Weeds and What They Tell Us

by Ehrenfried E. Pfeiffer

This wonderful little book covers everything you need to know about the types of plants known as weeds. Ehrenfried Pfeiffer discusses the different varieties of weeds, how they grow and what they can tell us about soil health. The process of combatting weeds is discussed in principle as well as in practice, so that it can be applied to any situation. First written in the 1950s, this is still one of the best overviews of the subject available.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Nature

96 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2012

Reviews

[Stella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Must be taken with a grain of salt remembering that it has a focus on agriculture/industry (and does not take into account 'native plants' of any areas except the one he is writing from), but fascinating info overall. Wish he'd said something about bindweed besides essentially 'it can really take over, bummer' before moving on

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Weeds and What They Tell Us was a high-priced disappointment, but with some interesting tidbits.

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spoiler: most of the advice is tillage

[Emily Bragg · Rating 2 out of 5]

amusing as a period piece, but not much aligned with modern gardening, and particularly dislike anything with anti fire sentiment!

[David Carver · Rating 4 out of 5]

A primer on the categories, causes, and uses of weeds. This is a great read if you want to know more about weeds, even if you only have a small garden invaded by common weeds like docks or dandelions. The book helpfully arranges weeds based on the kind of soil they prefer, which in turn tells the farmer or gardener what problems the soil may have. Had the book also reiterated the kind of soil associated with each weed family at the beginning of that weed's chapter, there would be few other ways to improve it.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great reference for assessing land based on the weeds present and how to move on from there.