Explains what composting is and how it works, provides instructions for making and using compost, and offers ecologically sound solutions to waste disposal problems

Compost is the heart of the organic concept of gardening. This book is a compilation of material, facts, features, experiences, research, letters, questions and answers about compost that have appeared in Organic Gardening and Farming magazine for eighteen years.

The ultimate guide to individual- and community-scale composting in small urban spaces—with illustrations, expert tips, fun DIY projects, and much more These days, everyone’s talking about compost. Along with backyard chickeners, balcony beekeepers, rooftop farmers, and community gardeners, urban composters are part of a bumper crop of pioneers who are redefining the green space of crowded towns and cities. You may think you need a big yard to compost. Think again. Compost City teaches you how to easily choose and care for a compost system that fits perfectly into your (tiny) space, (busy) schedule, and (multifaceted) lifestyle. Whether you live in a cramped apartment or a sprawling town house, or you dream of composting in a shared space with a group of friends or colleagues, Compost City provides simple and effective indoor and outdoor composting options. Packed with research, expert testimonies, and a healthy dose of humor, this guide will help you: • Compost your food scraps and yard waste with ease • Ease your fears of backbreaking labor, obnoxious odors, big messes, and creepy crawlies (hint: you can compost successfully without any of the above!) • Convince compost-wary family, friends, neighbors, and community leaders to green-light your compost dreams Compost City serves all eco-curious citizens from casual hobbyists to staunch activists. So put your compost cap on. Whether you compost one tea bag or whole honking barrelfuls of scraps at a time, you’re about to have a whole lot of fun.

Rodale's Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening has been the go-to resource for gardeners for more than 50 years, and the best tool novices can buy to start applying organic methods to their fruit and vegetable crops, herbs, trees and shrubs, perennials, annuals, and lawns. This thoroughly revised and updated version highlights new organic pest controls, new fertilizer products, improved gardening techniques, the latest organic soil practices, and new trends in garden design. In this indispensable work you will find: • Comprehensive coverage for the entire garden and landscape along with related entries such as Community Gardening, Edible Landscaping, Horticultural Therapy, Stonescaping, and more • The most in-depth information from the trusted Rodale Organic Gardening brand • A completely new section on earth-friendly techniques for gardening in a changing climate, covering wise water management, creating backyard habitats, managing invasive plants and insects, reducing energy use and recycling, and understanding biotechnology • Entries all written by American gardeners for American gardeners, with answers for all the challenges presented by various conditions, from the humid Deep South and the mild maritime coasts to the cold far North and the dry Southwest Rodale's Ultimate Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening has everything you need to create gorgeous, non-toxic gardens in any part of the country.

When the inspiration hits to start an organic garden, many novices could benefit from a guidebook that speaks directly to their enthusiasm, their goals, and, of course, their need for solid information that speaks a newbie's language—from the most trusted source for organic gardening methods. In Rodale's Basic Organic Gardening by Deborah L. Martin, general garden-building skills (from "Do I need to dig?" to "Where do I dig?") and specific techniques (from "How do I plant a seed?" to "How much should I water?") are presented in growing-season order—from garden planning and planting to growing and harvesting. Many other need-to-know topics like soil, compost, seeds, pest control, and weeds are explained in simple language to ensure success, even on a small scale, on the first try. More than 100 common garden terms are defined, and Smart Starts sidebars offer doable projects to build confidence and enthusiasm for expanding a garden when a gardener is ready. A flower, vegetable, and herb finder highlights easycare plants with good track records. Plus, there are no-dig garden methods, simple garden layouts, and many more tips and hints. With a "no question is unwelcome" approach, a troubleshooting section lessens frustrations and encourages experimentation. Rodale's Basic Organic Gardening is everything a beginning gardener (or one who's new to gardening organically) needs to get growing and keep a garden going strong all season.

Composting for a New Generation covers the ins and outs of modern composting techniques, including vermicomposting, composting with nature, keyhole gardens, and urban composting, along with ideas for using homemade compost.

Maria Rodale, the third generation of the family that originated the organic gardening movement in the United States, has written a comprehensive and easy-to-use guide to designing and planting an organic garden that is beautiful, as well as delicious. No longer is the organic garden filled with messy homemade pest traps, plant ties from old pantyhose and recycled Coke-bottle watering devices. Maria Rodale takes organic gardening to a new level. Using sophisticated design techniques from authorities in every field of gardening, readers will learn the secrets of creating a flowering landscape that's gorgeous and productive, time- and energy-efficient, and filled with hearty fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Conveniently divided by season, addressing specific gardening issues, Maria Rodale's Organic Garden includes delicious recipes, and 600 color photographs. Every gardener, from beginner to advanced, will cherish this invaluable guide.

The complete guide to natural & chemical-free gardening.

In Pay Dirt, J.I. Rodale tells us what is wrong, and why, from his own experience, and that of a great many of the world's leading farm experts, horticulturists and soil biologists ¿ and how organic farming and gardening change the picture. Compost, you may not know, has displaced, in the last few years, the use of chemical fertilizer, entirely on many of the largest tea plantations in India and Ceylon, on the great ranches of South Africa, and in the large coffee plantations of Central America, as well as on hundreds of thousands of small farms and gardens in many countries of the world.Pay Dirt is the first book devoted completely to this way of farming and gardening to be written and published in the United States.