Grow Your Own Spices No Matter Where You Live Book Review & Giveaway

February with it’s cold, dreary winter days always makes me yearn for spring. I know I’m not alone in this need for warmer temperatures to arrive and wipe away the last bit of winter, but we have a few more weeks to wait until spring shows up. Now is the perfect time to start your gardening plans if you haven’t already. I’ve got three books to share with you in the next few weeks that will help with that. Today’s book review and giveaway is all about Spices and how you can grow them no matter where you live.

Grow Your Own Spices at Home!

My Thanks to Quarto Group for the complimentary book showcased in today's post. No other compensation given. All opinions are my own.

About Grow Your Own Spices by Tasha Greer:

In Grow Your Own Spices, author, and spice-growing gardener Tasha Greer hands you everything you need to know to grow a thriving spice garden, with practical tips and in-depth advice on cultivating over 30 different spices.

 

Regardless of whether you’re using spices as a health-boosting supplement or simply to power-up the flavor of your meals, purchasing spices is an expensive proposition. Why pay all that money when you can grow your own organic spices with the easy-to-follow advice found here?

What You’ll Learn from Grow Your Own Spices:

• How to cultivate your own saffron, the world’s most expensive spice.

• The best way to tend tropical spices, like ginger, turmeric, and cardamom, even if you live in a cold climate.

• Easy-to-grow spices that are perfect for beginners.

• The unique way certain spices, such as wasabi, cloves, and cinnamon, are grown and harvested.

• How to cultivate root spices, including horseradish and chicory.

• Tips for harvesting your own capers, mustard, sesame seeds, and even paprika.

One of my Favorite Lessons:

I was very happy to see the two-page spread on how to grow Saffron! Not only are the pages beautifully illustrated, but they also tell you all you need to know about growing and harvesting this amazing seasonal spice.

 

Grow Your Own Spices Book Breakdown:

Grow Your Own Spices is a 128 page how to book, laid out to help you quickly find the information you need to grow a certain spice. The author has showcased 30 varieties in this book, complete with lovely photos.  

 Start Here- Basic Spice Plant Care:

• Sanitation- Spices are susceptible to bacterial, viral, and fungal infections. Good sanitation minimizes risks.

• Soil- Except for Vanilla (which is derived from an orchid that grows in tree litter) every spice in this book grows well in quality garden soil or potting mix.

• Soil PH- You’ll learn about the pH scale and how to get your soil tested, plus what to add or subtract for optimum spice growth.

• The Basic spice plant care also covers how to protect your spice plants for pests and pathogens, light needs, watering, fertilizer, plant spacing and more.

Once you’ve read the basics, it’s time to pick the spices you’d like to grow and jump to that section of the book. 

Section One covers- Techniques for starting spice plants from seed:

• Cool-season seed spices- Coriander, Dill and Fennel, Fenugreek, Mustard, Celery and Caraway

• Warm-season spices- Cumin, Nigella, Sesame, Poppy, Paprika, Saffron.

Section Two covers- The Spice Underground:

• Techniques for growing spices from roots, bulbs, and rhizomes.

• Temperate climate spices- Chicory, Horseradish, Garlic, Licorice.

• Tropical climate (or temperate container spices- Ginger, Turmeric, Cardamon, Wasabi.

 

Section Three covers- Perennial Spices:

• Techniques for growing perennial spices.

• Mediterranean and temperate perennial spices- Capers, Bay Laurel, Lavender, Juniper Berry, Sumac.

• Tropical and Subtropical climate perennial spices- Annatto or Achiote, Allspice, Cinnamon, Vanilla, Tamarind, Peppercorn, Clove, Nutmeg, Star Anise.

My Thoughts:

Grow Your Own Spices has taken me on an educational spice journey that has me rethinking how I’ve been growing, harvesting, and using my spices and to a lesser degree, my herbs;  which I'll be covering very soon when I review a book about herb container gardening.  I’ve taken lots of notes and have revisited certain pages/sections of this book when planning out my container garden plantings for the year. 

The Takeaway:

This is a fantastic resource for anyone interested in learning more about spices and how to grow and harvest them. It will make a fine addition to any gardeners library. To learn more about this book, including where to buy it now, please visit the publisher’s website, Quarto Knows here. 

I’ll be sharing many gardening book reviews and giveaways, so make sure you are subscribed to my blog HERE and following me on socials.  Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest

 

Win It:

Thanks to today’s sponsor, Quarto Knows, one lucky reader will receive a hard copy of Grow Your Own Spices. Please read the terms below and the enter to win. Please feel free to share this giveaway with all your friends and family. Thank you!

Terms: 

No purchase is necessary to enter using the Rafflecopter form below.  My WAHM Plan is not responsible for prize fulfillment, sponsor is. Winners will be notified by email used on entry form and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  This giveaway is not associated with nor endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, or any other social channel.

 Good Luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Please share in comments: If you win this book, will you keep it, or gift it?