
Compiled by Steven Bell, Extension Master Gardener
Edited by Elena Rodriguez, Extension Master Gardener
There are print copies of this information in our Extension Master Gardener Help Desk Library. Below are links to online versions (pdfs and websites), public library records or online book shops. Additional useful links can be found here.
General | Composting | Container Gardening | Grasses | Insects | Invasive Species | Mushrooms & Fungi | Pest & Disease Control | Pruning | Shrubs | Soil | Sustainable Gardening | Trees | Turf | Vegetables | Wildlife
General
- Adams, C. R., Bamford, K. M., & Early, M. P. (2008). Principles of horticulture. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
- Appleton, B. L., & Chaplin, L. T. (2012). New York/Mid-Atlantic Gardener’s Book of Lists. Taylor Trade Publishing.
Amazon | Google - Coombes, A. J. (2012). The A to Z of plant names: a quick reference guide to 4000 garden plants. Portland, Or.: Timber Press.
Arlington Public Library - Flora of Virginia Apps. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2018, from http://floraofvirginia.org/flora-app/
- Harris, J. G., & Harris, M. W. (2009). Plant identification terminology: an illustrated glossary. Spring Lake (Utah): Spring Lake.
Arlington Public Library - Krischik, V., & Davidson, J. (2013, March 6). IPM (Integrated Pest Management) of Midwest Landscapes. Retrieved February 26, 2018, from http://cues.cfans.umn.edu/old/ipmbook.htm
- Plant Names A-Z. (n.d.). Retrieved March 08, 2018, from https://www.southernliving.com/plants
- Weakley, A. S., Ludwig, J. C., Townsend, J. F., & Crowder, B. (2012). Flora of Virginia. Fort Worth., TX: Botanical Research Institute of Texas Press.
Arlington Public Library | Alexandria Public Library
Composting
- Appelhof, M. (2017). Worms eat my garbage. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing.
Arlington Public Library | Alexandria Public Library - Campbell, S. (1998). Let It Rot: The Gardener’s Guide to Composting. Storey Publishing, LLC.
Arlington Public Library
Container Gardening
- Container Gardening. (n.d.). Retrieved February 26, 2018, from https://www.southernliving.com/home-garden/gardens/garden-guide-container-gardening
Grasses
- Chase, A. (2012). First book of grasses: the structure of grasses explained for beginners. Place of publication not identified: Nabu Press.
Amazon - Hitchcock, A. S. (2012). Manual of the grasses of the United States. United States: BN Pub.
Insects
- Cranshaw, W., & Shetlar, D. J. (2018). Garden insects of North America: the ultimate guide to backyard bugs. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Arlington Public Library - Herbert, D. A., Jr., Kamminga,, K., & Malone, S. (n.d.). Field Guide To Stink Bugs of Agricultural Importance in the United States [PDF]. Blacksburg VA: Virginia Cooperative Extension.
- Solomon, J. D. (1995). Guide to insect borers in North American broadleaf trees and shrubs. 748 pp pdf. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service.
- Wagner, David et.al. Caterpillars of Eastern Forests: Free Download & Streaming. Internet Archive, 1 Jan. 1997
Invasive Species
- Miller, J. H. (2006). Nonnative invasive plants of southern forests: a field guide for identification and control. Asheville, NC (P.O. Box 2680, Asheville 28802): U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station.
- Miller, James H., et al. A field guide for the identification of invasive plants in southern forests. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station, 2015.
- Miller, J. H., Manning, S. T., & Enloe, S. F. (2010). A management guide for invasive plants in southern forests. Asheville, NC: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Research Station.
Mushrooms & Fungi
- McKnight, K. H., & McKnight, V. B. (1987). A field guide to mushrooms of North America. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Amazon - Ostry, M. E., Anderson, N. A., & O’Brien, J. G. (2011, April). Field Guide to Common Macrofungi In Eastern Forests and Their Ecosystem Functions [PDF]. Newton Square, PA: U.S. Forest Service.
- Schwarze, F. W., Engels, J., Mattheck, C., & Linnard, W. (2013). Fungal strategies of wood decay in trees. Berlin: Springer Verlag.
Amazon | Springer
Pest & Disease Control
- Bradley, F. M., Ellis, B. W., & Martin, D. L. (2010). The organic gardeners handbook of natural pest and disease control: a complete guide to maintaining a healthy garden and yard the earth-friendly way. Emmaus, PA: Rodale.
Alexandria Public Library Online - Chase, A. R. (1997). Foliage plant diseases: diagnosis and control. St. Paul, MN: APS Press.
- Colwell, C., & Pehlman, D. (2010, September). Common Pests Found In Schools & Day Care Centers [PDF]. Illinois Department of Public Health.
- Dreistadt, S. H., & Clark, J. K. (2016). Pests of landscape trees and shrubs: an integrated pest management guide. Oakland, CA: University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Google Books - Herbert, D. A., Jr., & Malone, S. (n.d.). Mid-Atlantic Guide To the Insect Pests & Beneficials Of Corn, Soybean, and Small Grains [PDF]. Blacksburg VA: Communications and Marketing, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Tech.
- Horst, R. K., & Westcott, C. (2013). Westcotts plant disease handbook. Dordrecht: Springer Reference.
Amazon | Springer - Insects & Diseases. (n.d.). Retrieved March 08, 2018, from https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/r8/forest-grasslandhealth/insects-diseases
- Insects and diseases of trees in the South. (1999). Atlanta, GA: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Southern Region.
- Kliejunas, J. T. (2010, September). Sudden Oak Death and Phytophthora ramorum: A Summary of the Literature [PDF]. United States Department of Agriculture.
- Protecting Yourself From Disease-Carrying Insects [PDF]. (2009, May). Fairfax, VA: Fairfax County Health Department.
- Stedfast, M., & Miller, D. M. (2014). Bed bugs: how to protect yourself and your home. Blacksburg, VA: Virginia Tech, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
- Weinzierl, R. (n.d.). Tree Fruit Insect and Disease Management Resources [PDF]. University of Illinois Extension.
Pruning
- Gilman, E. F. (2012). An illustrated guide to pruning. Clifton Park, NY: Delmar.
Amazon - Wade, Claire. 2021. Why, When and How to Prune Hydrangeas. Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia/Virginia Cooperative Extension.
Shrubs
- Chappell, M., Knox, G. W., & Fernandez, G. (Eds.). (2017). IPM for Shrubs in Southeastern U.S. Nursery Production (Vol. II). Clemson, SC: Southern Nursery IPM working group in cooperation with the Southern Region IPM Center.
Soil
- Gershuny, G., & Smillie, J. (1999). The soul of soil: a soil-building guide for master gardeners and farmers. White River Junction, Vt: Chelsea Green Publ. Co.
Arlington Public Library
Sustainable Gardening
- Audubon at home in Northern Virginia: the nature of change: preserving the natural heritage of a dynamic region. (2005). Annandale, VA: The Audubon Society of Northern Virginia.
- Darke, R., & Tallamy, D. W. (2014). The living landscape: designing for beauty and biodiversity in the home garden. Portland, OR: Timber Press.
Arlington Public Library | Alexandria Public Library Online
Trees
- Coombes, A. J., & Debreczy, Z. (2016). The book of leaves: a leaf-by-leaf guide to six hundred of the worlds great trees. Lewes: Ivy Press.
Amazon - Dirr, M. A. (2011). Dirr’s encyclopedia of trees and shrubs. Timber Press.
Arlington Public Library | Alexandria Public Library - Guidelines for Planting Trees and Shrubs. (2016, October 26). Retrieved March 08, 2018, from https://ag.umass.edu/landscape/fact-sheets/guidelines-for-planting-trees-shrubs
- Johnson, J. R., Johnson, G. R., & McDonough, M. (2008, November). Tree Owner’s Manual For the Northeastern and Midwestern United States [PDF]. Newton Square, PA: Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry .
- Malinoski, M. K., & Clement, D. L. (2009). Broadleaved shrubs and shade trees: problems, picture clues, and management options. Ithaca, NY: Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES) Cooperative Extension.
- Neelands, R. W., & Merrilees, R. A. (1979). Important trees of Eastern forests. Washington: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture – Forest Service.
HathiTrust Digital Library - Powell, E. (2016). Common native trees of Virginia: tree identification guide. Charlottesville, VA: Virginia Department of Forestry.
- Symonds, G. W., & Chelminski, S. V. (2003). The tree identification book: a new method for the practical identification and recognition of trees. New York: Harper.
Amazon | Google | Apple Books - Tree diagnosis and treatment: a collection of CEU articles. (2003). Champaign, IL: International Society of Arboriculture.
- Watts, M. T., & Watts, T. (1970). Winter tree finder: a manual for identifying deciduous trees in winter. Berkeley, Ca.: Nature Study Guild.
Turf
- 2015 Turfgrass Pest Management Manual. (n.d.). Retrieved March 08, 2018, from https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/turfgrass-pest-management-manual
- Gussack, E., & Rossi, F. S. (2001). Turfgrass problems: picture clues and management options. Ithaca, NY: Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service.
Vegetables and Fruit
- Bradley, F. M. (2007). Rodale’s Vegetable Garden Problem Solver: The Best and Latest Advice for Beating Pests, Diseases, and Weeds and Staying a Step Ahead of Trouble in the Garden. New York, NY: Rodale.
Arlington Public Library | Alexandria Public Library - Connor, C. (Ed.). (2018, February 26). Vegetable Gardening Online Resources. Retrieved May 17, 2020, from https://mgnv.org/resources/veg_references/
- Reich, L., & Arlein, V. H. (2010). Uncommon fruits for every garden. Portland, Or.: Timber.
Arlington Public Library - Veteto, J. R. (2005). The history and survival of traditional heirloom vegetable varieties in the southern Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina.
- Weaver, W. W. (1997). Heirloom vegetable gardening: a master gardeners guide to planting, growing, seed saving, and cultural history. Minneapolis, MN: Voyageur Press.
Arlington Public Library | Alexandria Public Library
Wildlife
- Clausen, R. R., & Detrick, A. (2011). 50 beautiful deer-resistant plants: the prettiest annuals, perennials, shrubs, ferns, bulbs, and shrubs that deer don’t eat. Portland, Or.: Timber Press.
Arlington Public Library | Alexandria Public Library - Hygnstrom, S. E., et al. (1994). Prevention and control of wildlife damage. Lincoln: Great Plains Agricultural Council, Wildlife Resources Committee and Nebraska Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska–Lincoln.
- Mitchell, J. C., & Reay, K. K. (1999). Atlas Of Amphibians and Reptiles In Virginia [PDF]. Richmond, VA: Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
Amazon - Pinder, M. J., & Mitchell, J. C. (2007). A guide to the snakes of Virginia. Richmond, VA: Virginia Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries, Wildlife Diversity Division.
Additional useful links
- Easy Water-Wise Gardening [PDF]. (2009). Sunset Publishing.
- Gillman, J., & Dirr, M. A. (2008). The truth about garden remedies: What works, what doesn’t, and why. Portland: Timber Press.
Arlington Public Library - Native Plants for Northern Virginia. [PDF]. (2022, 4th edition). Plant Nova Natives.
- Potomac Valley Chapter North American Rock Garden Society. (2020).