Starting from Seed: The Natural Gardener's Guide to Propagating Plants

21st-Century Gardening

by Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Janet Marinelli (Editor), Karan Davis Cutler (Editor)

This fully illustrated, easy-to-use guide includes everything readers need to know to collect, store, and grow seeds successfully--whether they're novices or experienced gardeners. Full-color photos throughout.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction

112 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 2001

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Leaves out a lot of important details. But a good introduction!

[Hannah CF · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good starter guide to saving seeds and knowing when or how to start them. I liked the chapters on native plants especially. I can’t wait to plant native flowers next spring!

[Ellen Bell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This small book is a nice introduction to starting plants from seeds. It covers basic information such as how and where to obtain seeds, when to plant them, and how to ready the resulting seedlings for transplant. The book also touches on several interesting related topics, such as the importance of starting plants from seed as a way of preserving our agricultural heritage, special pre-treatments that some unique seeds may need prior to being planted, and the how-to's of gathering and saving your own seeds (as an alternative to buying them).

The book is constructed in 8 chapters, each written by a different expert with their own unique "take" on seed starting. I read this at the same time I was reading "Gathering: Memoir of a Seed Saver" by Diane Ott Whealy. She is one of the founders of the non-profit organization Seed Savers Exchange, and her book touches on many similar concepts: saving one's own seeds, planting "true" seeds as opposed to hybrids, etc. Thus, these ideas were already planted in my mind prior to beginning "Starting from Seed." I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys gardening, has an interest in unique varieties of flowers and vegetables (especially heirloom), or anyone who wants to learn the basics of how to grown their own transplants rather than purchasing them from the garden center.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This thin book had some nice photographs in it, but was not really what I was looking for. I have already read several books about growing plants by seed. I think this book would be best for someone interested in the subject, but not very knowledgeable or someone that is ready to go all out in collecting and preserving seeds. I would recommend the internet, especially YouTube, for information on this topic.

Included in this book was a history of seeds (yawn), a biological look at seeds, heirloom flowers, seed preservation, information about obtaining seeds from seed exchanges. I have gathered seeds from flowers and been successful in starting new plants, but its easier and more interesting to just buy the packets and try some new types of flowers each year (along with the tried and true.)

I did find the section with photographs concerning hand pollinating very interesting. I highly recommend this process for watermelons as the bees are not as attracted to watermelon flowers as much as needed because the pay off for nectar is not as great in other flowers and each flower needs many grains of pollen.

[Jessmccoy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow, seeds are cool. I like this book because it gives a basic introduction to seed collection, growing plants from seed, and the importance of preserving heirloom varieties of flowers, herbs, and vegetables. I just started gardening, which I'm very excited about. My own small way to make the world a better place.

Three cheers for the lovely Brooklyn Botanic Garden [http://www.bbg.org] for putting out this very accessible guide.

[Joanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Germination here I come. A general guide to starting from seed.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite garden books.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

book on seeds for beginners. covers science and history of growing from seed, but very little beyond basics.