Talking Dirt: The Dirt Diva's Down-to-Earth Guide to Organic Gardening

by Annie Spiegelman

Overview

A lively and practical guide to organic gardening from a renowned garden expert.

Annie Spiegelman's down-to-earth wit and wisdom create the perfect primer for anyone with a passion for home-grown veggies or fresh-cut flowers, no matter what their skill level, location, or resources. Includes advice on:

• Learning to worship the worm and build a compost pile

• Landscape designs-start small in order to create a basic plan for a plot

• The secret to healthy soil (the only way to have a healthy garden)

• Irrigation systems and strategies to conserve water

• Proper pruning-from roses to trees

• How to combine vegetables to make them thrive

• How to let your garden go native and become drought tolerant

• Edible landscaping and gardening in small spaces

Talking Dirt is a one-stop handbook that features resources for shopping, learning, and promoting environmentally sound garden practices within local communities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780399535659
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	02/23/2010
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Raised in the asphalt jungle of New York City, with a can of Raid in her hand, Annie Spiegelman moved to the Bay Area over ten years ago and became a passionate environmentalist and Master Gardener. She is the author of two previous books on gardening (and life). ANNIE'S GARDEN JOURNAL: Some Thoughts on Roses, Life, Weeds, and Men and GROWING SEASONS: Half-baked Garden Tips, Cheap Advice on Marriage and Questionable Theories on Motherhood. 

Readers can visit her website at www.dirtdiva.com

What People are Saying About This

Christiane Northrup

"Talking Dirt is wonderful - even for those who don't have a garden...yet."-- (Christiane Northrup, MD, author of the New York Times bestsellers Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause)

Michael C. Metallo

"Fun, factual, and filled with ideas. What sets Talking Dirt apart from all other organic gardening how-to guides is Anne Spiegelman. Her writing has an easy style, is easy to understand, and makes organic gardening easy to put into practice. The information is presented with personality and wit, making this book a must-have resource for the aspiring organic gardener."-- (Michael C. Metallo, president of the National Gardening Association)

Maria Rodale

"Annie Spiegelman (aka the Dirt Diva) understands what gardening is really about: having fun...even when you aren't having fun! This book is laugh-out-loud useful and smart. Frankly, it's the best book on organic gardening that I've seen in 11 years (since mine came out). The Dirt Diva Royal Horticultural Society is the only gardening club I really want to be a member of."-- (Maria Rodale, CEO of Rodale Inc., MariasFarmCountryKitchen.com)

Brian Clark Howard

"What Skinny Bitch did for vegetarianism Talking Dirt may do for organic gardening. Annie Spiegelman's book is the perfect primer for a generation raised on supermarket food and flowers but who are searching for something fresher and more satisfying. As comfortable among the cabbages as she is in a fashion boutique, Spiegelman succeeds in making the intricacies of gardening without toxic chemicals exciting and rewarding. With a light, swift tone and ample instruction, this is the organic gardening book for busy people."-- (Brian Clark Howard, environmental journalist and web editor for The Daily Green)

Helge Hellberg

"Beautifully combining passion, humor, and a deep-rooted care for the planet, Spiegelman is the organic femme fatale. She understands the importance of our own backyards to build a better future, one shovelful of compost at a time. What a fantastic book."-- (Helge Hellberg, executive director of Marin Organic and host of An Organic Conversation Radio Show)

Nell Newman

"It's hard to resist a gardening book that's both chock-full of information and fun to read. It doesn't matter if you are a novice gardener or more experienced, Annie shows the way to growing and enjoying a natural, sustainable, organic garden."-- (Nell Newman, cofounder and president of Newman's Own Organics)

From the Publisher

"It's hard to resist a gardening book that's both chock-full of information and fun to read. It doesn't matter if you are a novice gardener or more experienced, Annie shows the way to growing and enjoying a natural, sustainable, organic garden."
-Nell Newman, cofounder and president of Newman's Own Organics

"Annie Spiegelman (aka the Dirt Diva) understands what gardening is really about: having fun . . . even when you aren't having fun! This book is laugh-out-loud useful and smart. Frankly, it's the best book on organic gardening that I've seen in 11 years (since mine came out). The Dirt Diva Royal Horticultural Society is the only gardening club I really want to be a member of."
-Maria Rodale, CEO of Rodale Inc., MariasFarmCountryKitchen.com

"Talking Dirt is wonderful-even for those who don't have a garden . . .yet."
-Christiane Northrup, MD, author of the New York Times bestsellers Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause

"Fun, factual, and filled with ideas. What sets Talking Dirt apart from all other organic gardening how-to guides is Anne Spiegelman. Her writing has an easy style, is easy to understand, and makes organic gardening easy to put into practice. The information is presented with personality and wit, making this book a must-have resource for the aspiring organic gardener."
-Michael C. Metallo, president of the National Gardening Association

"What Skinny Bitch did for vegetarianism Talking Dirt may do for organic gardening. Annie Spiegelman's book is the perfect primer for a generation raised on supermarket food and flowers but who are searching for something fresher and more satisfying. As comfortable among the cabbages as she is in a fashion boutique, Spiegelman succeeds in making the intricacies of gardening without toxic chemicals exciting and rewarding. With a light, swift tone and ample instruction, this is the organic gardening book for busy people."
-Brian Clark Howard, environmental journalist and web editor for The Daily Green

"Beautifully combining passion, humor, and a deep-rooted care for the planet, Spiegelman is the organic femme fatale. She understands the importance of our own backyards to build a better future, one shovelful of compost at a time. What a fantastic book."
-Helge Hellberg, executive director of Marin Organic and host of An Organic Conversation Radio Show

"Spiegelman's tone is reminiscent of the 'Samurai Shopper' column in the New York Times... entertaining and effective."
-Brian Halweil, author of Eat Here and senior researcher for World Watch Institute

"Spiegelman tells the lighthearted story of her own transformation from weekend gardener to a 'Dirt Diva.' Talking Dirt is full of tips all gardeners should take to heart to make their plot organic and nurture their plants the way nature intended."
-Tom Szaky, CEO and founder of TerraCycle Inc.

Brian Halweil

"Spiegelman's tone is reminiscent of the 'Samurai Shopper' column in the New York Times? entertaining and effective."-- (Brian Halweil, author of Eat Here and senior researcher for World Watch Institute)

Tom Szaky

"Spiegelman tells the lighthearted story of her own transformation from weekend gardener to a 'Dirt Diva.' Talking Dirt is full of tips all gardeners should take to heart to make their plot organic and nurture their plants the way nature intended."-- (Tom Szaky, CEO and founder of TerraCycle Inc.)

Editorial Reviews

"It's hard to resist a gardening book that's both chock-full of information and fun to read. It doesn't matter if you are a novice gardener or more experienced, Annie shows the way to growing and enjoying a natural, sustainable, organic garden."
-Nell Newman, cofounder and president of Newman's Own Organics

"Annie Spiegelman (aka the Dirt Diva) understands what gardening is really about: having fun . . . even when you aren't having fun! This book is laugh-out-loud useful and smart. Frankly, it's the best book on organic gardening that I've seen in 11 years (since mine came out). The Dirt Diva Royal Horticultural Society is the only gardening club I really want to be a member of."
-Maria Rodale, CEO of Rodale Inc., MariasFarmCountryKitchen.com

"Talking Dirt is wonderful-even for those who don't have a garden . . .yet."
-Christiane Northrup, MD, author of the New York Times bestsellers Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom and The Wisdom of Menopause

"Fun, factual, and filled with ideas. What sets Talking Dirt apart from all other organic gardening how-to guides is Anne Spiegelman. Her writing has an easy style, is easy to understand, and makes organic gardening easy to put into practice. The information is presented with personality and wit, making this book a must-have resource for the aspiring organic gardener."
-Michael C. Metallo, president of the National Gardening Association

"What Skinny Bitch did for vegetarianism Talking Dirt may do for organic gardening. Annie Spiegelman's book is the perfect primer for a generation raised on supermarket food and flowers but who are searching for something fresher and more satisfying. As comfortable among the cabbages as she is in a fashion boutique, Spiegelman succeeds in making the intricacies of gardening without toxic chemicals exciting and rewarding. With a light, swift tone and ample instruction, this is the organic gardening book for busy people."
-Brian Clark Howard, environmental journalist and web editor for The Daily Green

"Beautifully combining passion, humor, and a deep-rooted care for the planet, Spiegelman is the organic femme fatale. She understands the importance of our own backyards to build a better future, one shovelful of compost at a time. What a fantastic book."
-Helge Hellberg, executive director of Marin Organic and host of An Organic Conversation Radio Show

"Spiegelman's tone is reminiscent of the 'Samurai Shopper' column in the New York Times... entertaining and effective."
-Brian Halweil, author of Eat Here and senior researcher for World Watch Institute

"Spiegelman tells the lighthearted story of her own transformation from weekend gardener to a 'Dirt Diva.' Talking Dirt is full of tips all gardeners should take to heart to make their plot organic and nurture their plants the way nature intended."
-Tom Szaky, CEO and founder of TerraCycle Inc.

From the Publisher