In search of ... botanical info

[barney]

Folk,

My neighbor's son ... my ersatz son  ... has an interest in plants.  He's about to turn eighteen (18), and I'd like to get him something akin to a plant bible.  A decent how-to website would work, but I'd prefer something with pages that can be turned, have images - you know, a real book  .  Now, I'm not much on gardening.  As mentioned in a commercial I've seen recently, my house is where plant-kind com to die.  My thumb is somewhere between brown and black  .  I figure that at least one (1) of you has a botanical bent, so I'd like to ask that person for advice on tomes or sites, the more extensive, the better.

[Renegade]

Try asking in /r/aquaponics or a related subreddit. Lots of really good info in there and some very knowledgeable people.

[40hz]

It's a big topic. In what way is he interested?

The science? Practical gardening? Living off the land? Heritage gardening? Permaculture? Hydroponics? Habitat design? Ganja production? Deep-bed intensive or container gardening? Plant remedies? Natural dyes and fibers? Just a good book about plants in general for identification purposes?

 

[barney]

It's a big topic. In what way is he interested?

The science? Practical gardening? Living off the land? Heritage gardening? Permaculture? Hydroponics? Habitat design? Ganja production? Deep-bed intensive or container gardening? Plant remedies? Natural dyes and fibers? Just a good book about plants in general for identification purposes?

-40hz (July 10, 2014, 04:06 PM)

He doesn't know yet  .  Right now, he's playing with pots and planters.  He hasn't a clue as to some of the plants he's trying to grow.  That's why I'm looking for a plant bible, so to speak.  He knows he enjoys working with the plants, but cannot identify any of them.  Misdoubt that he'll ever get into farming, but he's very much interested in what I call patio gardening, at least for the moment.  Prolly never get past container gardening, but if he's having fun doing it, I'd like to support him.  He's taking a lot of pride in this, and I'd like to encourage that, particularly considering the local educational system.

[x16wda]

My Dad had a copy of Hortus 2nd that he used religiously, and which is now in my library. It is far from new, although of course the information is still accurate.

That said it has been eclipsed by newer editions that are more up to date, such as Hortus Third (from 1976). It may not be something for now, but if his interest continues (and he is in North America  ) then you might consider it later.  (Warning, it is as expensive as a college textbook... )

[app103]

It's not a book, but it is substantially cheaper than one (free). 

http://www.bhg.com/g...ng/plant-dictionary/

[40hz]

For food gardening I'd suggest The New Self-Sufficient Gardner by John Seymour. First published back in 1978 (minus the "New" in the title) it's still as relevant and useful today as it was back then.

 

We (GF and I) also liked Garden Way's Joy of Gardening and Starter Vegetable Gardens: 24 No-Fail Plans for Small Organic Gardens . Both are excellent veggie gardening resources.

 

For plant encyclopedias, look no further than the publications of The American Horticultural Society. The American Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants is about as definitive as it gets. Very reasonably priced too for something of this magnitude.



For wildflowers, trees, 'shrooms, etc. I think the Audubon Field Guides are excellent resources for good info.

These books are all standards and can be found in many (if not most) local libraries. A visit for an hour or two to page through their gardening collection would let you know if the above suggestions are what you're looking for.

Luck!