Golden Gate Gardening

by Pam Peirce

"Golden Gate Gardening", the definitive primer on vegetable gardening in Northern California, is encyclopedic in its coverage of gardening principles and practices specific to the region. Full of information and camaraderie, this book explains how to grow common vegetables and herbs and add unusual ones that bring variety to the garden. Line art throughout .

Genres: Gardening, Reference, Nonfiction, Food, Nature

Paperback

First published December 1, 1992

About the author

Pam Peirce is the author of Wildly Successful Plants: Northern California and Golden Gate Gardening. She writes the "Golden Gate Gardener," question and answer column in the San Francisco Chronicle and is the author of the blog GoldenGateGarden.typepad.com.

Pam is a founding board member of the San Francisco League of Urban Gardeners (SLUG) and an honorary advisory board member of SF GRO (San Francisco Gardening Resource Organization). She teaches gardening and horticulture at City College of San Francisco, and supports gardeners as a garden coach and counselor. "

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before reading this book, I felt so lost in gardening in the foggy central coast of California. This book is exactly what I needed. The planting calendars are irreplaceable, and she clearly knows her stuff. She goes through each vegetable, fruit, and herb and discusses how to plant (or not plant) it in this unique climate. I will no longer be lost as I try to translate the back of seed packs to my actual planting conditions.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reference book.

[Jeff Ammons · Rating 5 out of 5]

If the subject matter interests you, this book is amazing.

[Debra Giusto · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to use as a gardening reference if you live in the Bay Area. As gardening by the fog, by the sea can be challenging. It’s good to have a book that deals with gardening in our local area and the many challenges growing vegetables, especially tomatoes.

[Flossie · Rating 4 out of 5]

i like the way this book was organized. it made garden planning easy.

[Daniel Weaver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly about general gardening for beginners

[Tea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another gardening book that I’ll be using as a guide for life — this book is great for those who live in the San Francisco Bay Area and how to gardening with the changing microclimates. I live in Solano County so all the notes for Walnut Creek/San Jose is kind of more for me personally. Which was the amendment to the original publication from seventeen years ago.

What I liked about this book is that its organized by year-round bounty, summer and early fall, fall and winter and spring. There’s also really detailed planting charts which I appreciate as a beginning gardener. Also, it has a section on growing flowers and preserving herbs.

I hope someday a new amendment comes out with a Sonoma/Napa/Solano or what I like to call delta-desert guide ...just to be inclusive of all the nine Bay Area counties, but this current edition covers a lot of things that I can reference.

-2021 Popsugar Reading List: A book about a favorite person, place or thing (gardening/my momma).

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm marking this as 'read' and adding it to my reference shelf because it's not really the type of thing you read cover to cover. I recently moved to the Outer Sunset neighborhood in SF (about 10 blocks from the beach along the N line) to an apartment with an overgrown garden, and this has really been invaluable in planning and reclaiming that space. It really is a must read for anyone with foggy summers, sandy soil, and salty air.

I mean, without this book, I would have tried to grow tomatoes and then given up on planting ever again. Probably.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know if I can ever take this book off the "currently reading" shelf. Much like your favorite cookbook, Golden Gate Gardening is something you go back to time after time. It has been a constant reference for me since I began gardening. Pam Pierce fills this book with localized knowledge, mostly to do with edibles. If you live in the Bay Area (especially the fogbelt) and would like to garden year round this is really an invaluable reference.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better (more readable, more pertinent) than The Garden Primer, although still a little listy in areas. I purchased it on my kindle when I wasn't making progress fast enough for the library copy, but it was definitely harder to read in e-book format as there are lots of insets and asides. Sometimes Ms. Peirce waxes a little preachy, but for the most part I enjoyed it and will use it as a reference.

[Marcus K · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you live in the Bay Area you must own this book. Info on how plants do in the fog, micro-climate specific planting info, stuff on fruit trees, and lots and lots of write ups on all sorts of plants. I keep the sunset western around as a sort of encyclopedia, but this is the one I turn to when its time to go play in the dirt.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I will never be done reading this book. It has the best charts for figuring out when to plant what in which areas of the SF Bay region. The information on weeds and pests is also very helpful. I try to check out her blog on a regular basis to see what's going on with her test gardens and which plants she recommends.

[Karen Mahtin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've never sat down and read this whole book. My dear friend Marcus recommended it to me in like 2000 when I wanted to start a garden, and I've used it as a reference book ever since. The newer (2011?) edition was the textbook for my Organic Gardening and Food Production class at Santa Rosa Jr. College. A key resource for anyone who wants to grow food in the San Francisco Bay Area.

[Cadillacrazy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This should really be called golden gate food gardening, as it only covers edible plants. good resource, but only has black and white illustrations of some plants. Lots of planting charts to help you figure out when to plant.

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent resource and gift book. Includes recipes, one of my all-time favorites is for eating garden snails, which I had not encountered outside of University of California publications. A strong rival and much better in some ways than the Sunset Western Garden book.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource for growing veggies in Northern California. I dare call it a bible of sorts. It's packed with good information. The only thing missing is nice color photos. It wasn't a big issue for me. I got the Western Sunset edible gardening book that is full of photos at the same time.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding reference for this region; Pam Peirce covers it all. And it looks like I've been reading this book for five years; I'll be reading it as long as I'm living here and it's in print, because it's so packed with information.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you live in the Bay Area, you need a gardening book specific to our own microclimate, NOT a British gardening book, NOT a New England gardening book. This one is full of proper charts for all the plants which are capable of making it in local farms and gardens and I'm glad I ran across it.

[Leslie Castellanos · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you live in the SF Bay Area and you garden, this is the book to have. It's specific to the area and recognizes our soil, fog and tiny microclimates. It's focused mostly on vegetable gardening.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super helpful, though only about vegetables. If you want native plants that don't necessarily produce food, go elsewhere.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't read all of this, will probably pick it up now and then to peruse.

I love my garden plot !!

woohoo!!!

happiness is warm dirt, yes it is....

[Emil · Rating 4 out of 5]

SF Bay Area Gardener's Best Bud

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome reference book for gardening in the weird climate that is the Bay area.

[Yilda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so this isn't a book I read from front to back, but it is a great gardening tool that I can use forever.

[Francine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read and reference this book at least once a week. A damn fine gardening resource.

[Julia]

Christmas gift.

[Jane]

What should I plant?

[Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am always reading and referring to this book. Super helpful.

[Romari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical and comprehensive planting and care advice for the micro climates that are the SF Bay Are.

[Eznelak (Jamie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Will be forever referencing as long as we live in the BA! Has anyone used the 4th ed?