in the best available evidence, then that line comes off like a little nod of recognition. You know this and I know this and it's so obvious, are we really going to go through the formality of finding a source for this so obvious fact about the world? That little nod would be disarming and charming and get a pleasant chuckle from people who make arguments for a living and just want to be able to say that now and again because, come on.
But this author is not reliable. I mean, remineralization seems like a great idea. I don't know if it is or not. I'm no expert. But neither is this guy.
He has some sections in this book that make the academic in me cringe and cringe hard. At various points throughout the book he tries to convince the reader that he's a competent guide through the world of inorganic chemistry because he passed a high school chemistry class more 50 years ago. My dude. Come on.
He also has this insane chapter in which he retells the rise and fall of civilization as the consequence of depletion of minerals in the soil. At one point, he goes so far as to say about the genocide of Native American folks: "I don't buy 'lack of vaccination' or 'lack of previous exposure'; if anything can explain how so many natives died in plagues brought by the English, it is their dependence on a diet largely made of starchy foods...grown on depleted soils." YIKES.
Remineralization might be an awesome idea. It has makes intuitive sense. And perhaps this guy stumbled into a practice that is effective and helpful. That's totally possible even without a rigorous understanding of the phenomena that explain why and how it works. That said, if you're the kind of person for whom a rigorous understanding of how and why something works is important, this is not the book for you.
If author wrote this and everything else in their book was rigorously researched and based in the best available evidence, then that line comes off like a little nod of recognition. You know this and I know this and it's so obvious, are we really going to go through the formality of finding a source for this so obvious fact about the world? That little nod would be disarming and charming and get a pleasant chuckle from people who make arguments for a living and just want to be able to say that now and again because, come on.
But this author is not reliable. I mean, remineralization seems like a great idea. I don't know if it is or not. I'm no expert. But neither is this guy.
He has some sections in this book that make the academic in me cringe and cringe hard. At various points throughout the book he tries to convince the reader that he's a competent guide through the world of inorganic chemistry because he passed a high school chemistry class more 50 years ago. My dude. Come on.
He also has this insane chapter in which he retells the rise and fall of civilization as the consequence of depletion of minerals in the soil. At one point, he goes so far as to say about the genocide of Native American folks: "I don't buy 'lack of vaccination' or 'lack of previous exposure'; if anything can explain how so many natives died in plagues brought by the English, it is their dependence on a diet largely made of starchy foods...grown on depleted soils." YIKES.
Remineralization might be an awesome idea. It has makes intuitive sense. And perhaps this guy stumbled into a practice that is effective and helpful. That's totally possible even without a rigorous understanding of the phenomena that explain why and how it works. That said, if you're the kind of person for whom a rigorous understanding of how and why something works is important, this is not the book for you.
January 20, 2013
First of all, the subtitle is a bit misleading. You won't get information on many aspects of growing nutrient-dense food, like variety selection and time of harvest, out of this book. What The Intelligent Gardener does provide, though, is well worth the price.
I've been nibbling around the edges of learning about soil testing for the last couple of years, but this book turned my understanding into a full (and nutrient-dense) meal. Solomon's work is based largely on Albrecht's studies of the optimal ratios of cations (calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium), with a lot of updates from the more modern work of Astera. Solomon breaks it all down into simple worksheets that anyone can fill out with a calculator able to multiply, add, and subtract.
A second warning is due --- you'll need to put quite a bit of cash into Solomon's method if you have a large homestead. Solomon's math only works if you do a Mehlich 3 soil test, which is about $20 per sample from a few select labs; then, you'll probably be committing to adding several hundred dollars' worth of amendments (like gypsum) to get your soil back in balance.
Even if you don't want to go the scientific route, though, this book is worth it for its explanation of the chemistry of soil. Highly recommended!
I've been nibbling around the edges of learning about soil testing for the last couple of years, but this book turned my understanding into a full (and nutrient-dense) meal. Solomon's work is based largely on Albrecht's studies of the optimal ratios of cations (calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium), with a lot of updates from the more modern work of Astera. Solomon breaks it all down into simple worksheets that anyone can fill out with a calculator able to multiply, add, and subtract.
A second warning is due --- you'll need to put quite a bit of cash into Solomon's method if you have a large homestead. Solomon's math only works if you do a Mehlich 3 soil test, which is about $20 per sample from a few select labs; then, you'll probably be committing to adding several hundred dollars' worth of amendments (like gypsum) to get your soil back in balance.
Even if you don't want to go the scientific route, though, this book is worth it for its explanation of the chemistry of soil. Highly recommended!
February 10, 2014
Too complicated. Let me boil it down: Your garden soil need more than just carbon and manure. Get a soil test. There. I just saved you a couple hundred pages of complicated soil chemistry.
January 19, 2021
This was a quick read selected from the available “new” electronic books through the Hawaii State Public Library. It is not new, in so many ways. The author proudly admits to being self taught regarding his chosen topics and further argues that academics and those professionally trained are incapable of communicating and probably have ulterior motives. He only trusts the professionals who say things that he has already seen to be true, and the more fringe he thinks the idea the more trusted the professional. He cites a small selection of closely related and very outdated literature to support his claims, when he bothers to cite anything other than his personal opinion.
This is unfortunate for the importance of minerals to the health of soil, plants and animals is well documented. So much of what he says is well documented, usually in the opposite direction of his argument. And he misses so many other factors to be considered at a local level when addressing the nutritional value of your produce and livestock.
Skip the book. Self teach yourself with local knowledge. Check https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.go... for your location if you are in the United States and see what data is already available for your soils, paid for by you, your parents, or your grandparents. There is so much there to be lost for days. Also look at the land use history for your location. What chemicals were used in the soil? Is there any soil? Some parts of New Jersey had ground up asphalt used for fill in housing complexes. Are you on a brownfield? Is lead an issue? https://gdg.sc.egov.usda.gov gives you a number of mapping engines to choose from to explore available data on your location.
Don’t have a computer? Go to your local library. If it is a government documents repository, at least one In your county should be, they should have the paper soil maps. And other local records. If not, they at least have computers you can use.
If you need more detailed data, while still at the library, check your local Cooperative Extension’s website. Ask the librarian for any available materials on local soils and land use. Cooperative Extension offices are usually County based and partnered with local land grant colleges, receiving support through the USDA and others. In Hawaii our one stop shop is the University of Hawaii’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/. I can order plant and soil analyses and meet with folks to discuss appropriate mediation to any land, plant, and livestock health problems I have. And there is a plethora of reading materials that are specific to my island.
This is unfortunate for the importance of minerals to the health of soil, plants and animals is well documented. So much of what he says is well documented, usually in the opposite direction of his argument. And he misses so many other factors to be considered at a local level when addressing the nutritional value of your produce and livestock.
Skip the book. Self teach yourself with local knowledge. Check https://websoilsurvey.sc.egov.usda.go... for your location if you are in the United States and see what data is already available for your soils, paid for by you, your parents, or your grandparents. There is so much there to be lost for days. Also look at the land use history for your location. What chemicals were used in the soil? Is there any soil? Some parts of New Jersey had ground up asphalt used for fill in housing complexes. Are you on a brownfield? Is lead an issue? https://gdg.sc.egov.usda.gov gives you a number of mapping engines to choose from to explore available data on your location.
Don’t have a computer? Go to your local library. If it is a government documents repository, at least one In your county should be, they should have the paper soil maps. And other local records. If not, they at least have computers you can use.
If you need more detailed data, while still at the library, check your local Cooperative Extension’s website. Ask the librarian for any available materials on local soils and land use. Cooperative Extension offices are usually County based and partnered with local land grant colleges, receiving support through the USDA and others. In Hawaii our one stop shop is the University of Hawaii’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/. I can order plant and soil analyses and meet with folks to discuss appropriate mediation to any land, plant, and livestock health problems I have. And there is a plethora of reading materials that are specific to my island.
December 31, 2013
My only complaint is that he downplays the significance of the soil food web and nutrient cycling in the rhizosphere in my opinion. Excellent read though and the best bridge between the mineral folks and the soil food web guys I've read to date.
January 23, 2013
Near the end of his new book, The Intelligent Gardener, long-time garden guru Steve Solomon makes a significant point: “There is no place on this planet that remains free of toxic residues.” He then suggests we would be far better off if we quit worrying so much about toxicity and, instead, concentrated on growing and eating nutrient dense food.
I’ve been able to follow, and participate to a degree, in Mr. Solomon’s metamorphosis from expert “organic” gardener to expert “nutrient dense” gardener. Solomon, in my opinion, has long been ahead of the pack as evidenced by his books “Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades” and “Gardening When It Counts.” Through his early gardening experiences and from starting the Territorial Seed business he devised his Complete Organic Fertilizer (COF) which was an attempt to balance garden soil. COF is still a good way to go for people who don’t wish to go any farther and the formula is easily found on the internet. (Also in The Intelligent Gardener pps. 84-85).
In the last half dozen years through association with Michael Astera’s Nutrient Dense Project and a re-study of the work of scientists like William Albrecht and Victor Tiedjens, Steve Solomon has become a convert to the concept of “nutrient dense.”
The concept of nutrient dense food is pretty simple. The gardener works over time to balance the soil with the proper mix of minerals. The result will be soil that encourages the life forms (worms, bacteria, etc.) that help with soil symbiosis and soil that provides the nutrients plants need to grow properly. Balanced soil will mean healthier plants, resistant to pests. Balanced soil will result in food that is nutrient dense, providing us with the vitamins and minerals we need to be healthy.
Steve Solomon spends a lot of time debunking the concept promoted by J.I. Rodale that compost would solve all problems and that by continuing to heap organic matter on a garden a garden would only get better and better. This is not the case as Solomon explains in detail in a chapter titled: SAMOA (The Shit Method of Agriculture). More important is bringing calcium and magnesium into proper balance. When garden soil is properly balanced, according to Solomon, the garden will create its own nitrates.
Balancing calcium, magnesium, potassium, sulphur, sodium and other minerals is the key to nutrient dense food. Getting this balance correct begins with a $20 soil test. Then, with a copy of The Intelligent Gardener in hand, one can use the worksheets provided to come up with a prescription for a custom fertilizer designed for one’s own garden. Solomon’s colleague and co-author, California gardener Erica Reinheimer has developed a website where you can find copies of the worksheets found in Steve’s book. On this same website you will find a link to “OrganiCalc” which allows you, for a small fee, to compute your custom fertilizer prescription on line.
I’ve been able to follow, and participate to a degree, in Mr. Solomon’s metamorphosis from expert “organic” gardener to expert “nutrient dense” gardener. Solomon, in my opinion, has long been ahead of the pack as evidenced by his books “Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades” and “Gardening When It Counts.” Through his early gardening experiences and from starting the Territorial Seed business he devised his Complete Organic Fertilizer (COF) which was an attempt to balance garden soil. COF is still a good way to go for people who don’t wish to go any farther and the formula is easily found on the internet. (Also in The Intelligent Gardener pps. 84-85).
In the last half dozen years through association with Michael Astera’s Nutrient Dense Project and a re-study of the work of scientists like William Albrecht and Victor Tiedjens, Steve Solomon has become a convert to the concept of “nutrient dense.”
The concept of nutrient dense food is pretty simple. The gardener works over time to balance the soil with the proper mix of minerals. The result will be soil that encourages the life forms (worms, bacteria, etc.) that help with soil symbiosis and soil that provides the nutrients plants need to grow properly. Balanced soil will mean healthier plants, resistant to pests. Balanced soil will result in food that is nutrient dense, providing us with the vitamins and minerals we need to be healthy.
Steve Solomon spends a lot of time debunking the concept promoted by J.I. Rodale that compost would solve all problems and that by continuing to heap organic matter on a garden a garden would only get better and better. This is not the case as Solomon explains in detail in a chapter titled: SAMOA (The Shit Method of Agriculture). More important is bringing calcium and magnesium into proper balance. When garden soil is properly balanced, according to Solomon, the garden will create its own nitrates.
Balancing calcium, magnesium, potassium, sulphur, sodium and other minerals is the key to nutrient dense food. Getting this balance correct begins with a $20 soil test. Then, with a copy of The Intelligent Gardener in hand, one can use the worksheets provided to come up with a prescription for a custom fertilizer designed for one’s own garden. Solomon’s colleague and co-author, California gardener Erica Reinheimer has developed a website where you can find copies of the worksheets found in Steve’s book. On this same website you will find a link to “OrganiCalc” which allows you, for a small fee, to compute your custom fertilizer prescription on line.
December 10, 2015
"Le Batterie de Cuisine"! Really? Batterie is a feminine noun so it requires a "la" not a "le". People use French just to make it seem more sophisticated. Nothing sounds worse than mixing the masculine and feminine. This coming from an author who proudly names his book the "Intelligent Gardener". In other words, he's saying "organic gardeners" are stupid. Well, this author belly-flopped right after self-declaring his high intelligence - and that even before page number one!
Aside from this blunder, there seems to be more science and fewer organic mantras. It is practical and rich in information but what the....le batterie? I pick up this book, eagerly start reading about cations, then I come across "le batterie" so now I want to throw this book in the compost!
Aside from this blunder, there seems to be more science and fewer organic mantras. It is practical and rich in information but what the....le batterie? I pick up this book, eagerly start reading about cations, then I come across "le batterie" so now I want to throw this book in the compost!
sampled-but-no
June 29, 2022I've always been a casual gardener. Not for me: the seed catalogs, grow lights, a thriving greenhouse, etc. My husband teases that I like the ambience of a garden when we're having a garden party. I (sort of, kind of) want to change and become more serious.
This cover called my name; 'Intelligent' sounds ... serious. While it beckoned, I had amnesia about my science deficiencies. That half year of chemistry in high school by the P.E. coach just wasn't a suitable substratum for soil chemistry.
One drawback from an audio book is that it's not as easy to skim, nor to page forward to something you might be able to comprehend. I was technically listening, but the words, they be bouncing right off my brain.
One thing I did grasp: Steve Solomon is not a fan of J.I. Rodale. That's intriguing. Also: get a soil test.
For me to rate this book would be ridiculous hubris on my part.
This cover called my name; 'Intelligent' sounds ... serious. While it beckoned, I had amnesia about my science deficiencies. That half year of chemistry in high school by the P.E. coach just wasn't a suitable substratum for soil chemistry.
One drawback from an audio book is that it's not as easy to skim, nor to page forward to something you might be able to comprehend. I was technically listening, but the words, they be bouncing right off my brain.
One thing I did grasp: Steve Solomon is not a fan of J.I. Rodale. That's intriguing. Also: get a soil test.
For me to rate this book would be ridiculous hubris on my part.
April 10, 2023
Author seems to have a little bit of an axe to grind . Too many non informative little stories about his personal life . I just didn’t like this book and the way it was written there is in-depth info about adding fertilizer but the way it was presented completely put me off, just someone trying to prove how much better they are. He also repeatedly says how in previous books how he has mislead ppl by his own assumptions so I don’t know how one is to believe this book would be any different
March 5, 2018
Coming from a bunch of purely permaculture/organic gardening books and experiences, it was very interesting to get this sort of "in between" opinion that highlights some glaring weaknesses of various methods.
What I personally didn't like about this book is that while accusing some organic gardening's myths and faulty reasoning, the author is guilty of some pretty "bad science" himself, jumping to conclusions from his own experiences as if they were facts a few times throughout the book. Nothing major, and mostly when the author speaks of stuff outside the scope of this book.
Speaking of the scope of the book, as it's subtitle clearly states, it is all about growing nutrient dense food. It's not about general growing tips, growing lots of food, it's not necessarily about being the most organic you can be or about permaculture (though there are some interesting ideas on the subject); the main goal is growing food that has the highest nutrients vs calories.
What I personally didn't like about this book is that while accusing some organic gardening's myths and faulty reasoning, the author is guilty of some pretty "bad science" himself, jumping to conclusions from his own experiences as if they were facts a few times throughout the book. Nothing major, and mostly when the author speaks of stuff outside the scope of this book.
Speaking of the scope of the book, as it's subtitle clearly states, it is all about growing nutrient dense food. It's not about general growing tips, growing lots of food, it's not necessarily about being the most organic you can be or about permaculture (though there are some interesting ideas on the subject); the main goal is growing food that has the highest nutrients vs calories.
April 6, 2014
Steve Solomon is a master. His clear, unvarnished explanations will help anyone succeed with their vegetable garden, particularly in the Northwest, and his latest book takes on the controversial topic of nutrient density. For some time the food industry has focused on yield and shelf life while consumers are concerned about food safety, and we've sacrificed the nutrition in our food to the detriment of our health. I've read everything that I can find on this topic and this is by far the best, most useful guide to the home gardener interested in enriching the nutrition in their vegetables and fruit.
February 27, 2020
Solomon is a quandry. Good info, long tedious read. Glean well, my gardening friends.
June 22, 2023
I've read many Steve Solomon books, and he is a gristly piece of work who I suspect is actually 800 years old. I feel free to say that because I think he'd agree. So that said - he is not the most affable, "welcome to the joys of gardening" kind of writer. Instead, he's that complicated, confrontational, provocative professor you're more prepared for after a few years of college, or whatever - he's a really interesting counterpoint to conventional organic (not an oxymoron ok?) literature.
Where I live, there is almost no decent compost & soil companies. I think I could probably find some very niche, craiglist posted backyard business that sells bags for $20+, but in terms of mainstream availability, there is nothing good. The more you know about their materials and what they DON'T test for, the less you can trust what they're offering. It is actually pretty dismal! I'm not going to name names, but I'll say if you're in the Seattle area anything you can easily lay your hands on is awful. They're even worse the more you get acquainted with them. Likewise, a lot of homemade compost is pretty terrible, for reasons unknown to the stir-er. I don't mean to be so negative, I'm just at a point where sailing along on presumption, on delusion, doesn't make me feel very good anymore. For the most part. I haven't killed all my darlings!
And that's just it, this is a book for killing your darlings. If you're interested in the actual nutritional density of what you grow; if you despair at the compost-intensive organic gardening wisdom since all the compost by you is tainted and merely looks like compost; and if you already know how to produce vegetables reliably in your climate - then this book is great! If you didn't nod your head to each of those clauses though, please don't read it. He'll probably just sound like an old sourpuss, and it may spoil your appreciation of what he has to say should you encounter it later in your food growing journey.
Where I live, there is almost no decent compost & soil companies. I think I could probably find some very niche, craiglist posted backyard business that sells bags for $20+, but in terms of mainstream availability, there is nothing good. The more you know about their materials and what they DON'T test for, the less you can trust what they're offering. It is actually pretty dismal! I'm not going to name names, but I'll say if you're in the Seattle area anything you can easily lay your hands on is awful. They're even worse the more you get acquainted with them. Likewise, a lot of homemade compost is pretty terrible, for reasons unknown to the stir-er. I don't mean to be so negative, I'm just at a point where sailing along on presumption, on delusion, doesn't make me feel very good anymore. For the most part. I haven't killed all my darlings!
And that's just it, this is a book for killing your darlings. If you're interested in the actual nutritional density of what you grow; if you despair at the compost-intensive organic gardening wisdom since all the compost by you is tainted and merely looks like compost; and if you already know how to produce vegetables reliably in your climate - then this book is great! If you didn't nod your head to each of those clauses though, please don't read it. He'll probably just sound like an old sourpuss, and it may spoil your appreciation of what he has to say should you encounter it later in your food growing journey.
March 1, 2022
3.5* Rounding up because I'd rather more people than less read the book.
This was my first foray into life-changing gardening. Sounds a little dramatic, but true none-the-less. It's not about new techniques, or things to grow - instead it truly dives into what it says right there in the title "Growing Nutrient Dense Food."
The concept behind it is fascinating. It's not so much a concept even than it is a reality. Fact: You need basic nutrients in your diet for healthy bodily function. Fact: You get those nutrients from the foods you eat. Fact: Your foods get those nutrients from the things they eat. Fact: Your food may be homegrown and look delicious, but if the soil they were grown in or the feed they consumed didn't have the necessary nutrients, neither will the they. And guess what? Neither will you.
The 3.5* comes from a combo of 5* science, 4* user friendliness, and 2* for the weird negative framework and outlook that seems to be present in a lot of homegrown books. But I guess when you've seen the many men behind the curtain, the food industry appears pretty bleak. Still, an optimist at heart, if we don't focus on the practical opportunities to improve the way we eat (from the ground up), we're left staring dismally at the infinite mountain of ineptitude that we call our food system. It's a very easy slope to slide. I get it.
But in much more positive news, in short, you are what you eat, so make sure what you're eating is nutrient-dense. This book takes gardeners into the fascinating, practical, and sometimes overwhelming science of just how we as any type of gardener can make that happen. Be prepared to do some math, feel free to skip around, and be ready to pack-a-whammy with your newly nutritious veggies. #ChallengeAccepted
This was my first foray into life-changing gardening. Sounds a little dramatic, but true none-the-less. It's not about new techniques, or things to grow - instead it truly dives into what it says right there in the title "Growing Nutrient Dense Food."
The concept behind it is fascinating. It's not so much a concept even than it is a reality. Fact: You need basic nutrients in your diet for healthy bodily function. Fact: You get those nutrients from the foods you eat. Fact: Your foods get those nutrients from the things they eat. Fact: Your food may be homegrown and look delicious, but if the soil they were grown in or the feed they consumed didn't have the necessary nutrients, neither will the they. And guess what? Neither will you.
The 3.5* comes from a combo of 5* science, 4* user friendliness, and 2* for the weird negative framework and outlook that seems to be present in a lot of homegrown books. But I guess when you've seen the many men behind the curtain, the food industry appears pretty bleak. Still, an optimist at heart, if we don't focus on the practical opportunities to improve the way we eat (from the ground up), we're left staring dismally at the infinite mountain of ineptitude that we call our food system. It's a very easy slope to slide. I get it.
But in much more positive news, in short, you are what you eat, so make sure what you're eating is nutrient-dense. This book takes gardeners into the fascinating, practical, and sometimes overwhelming science of just how we as any type of gardener can make that happen. Be prepared to do some math, feel free to skip around, and be ready to pack-a-whammy with your newly nutritious veggies. #ChallengeAccepted
January 12, 2018
This book takes on the challenging task of breaking down an advanced soil test and using that information to produce food of the highest quality, and succeeds in that goal. Solomon presents a workbook (and points to the digital alternatives) that breaks down this process step-by-step, and spends most of the book explaining the importance of each step, caveats, and alternatives. He also shares the recipe for a "Complete Organic Fertilizer" based on this information. The source of this approach is author's interpretation of the Albrecht-Kinsey hypothesis of soil mineral balancing, a compelling alternative to conventional "sufficient levels of available nutrients" approach recommended by most university extension offices.
I find this book especially valuable because it comes from the perspective a long-time organic grower and author who through personal experience over the years has become convinced that this soil test-based approach can improve upon conventional compost-focused backyard organic gardening. The author has changed his mind several times over the years based on new information, and admits to it, which I find honest and refreshing.
I find this book especially valuable because it comes from the perspective a long-time organic grower and author who through personal experience over the years has become convinced that this soil test-based approach can improve upon conventional compost-focused backyard organic gardening. The author has changed his mind several times over the years based on new information, and admits to it, which I find honest and refreshing.
September 20, 2020
This was more of a dense reference than an easy skim.
+3.5 stars for demystifying what to do with soil sample results if you're not enthusiastic about paying a consultant or unsure of how much benefit you will see. It might also be a fun applied math/chemistry exercise for a budding upper-middle school aged gardener.
-1/2 star I expected a nutrition analysis of food grown before and after remineralization on a plot, ideally compared to the quality commercially grown market equivalent. Instead, there were pessimistic assertions about commercial corner-cutting meant to mislead us contrasted with subjective claims the garden grew more abundant, tastier food.
-1/2 star to learn late in the book (chapters after the author suggests you know enough to request a lab analysis) that my arid alkaline soil was one the author admits is complex, requires additional tests, and that the author has minimal experience to impart.
-1/2 star because I wish there was a worksheet to determine what minerals irrigating with hard water will deposit over the year to adjust amendment prescriptions.
+3.5 stars for demystifying what to do with soil sample results if you're not enthusiastic about paying a consultant or unsure of how much benefit you will see. It might also be a fun applied math/chemistry exercise for a budding upper-middle school aged gardener.
-1/2 star I expected a nutrition analysis of food grown before and after remineralization on a plot, ideally compared to the quality commercially grown market equivalent. Instead, there were pessimistic assertions about commercial corner-cutting meant to mislead us contrasted with subjective claims the garden grew more abundant, tastier food.
-1/2 star to learn late in the book (chapters after the author suggests you know enough to request a lab analysis) that my arid alkaline soil was one the author admits is complex, requires additional tests, and that the author has minimal experience to impart.
-1/2 star because I wish there was a worksheet to determine what minerals irrigating with hard water will deposit over the year to adjust amendment prescriptions.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2024
I can’t finish this. I’m sure there is some valuable information in this book, but wading through the arrogance and the ridiculous assertions and assumptions is too tedious.
For example: the Black Death didn’t impact areas with the right soil minerals; vaccinating livestock is ‘ridiculous’; the high-starch diet of foods grown on poor soil was the reason for Native American deaths after European colonisation; medical doctors and universities have a vested interest in our poor health; and apparently we gardeners are all smothering our gardens with dolomite lime and losing our teeth.
I’ll just take this book back to the library and get my soil science books from actual soil scientists rather than condescending, self-important dudes with an axe to grind.
For example: the Black Death didn’t impact areas with the right soil minerals; vaccinating livestock is ‘ridiculous’; the high-starch diet of foods grown on poor soil was the reason for Native American deaths after European colonisation; medical doctors and universities have a vested interest in our poor health; and apparently we gardeners are all smothering our gardens with dolomite lime and losing our teeth.
I’ll just take this book back to the library and get my soil science books from actual soil scientists rather than condescending, self-important dudes with an axe to grind.
February 24, 2023
Not the book for me and I’m glad I didn’t spend money on it. May have some truth but the author comes across as “I know everything without any evidence and everyone else is wrong and stupid”. There are portions that have strong opinions that do not take into factor multiple variables. I’m honestly somewhat alarmed by how many high ratings this book received. Another review said it made them cringe which is exactly how I frequently felt while listening to the audio. I can’t give this book any more of my time or attention but read some of the glowing reviews and make your own decision.
January 29, 2024
Though technical in the chemistry and soil science topics covered, the book is written in a way that does not intimidate the novice and really instructs the interested layman. This book totally reshaped the way I approach gardening. The information is so useful and founded on real experience and well-reasoned and well-defended arguments rather than the fanciful notions so prevalent in the gardening community. The author’s goal is to advance the knowledge of achieving the highest nutritional value in the produce of the home gardener - a worthy goal.
June 16, 2021
There is some good data here, and the overall concept of doing a soil test then ammending for what you need makes very good sense. The author provides useful and workable methods for doing this.
There is also a great deal of proselytizing and simple grouchiness in the tone that often makes the book difficult to take seriously. Especially when railing against rote acceptance of true-believers in other gardening methods while telling me to trust and believe what is written here.
There is also a great deal of proselytizing and simple grouchiness in the tone that often makes the book difficult to take seriously. Especially when railing against rote acceptance of true-believers in other gardening methods while telling me to trust and believe what is written here.
August 14, 2022
A 11hr audio book. This book is awesome in its own right, very informative for beginners and simple enough to understand. The only thing I do not like it the title really does nothing to describe what he is going to talk about, its really not about being an 'Intelligent Gardener' and more about basics for soil sampling and roughly what they do. Still other then the title, very good book. Thank you Steve, I enjoyed so far three of your books.
July 17, 2020
This is the first book on gardening of any kind I have read and I have absolutely no experience growing anything. Despite not being targeted at novice gardeners, I absolutely loved this book and feel I got a lot out of it. I think everyone should read the first 5 chapters regardless of whether you plan on ever growing vegetables in your life or not.
May 10, 2023
Not sure what I think about this one. It's a book of anecdotes that, even if read as empirical evidence, comes with no citations. I'm not sure if it's possible to draw conclusions from any of it.
If nothing else, it's raised my awareness of soil mineralisation. I just need to find the book that will actually teach me about that. This book isn't it.
If nothing else, it's raised my awareness of soil mineralisation. I just need to find the book that will actually teach me about that. This book isn't it.
May 17, 2023
Informative even for a experienced Gardner
I been gardening now for quite a few years and still learned thing about minerals I didn't know. Even after non stop watching YouTube and every different garden video I could watch. The book is well worth the cost if you can't get a copy from your library.
I been gardening now for quite a few years and still learned thing about minerals I didn't know. Even after non stop watching YouTube and every different garden video I could watch. The book is well worth the cost if you can't get a copy from your library.
May 5, 2019
I give it 5 stars because it is the most comprehensive guide of its kind. However, it is a dry read, so you must be committed. I have already referenced it a few times and it was helpful, but a bit overwhelming.
November 9, 2020
Interesting ideas & I enjoy the focus on science over intuition. It did get me to drag my soil test kit out. However, much of his advice is for folks with growing conditions opposite to where I am. Maybe I will pick it up again someday once I've lowered my Ph and lightened my soil density.
January 5, 2018
Eccentric and repetitive but he makes some very important points. It's very in depth and I would recommend this to more experienced gardeners. Newbies would get scared off!
August 19, 2019
Some outdated information, and some wild inaccuracies about soil science. The intention is good, but the thought process isn't accurate and the execution is a little preachy.
May 16, 2020
It was okay. Mostly talked about the importance of soil testing and what each mineral does. I’ll come back to this book when I get my soil tested and read again.
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