T.O.R.C. Organic Research
Organic Radio Talk Show
Howard Garrett
Howard Garrett and other great books. Organic programs are better in every way.
Around the world everyone is talking environmental issues and ‘going green’. Natural organic gardening and landscaping are important parts of this movement. Some organic proponents only say to stop using the chemicals. Howard Garrett, in the new and updated Organic Manual, explains in detail what to do instead.
His “what to do” is the organic method. He recommends stopping the use of toxic chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, but goes on, in great detail, about the practical alternatives. This is one of the few gardening books effective for use coast to coast and border to border. The organic method has no geographic boundaries.
The best kept secret of all (uncovered in the Organic Manual) is that the organic program is better in every way. Whether it’s growing beautiful landscaping or delicious healthy food crops, the Organic Manual explains bed preparation, planting, pest control and compost making. It also covers pet management and natural living advice.
Texas Organic Vegetable Gardening is a book about food crops including vegetables, fruits, nuts, herbs and edible landscape plants. By Howard Garrett and Malcolm Beck. "This book has been indispensable to me! This book has been my "text book" in starting a garden. Without it, I wouldn't have such a great garden. This book take the guess work out of what to do. Thanks Mr. Garrett and Mr Beck. " - Leslie "Howard covers the essentials of Basic Organic Gardening as well as the How To's. We just completed our 20' x 20' raised bed garden. Our front yard is the lushest, greenest yard in the neighborhood with NO CHEMICALS. We have been a fan of Howard for many years." - Grant
Compost all of your "other' gardening books. There's a new way of gardening that's healthier for people and the environment, more effective at growing vigorous plants and reducing pests, cheaper to maintain and just more fun. It's Howard Garrett's "The Natural Way" organic gardening program, and it's all here in The Complete Guide Gardening the Natural Way. This book is the first complete, state-of-the-art organic gardening handbook for Texas and areas across America. Using Howard Garrett's mainstream gardening techniques, Texas Gardening the Natural Way presents a complete gardening program.
Howard Garrett’s Texas Organic Gardening was written especially for Texans, explaining how to use native plants, vegetables and fruits. It also covers soil improvements and maintenance instructions for production of organically healthy lawns, gardens, and landscapes without harmful chemicals. "Howard Garrett has provided an easy reading, informative view aimed toward those of us in Texas that prefer the natural, organic methods of gardening. The subjects flow smoothly from basics of soil preparation and maintenance, through dealing with pests in environmentally friendly ways. Much of the information strikes familiar chords for Texas gardeners, like dealing with our perverse soils, doing battle with our weather conditions, and deciphering seed catalogs mostly from nothern climates that don't provide satisfactory choices for other USDA zones.
The Texas Bug Book
Herbs for Texas covers a wide range of trees, shrubs, ground covers, vines, perennials and annuals that have a function or use other than just looking pretty in the landscape. Odena Brannam was an important part part of the book because she taught me many secrets about the wonderful world of herbs. Most herb books only address the culinary aspects of plants, but Herbs for Texas also covers the medicinal, landscape and other uses of these plants.
Texas Trees is a book that has been in the works ever since I was climbing trees as a kid in Pittsburg, Texas. Catalpa was my favorite tree because the bark was so smooth. What I think about that tree and many other native and introduced trees are covered in detail in this, this bookEverything you need to identify over 100 varieties of Texas trees is here in this one source - along with easy-to-follow directions for selecting, planting, and maintaining your trees. Concise descriptions and photographs of tree varieties. Methods for dealing with tree pests, Organic planting and maintenance program, Treatments and recipes for homemade organic remedies, detailed information on growing patterns and requirements.
Whether you're a first-time homeowner, dedicated gardener, or landscape professional, if you're gardening on the Gulf Coast, you need Howard Garrett's Plants for Houston and the Gulf Coast. Garrett is one of Texas's top organic gardening experts, and gardeners rely on him for accurate, sensible advice about what to plant and how to maintain healthy yards and landscapes without synthetic fertilizers and toxic pesticides. In Plants for Houston and the Gulf Coast, Garrett presents nearly 400 plants, both native and adapted, that grow well in Southeast Texas.
Like all of Howard Garrett's books, Plants for Houston and the Gulf Coast* is loaded with indispensable gardening information:
No other book currently available provides such extensive and reliable information for Texas Gulf Coast gardeners. *The Gulf Coast consists of the 5 states touching the Gulf of Mexico. Those states are Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.
Some plant books cover landscape plants; others cover vegetables or herbs. Some discuss grasses, and others concentrate on natives or introduced plants. This book Plants for Texas covers 'em all. This is a Texas plant encyclopedia. It's not for the professional horticulturist as much as for the landscape contractor, nurseryman, and homeowner. If you wonder about a plant in Texas—whether a shrub, vine, flower, grass, tree, weed, or cover crop—it's probably in this book. There are more plants in more categories explained in Plants for Texas than in any other book written for the state. You will find the arrangement of this book to be the best—the easiest to use and the most enjoyable to read. No punches are pulled. Some gardening authors give wimpy, noncommittal advice, leaving the main decisions up to you. Not here. You need my help and my cold, hard facts about what plants to use and what plants to avoid here in Texas.
Plants of the Metroplex is the only Texas book available giving practical landscape advice from a landscape architect's point of view. Howard Garrett uses his years of experience as a gardener, landscape contractor, maintenance contractor, and landscape architect architect to give you clear-cut, money-saving advice on the proper selection, installation, and maintenance of landscape plant material for the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and beyond. Garrett also explains his organic approach, "The Natural Way," which gives gardeners greater success with lower costs and without the risks of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. All of this information has been revised and updated from Garrett's popular Plants of the Metroplex III.
Howard Garrett has converted gardeners throughout Texas and beyond to gardening the natural way without chemical fertilizers and toxic pesticides. In this revised and updated edition ofThe Dirt Doctor's Guide to Organic Gardening, he uses a question-and-answer format to present a wealth of new information on organic gardening, landscaping, pest control, and natural living. The book also incorporates valuable feedback and suggestions from gardeners who have successfully used Howard's methods. "This book is so convincing that if you know anyone who is hard-headed and opinionated about not using organic gardening or least-toxic pest-control methods, this is a good place to start them on a change of perspective." —Common Sense Pest Control
"This [book] ...leaves no stone unturned on the subject of chemical-free gardening. Garrett offers persuasive arguments in favor of a holistic approach to gardening that considers composting, soil enrichment with natural ingredients, mulching, alternative pest control.... This volume serves well as an up-to-the-minute reference, one that gardeners of an organic persuasion will likely consult repeatedly." —Publishers Weekly
Clay. It is one of the Earth's most basic substances. Loaded with minerals and nutrients, it has long been used by traditional healers to treat a wide range of ailments. Today, clay's curative and restorative powers are being hailed by naturopaths and health authorities around the world as a readily available alternative to pharmaceuticals, as well as a replacement for expensive and artificial cosmetics.
Now you can achieve good health and radiant looks with The Healing Power of Clay. Author Michel Abehsera shows you how to use clay to effectively treat a range of maladies, including headaches, allergies, arthritis, cuts, bruises, burns, acne, and anemia. You'll also find ways to make clay a basic part of your daily beauty regimen -- as a deep-cleansing mask, shampoo, toothpaste, and soap.
Throughout The Healing Power of Clay, there are simple directions for preparing and using clay, making this complete guide a valuable resource for every home. Once you discover clay's amzing benefits, you'll want to replace many of the items in your medicine cabinet and makeup drawer with pure products made from this plentiful, natural form of living earth.By Michel Abehsera, Paperback 136 pages.
