The organizational structure of this guide to identifying and treating plant problems makes navigating the many causes of damage easy. The first section contains thumbnail photographs of specific problems, arranged by plant parts affected: leaf problems; stem and bud problems; flower problems; fruit, berry, nut, and vegetable problems; soil, root, tuber, and bulb problems; and lawn problems. The book then follows the problems with a brief photographic section of beneficial insects so gardeners do not kill off the bugs that help maintain environmental balance. Good gardening habits, including soil and nutrient analysis and pest/disease control, are given adequate space. The bulk of the book, however, is the A to Z guide which describes symptoms, cause, and control of just about every garden problem. Readers are expected to first identify the problem using the photographs in the beginning section and then turn to more information in the A to Z guide. The problem is, different plants with the same disease may not appear anything like the chosen (and small) photograph. Diagnosis is sometimes difficult. The index to individual plant problems is somewhat of a help to rule out similar problems that don't affect the plant in question, but I found myself wishing that this guide were a little more complete.
Recommended treatment is most often organic -- removing pests by hand, using insecticidal soap, introducing beneficial insects, or removing all affected plants. My favorite suggestion for wasp control is to vacuum them from their nests, seal the vacuum bag, and stick it in the freezer to kill the wasps. I'm sure my family would just love to have dying wasps next to the ice cream. Fortunately, most suggestions are not as impractical; they maintain a regard for both plant and human health. When true pesticides are the only recourse, the books refers to them as "labeled insecticides" without specifying which kind would be effective. (For pesticide users, try an Ortho book instead.)
I found that this book makes a good supplement to my other gardening books. Very few books are dedicated to pests and diseases, making this a valuable resource for the gardener. I recommend pairing this book with Princeton University Press's Garden Insects of North America.
