Recommended Reading

Cornell Press
Lawn Care without Pesticides
A guide on how to reduce stress on your lawn which in turn reduces the need for chemical applications, saving you money and time. Lawn Care without Pesticides was written by Frank Rossi, Ph.D., Associate Professor of turfgrass science, Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University . Frank Rossi is also the leader of the turfgrass program that is part of the Department of Horticulture's landscape management program work team.
Available Online for Print Out (.pdf)

Cornells Pruning - An Illustrated Guide to Pruning Ornamental Trees & Shrubs
- The pruning practices described in this publication are appropriate for both the amateur and professional horticulturist, in residential, park, institutional and public gardens.
Available Online for Print Out (.pdf)

Cornell Guide for Planting and Maintaining Trees and Shrubs
Everything you need to know about creating and keeping beautiful outdoor living spaces.  This text will help you select plants form the nursery, teach you how to properly plant and prune your trees and shrubs as well as teach you how to keep an eye out for pest problems. The Cornell Guide for Planting and Maintaining Trees and Shrubs was developed and written by Richard Weir, III , Extension Program Leader (retired), Cornell Cooperative Extension, Nassau County Association Office, and George Good, Professor, Department of Horticulture, Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.
Available Online for Print Out (.pdf)

From Seed To Bloom
by Eileen Powell
Publisher: Storey Books
ISBN: 0882662597

An essential book for anyone who starts seeds at home, this book provides information on germination temperature, time, planting depth and so forth for a variety of perennials and annuals.

Insect, Disease and Weed I.D. Guide : Find-It-Fast Organic Solutions For Your Garden
by Jill Cebenko (Editor), Deborah L. Martin (Editor)
Publisher: Rodale Press
ISBN: 0875968821

Pictures and detailed drawings are what make this text so useful. You can see several stages of an insect life cycle, from egg sac to nymph to adult. The book describes insect appearance, life cycle, host plants, feeding habits, organic prevention and control as well as the beneficial insects that pray on the pest insects. For diseases this text shows what it would typically look like, describes the disease, life cycle, host plants, it’s transmission from plant to plant as well as it’s organic prevention and control. Detailed drawings of weeds as seedlings, as mature plants, with flowers or with seed pods makes it easy to identify weeds in any stage. Weed entrees have the range of the weed, description, life cycle, as well as organic prevention and control.

Ortho’s All About Roses
By Dr. Tommy Cairns
Publisher: Ortho Books
ISBN: 0897214285

and

Ortho’s All About The Easiest Roses
By Dr. Tommy Cairns
Publisher: Ortho Books
ISBN: 0897214811

Two comprehensive, inexpensive books all about growing beautiful roses. You’ll find everything you need to know about growing rose in these two books.

The American Horticultural Society Complete Guide to Water Gardening
By Peter Robinson
Publisher: DK Publishing
ISBN: 0789414783

Literally everything about building ponds, waterfalls, wall fountains, and water gardens from construction, water plant catalogue, water plant pests and diseases, fish care etc. All with step-by-step photographs and instructions.

Rodale’s All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening : The Indispensable Resource for Every Gardener.
by Fern Marshall Bradley (Editor), Barbara W. Ellis (Editor)
Publisher: Rodale Press
ISBN: 0875965997

Because it is set up like an encyclopedia it is easy to find information on anything you’re interested in, from composting to growing specific vegetables. Wonderful illustrations accompany entrees.

The Backyard Orchardist : A Complete Guide to Growing Fruit Trees in the Home Garden
By Stella Otto
Publisher: Otto Graphics
ISBN: 0963452037

This text includes information on fruit tree selection, planting, fertilizing, pruning, pest and diseases. It covers apples, pears, cherries, plums, apricots, peaches and nectarines. Extremely useful for those who wish to plant a couple of fruit trees in their back yard

Cornell Guide to Growing Fruit

Print out this book or order it onlin. Covers Tree fruits, grapes, strawberries, brambles (such as raspberries), blueberries, currants and gooseberries, elderberries, hardy kiwi and more.

http://dspace.library.cornell.edu/retrieve/63/Cornell+Guide+to+Growing+Fruit