I had originally bought this little handbook in hopes that it would be a cheap, quick and useful read I could recommend to homeowners after I install environmentally-friendly landscaping. However, there is better information, more easily found, on the internet than in this book. A large fraction of it consists of one-liner blurbs about how to make just about everything you never needed out of old tires or soft drink bottles (what permaculture practitioner has that many soda bottles sitting around?). The rest is, generally, too short and vague--and occasionally too silly--to be useful. (Hand-made paper? Really? That's the most detailed recycling project procedure you have to ramble about? My fifth-grade art teacher taught it better.) Their tree-planting advice, in particular, is bad in almost every respect--almost every step they advise has been shown by research over the past century--that's right, some of it is a century out of date--to be useless at best, and more often downright counterproductive. For heaven's sake, if you don't know any better than this, check Edible Forest Gardens, Volume Two, out from the library before you start planting. Better yet, buy it--you'll more than make up the price in savings if you ever try to plant more than a few trees or shrubs. The instructions for such permaculture mainstays as sheet mulching and circle beds were vague enough to be equally useless, if not actively encouraging bad practices.
I admit, there were a few ideas I did walk away thinking about--some of their homemade herbal pesticide sprays, for instance, but they say nothing about whether any of their preparations can be used on plants that will be eaten, or if so, how long one should wait before eating them. Basically, before I use anything out of this book, I'm going to have to go elsewhere to research it, make sure it's okay advice, and find out all the missing details.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club?
Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Learn more
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle Cloud Reader.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Enter your mobile phone or email address
Processing your request...
By pressing "Send link," you agree to Amazon's Conditions of Use.
You consent to receive an automated text message from or on behalf of Amazon about the Kindle App at your mobile number above. Consent is not a condition of any purchase. Message & data rates may apply.
Flip to back
Flip to front
Follow the Author
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
Best Crafting Books
Learn to craft with these books curated by Amazon Book Review Editor, Seira Wilson. See her picks.
Customer reviews
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2011
Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2010
Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on November 24, 2012
Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on November 11, 2007
Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2011
Verified Purchase
Reviewed in the United States on November 18, 2009
Verified Purchase
Top reviews from other countries
Dauvit
Uninspiring and dated.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 11, 2020Verified Purchase
keith
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 22, 2016Verified Purchase
Sunshine
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 7, 2015Verified Purchase
Laura Lee
Not worth the discounted price.
Reviewed in Canada on June 29, 2013Verified Purchase
daniela
Veramente valido
Reviewed in Italy on June 18, 2016Verified Purchase
