Resources for Beginning Gardeners

Updated May 19, 2023
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10-Minute University™ is the trademark of short classes on essential gardening information, taught by Oregon State University Extension Service Master Gardeners. 10-Minute University™ Handouts   |   10-Minute University™ Videos return to top of page
Growing perennial foods : a field guide to raising resilient herbs, fruits & vegetables
Tucker, Acadia
Paper Book
Recipient of the GardenComm Emergent Communicator Award for 2023: Acadia Tucker Acadia Tucker's long love affair with perennial foods has produced this easy-to-understand guide to growing, harvesting, and eating them. A regenerative farmer and gardener deeply concerned about...

OSU Extension Services provides research-based information for backyard gardeners and green industry professionals, including regional specific information. Find educational resources and classes, as well as information on becoming a Master Gardener.

How plants work : the science behind the amazing things plants do
Chalker-Scott, Linda.
Paper Book
"Makes the science of plant processes accessible to home gardeners." --The American Gardener Why do container plants wilt even when they've been regularly watered? Why did the hydrangea that thrived last year never bloom this year? Plant physiology--the study of how living things function--can solve...
Starter vegetable gardens : 24 no-fail plans for small organic gardens
Pleasant, Barbara.
Paper Book
Develop your green thumb as you learn to grow your own food. In this introductory guide to growing vegetables, Barbara Pleasant addresses common problems that first-time gardeners encounter. Using simple language and illustrated garden layouts, Pleasant shows you how to start, maintain, and...
Tending your garden : a year-round guide to garden maintenance
Hayward, Gordon.
Paper Book
How to keep any garden looking its best, through the seasons and through the years. Gardening is the primary recreational activity of Americans. Since the 1980s, when gardening caught fire as a national passion, we have spent billions of dollars on what we grow for our own...
The vegetable gardener's bible : discover Ed's high-yield W-O-R-D system for all North American gardening regions
Smith, Edward C.
Paper Book
In this authoritative guide, Ed Smith shares how to grow a thriving and bountiful vegetable garden through his high-yield method that emphasizes wide rows, organic methods, raised beds, and deep soil. ​Succeed with fussy plants, try new and unusual...
The vegetable gardener's container bible : how to grow a bounty of food in pots, tubs, and other containers
Smith, Edward C.
Paper Book
Harvest tomatoes on a patio, produce a pumpkin in a planter, and grow broccoli on a balcony! Best-selling author Ed Smith shows you everything you need to know to successfully create and care for an edible container garden, from choosing the right plants and selecting appropriate containers...

Veggie Planting Calendar for Portland and Vancouver


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