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25 Must Read Books for the Prairie Gardener

February 23, 2017

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This post contains affiliate links.  If you purchase anything, I earn a small commission at no extra charge to you.  Thanks for your support!

Gardeners in the prairie provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba face unique gardening challenges.  Our harsh winters and short growing season mean that typical gardening advice doesn’t always work in our region.  Here are 25 prairie gardening books that were written with us in mind.  Or anyone who lives in zones 2 or 3.  Enjoy!

Growing Vegetables and Fruit

Canadian Vegetable Gardening

by Douglas Green

An excellent guide for beginning Canadian vegetable gardeners.

Vegetable Gardening for Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba

by Laura Peters

I love the Lone Pine series of books and this one is no exception.  If you have a vegetable garden in one of the three prairie provinces, it doesn’t get more specific to you than this.

The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener

I debated sharing this link, because I’ve just started experimenting with winter gardening for myself and don’t know if it will actually work.  The author hails from Nova Scotia, which has a milder climate.  However, it’s something that really intrigues me, and I think we could successfully use the authors techniques until at least November.

P.S.- this book image is the only one that is copyrighted, so I did not include it.  If you’re interested in purchasing it, the title link will take you there.

Edible Plants for Prairie Gardens

by June Flanagan

I think when most people begin to garden, they do it because they want to grow their own food. This book breaks down the best varieties for the prairies.

Growing Fruit in Northern Gardens

by Sara Williams & Dr. Bob Bors

I am super excited for this book to come out December 1st.  If you’ve been reading this blog at all this summer, you know I’m obsessed with prairie-grown fruit.

Related: For the Love of Berry Picking

Planning Your Landscaping on the Prairies

The Short Season Yard

By Lyndon Penner

Make the most of our short growing season.

Short growing season? No problem. Learn how you can make the most of it.Click To Tweet

Garden Design for the Short Season Yard

by Lyndon Penner

Finally a landscaping book specifically for the prairies!

Use Plants Native to the Prairies

One of the biggest challenges to new prairie gardeners is figuring out what will actually grow in zone 2 or 3. Look no further than these four books.

Want the shortcut?  I collaborated with the members of 28 Most Hated Perennials and 53 Favourite Perennials for zones 2 and 3.  I also have a beginners guide to gardening when you feel like you have no clue.

Native Plants for the Short Season Yard

by Lyndon Penner

Top picks for the prairies, as well as the chinook region around Calgary, which has it’s special challenges.

Native Plants for Prairie Gardens

by June Flanagan

Gardening with Prairie Plants

by Sally Wasowski

Take the mystery out of choosing plants for your prairie garden.Click To Tweet

Creating the Prairie Xeriscape

by Sara Williams

General Gardening Guides

Chances are that not everyone reading this post is from the prairies.  These pics are for you if you live elsewhere in Canada or the Midwest.

Canadian Gardener’s Guide

edited by Lorraine Johnson

The New Canadian Garden

by Mark Cullen with Marette Sharp

The Northern Gardener: Perennials that Survive and Thrive

by Barbara Rayment

Gardening Niches

The Prairie Winterscape

by Barbara Jam and Nora Bryan

I confess that I am one of those people who hibernates during winter.  I refuse to embrace the cold.  This book is convincing me that winter can be embraced, even in landscaping.  I can’t wait to try out some of the projects!

Embrace winter gardening on the prairies? Find out how.Click To Tweet

Gardening, Naturally

by Sara Williams and Hugh Skinner

For those who want to avoid pesticides and chemicals, this book is for you.

Best Trees and Shrubs for the Prairies

by Hugh Skinner and Sara Williams

Because gardening isn’t just about flowers and vegetables.

Best Groundcovers and Vines for the Prairies

by Hugh Skinner and Sara Williams

The Prairie Rose Garden

by Jan Mather

I love roses, but I’ve never planted them in my garden because my Dad discouraged me from doing so when I just started out.  While his advice was probably right for a newbie gardener, I feel like I’ve since graduated and am ready to tackle this book.

Perfect Partners: Beautiful Plant Combinations for Prairie Gardens

by Liesbeth Leatherbarrow and Lesley Reynolds

It takes a lot of years of gardening and sometimes a pinch of luck to figure out what goes well together in the garden.  Take the shortcut and read this book!

Space-Saving Gardening

Here’s a few books that aren’t specific to the prairies, but good reads for the urban and beginning gardener.  I’ve just begun experimenting with these techniques this year and already am planning to do more next year.

Vertical Gardening

You would be amazed at how many vegetables you can grow up rather than out.  A must-read for the urban gardener.

P.S.-Another copyrighted image.  Click the vertical gardening link to see the book.

Square Foot Gardening

by Mel Bartholomew

Container Gardening for Canada

by Peters, Beck, and Williamson

There are tons of container gardening books, but one that’s specific to Canada?  Be still my heart!!

Companion Planting

Have you ever wondered what plants work best together?  Louise Riotte has two comprehensive books to ensure you never make a companion planting mistake again.

Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening

by Louise Riotte

Roses Love Garlic: Companion Planting and Other Secrets of Flowers

by Louise Riotte

That’s it!  Let me know in the comments which one you want to read first.  Did I miss any?  I’d love to hear about it.

Pin me for later!

Finally, gardening books written just for the Prairies!  If you're a gardener in Alberta, Saskatchewan, or Manitoba, (or live in USDA hardiness zones 2 or 3) you must read these books!  Advice on vegetable and flower gardening, native plants, companion planting, landscaping, and so much more.

Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

15 Comments
Filed Under: Gardening, Outdoor Life Tagged: Alberta, Canada, canadian gardening, container gardening, Flowers, fruit, Gardening, Manitoba, prairie gardening, Prairies, Saskatchewan, square foot gardening, urban gardening, Vegetables

About Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

Comments

  1. Calleigh - TheForkBite says

    August 24, 2017 at 7:55 am

    I don't have a green thumb, but I love gardening. It’s so satisfying to see something grow. Whether it’s ornamental or food, it’s so satisfying to watch what you planted take off.
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      August 24, 2017 at 8:56 am

      I couldn't agree more!
      Reply
  2. Kristi says

    August 24, 2017 at 8:01 am

    What a great list of books! We have the old version of square foot gardening. I'll have to check out the new one.
    Reply
  3. Lindsey Mozgai says

    August 24, 2017 at 8:01 am

    I'm obsessed with gardening books! Thanks for sharing.
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      August 24, 2017 at 8:56 am

      Yeah! I'm glad somebody else shares my obsession.
      Reply
  4. Jordan | Read. Eat. Repeat. says

    August 24, 2017 at 9:30 am

    Wow, this is a very comprehensive list! Great resource for gardeners in your part of the world.
    Reply
  5. Jessica Devlin Design says

    August 24, 2017 at 2:32 pm

    we moved into our house finally! i need all of these!
    Reply
    • Kristen says

      August 24, 2017 at 2:52 pm

      Lol, me too! My mom wants a few so we'll probably share.
      Reply
  6. Vicki @ Babies to Bookworms says

    August 24, 2017 at 4:53 pm

    These look like great resources! I am a terrible gardener. I wish I could plant like this!
    Reply
  7. Rebecca says

    September 7, 2017 at 8:14 am

    Lyndon Penner is one of my good friends! He is so passionate about gardening and his books totally reflect this. ?
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      September 7, 2017 at 6:02 pm

      Oh that's so cool!
      Reply
      • Rebecca says

        September 7, 2017 at 6:11 pm

        If you ever get a chance to hear him speak do it! Also in the back of the short season gardening book my name is in the acknowledgements ?
        Reply
        • Kristen Raney says

          September 10, 2017 at 8:28 pm

          Ahh! That's so cool!! I'm kinda jealous. :-)
          Reply
  8. CdnErin says

    November 13, 2017 at 11:39 am

    FABULOUS list! I love the Lone Pine books, too! I have one called "Plants of Alberta" that just covers everything that grows here, native and some non-native species that grow wild. I have both Roses Love Garlic & Carrots Love Tomatoes, read them cover to cover & I'm hoping to really go crazy with companions next year. I would have to add a few more book to your list... ALL the Lois Hole books -- she wrote them all from her own experience as a farm girl growing up, becoming a home vegetable & flower gardener, then Farmer's Market grower, then greenhouse owner, living in St. Albert, Alberta, It doesn't get much more "local-conditions" than that! Her son Jim has also written a few books that are also excellent -- he's more into the science end of it all, so I find them fascinating. AND a book by Reader's Digest called The Illustrated guide to Gardening in Canada -- I think of it as the Gardening Bible, because it's just so complete. They've put out a few absolutely incredible books, surprisingly enough. I have another one that is a guide to propagation, and it has very complete instructions on the various methods, but then also covers just about everything you could imagine trying to propagate individually (listed alphabetically). I have referred to it several times when doing various garden things. Thanks for the book recommendations! I'll keep an eye out for them :)
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      November 13, 2017 at 5:24 pm

      Thanks for the recommendations! I'll have to edit this post and add them in!
      Reply

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Welcome!

Hi, I'm Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

P.S. First time gardener? You'll want to download the quick start gardening guide below!

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Hi, I’m Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

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