GARDENING THE EASY WAY

Pruning Made Easy rapidly became the basic and necessary book on the subject, so that this reader approached this homeowner's complete guide to gardening, with high hopes, and confesses to some degree of disappointment. Perhaps Mr. Steffek has attempted to cover too much ground in the allotted space, with the result that it all seems very elementary and superficial. He discusses the approach to planning, whether the problem is a new small house with a small lot, an old house to be redone, a lot on which landscaping can be planned ahead of building. He presents the essential facts on soil requirements and rather glibly how to achieve them. He discusses proper tools and how to use them. He goes into the different areas of the lot, matters of driveways, fences, trees, shrubs, planning for flowers and vegetables, fruits and vines. His lists are comprehensive, but the average homeowner would find them hard to use, and it would take a lot of searching to sort out specific needs. (An example of a much more satisfactory handling of lists is found in Jean Hersey's Caretre Gardening see review p. 136). He then goes on to a once over lightly on the matter of multiplying plants, for which his homeowner would find himself far from prepared. Perhaps as a reference book this will prove useful, provided it is supplemented by more specific books on the various areas he touches upon.