Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series) by Steve Solomon Summary

1. Grow calorie crops like potatoes for maximum nutrition and food security
2. Use wide plant spacing to reduce water needs and boost soil health
3. Prioritize hand tools over machinery for cost-effective and sustainable gardening
4. Implement drip irrigation and mulching to conserve water in arid climates
5. Build self-reliance by growing 80% of your family’s vegetable needs
6. Opt for open-pollinated seeds over hybrids for long-term garden resilience
7. Master soil fertility with homemade compost and strategic mineral amendments
8. Design gardens with 3,000+ square feet for meaningful food production
9. Avoid raised beds in drought-prone areas to prevent root competition
10. Combat pests naturally by strengthening plant health through proper spacing
11. Adopt "fertigation" techniques to deliver nutrients directly through irrigation
12. Shift from intensive gardening to low-input methods for climate adaptability

About the Author of Gardening When It Counts

Steve Solomon, author of Gardening When It Counts, is a pioneering organic gardening expert and founder of the Territorial Seed Company.

With over 35 years of experience growing nutrient-dense food for his family, Solomon’s work focuses on self-sufficient, low-tech gardening methods suited for diverse climates.

His books, including Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades (a Pacific Northwest organic gardening staple) and The Intelligent Gardener, emphasize soil health, natural fertilizers, and sustainable practices. A frequent contributor to publications like Sunset Magazine and Eugene Weekly, Solomon combines hands-on expertise with clear, practical advice.

His 35th-anniversary edition of Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades remains a definitive guide, praised by Fine Gardening for its “unsurpassed how-to-grow advice.” Solomon’s works are widely recommended by gardening communities and have shaped organic practices for decades.

FAQs About Gardening When It Counts

What is Gardening When it Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times about?

Gardening When it Counts by Steve Solomon provides a low-input, resource-conscious approach to growing food sustainably. It emphasizes traditional gardening methods like wide plant spacing, minimal irrigation, and organic soil management, enabling families to achieve food self-sufficiency on 3,500–5,000 sq. ft. of land. The book critiques intensive raised-bed systems as impractical for water-scarce or budget-limited scenarios, offering alternatives like hand tools and drought-resistant techniques.

Who should read Gardening When it Counts?

This book is ideal for homesteaders, preppers, or gardeners seeking independence from modern irrigation and chemical fertilizers. It’s particularly useful for those with limited water access, low budgets, or recovering poor soil. Steve Solomon’s advice suits temperate climates but excludes tropical/desert regions.

Is Gardening When it Counts worth reading?

Yes, for its actionable strategies on maximizing yield with minimal resources. The plant spacing chart—tailored to soil quality and rainfall—alone justifies the book. It also offers rare insights into fertigation, root-depth optimization, and adapting methods to challenging conditions, making it a standout among sustainability guides.

How does plant spacing affect garden productivity in Gardening When it Counts?

Solomon argues that spacing hinges on soil health and water availability: nutrient-rich soil allows tighter planting, while poor soil requires wider gaps to reduce competition. His chart correlates spacing with four soil-quality tiers, helping gardeners adjust for higher yields without irrigation.

What are Steve Solomon’s critiques of raised-bed gardening?

He calls raised beds “wasteful” due to their high water, fertilizer, and organic-matter demands. Crowded plantings in poor soil exacerbate resource strain. Solomon advocates instead for traditional row gardening with compost, minimal watering, and sharp hand tools—a system requiring less labor and inputs long-term.

Does Gardening When it Counts explain soil preparation?

Yes. Solomon details how to build fertility using household waste, compost, and manure. He provides fertilizer recipes for those without access to store-bought amendments and stresses soil recovery through organic matter, critical for gardeners in drought-prone or depleted areas.

What tools does Steve Solomon recommend for low-input gardening?

The book prioritizes four basic tools: a shovel, rake, hoe, and sharp hand tools. It avoids electricity-dependent equipment, emphasizing manual labor and techniques like dry farming to reduce reliance on irrigation.

How does Gardening When it Counts address drought gardening?

Solomon teaches “fertigation”—applying liquid fertilizer during infrequent watering—to nourish plants in dry spells. Wide spacing and deep-rooted crops are encouraged to maximize moisture retention. The book also advises selecting drought-tolerant vegetable varieties.

What is unique about the gardening methods in Gardening When it Counts?

Unlike modern intensive methods, Solomon’s approach revives pre-1970s practices: larger plots, less watering, and prioritizing soil health over constant inputs. This system reduces costs and labor while building long-term soil resilience, making it practical for economic or environmental crises.

How does Gardening When it Counts compare to other self-sufficiency guides?

It contrasts with permaculture or square-foot gardening by rejecting high-input systems. Instead, it merges historical wisdom with adaptive techniques for low-water, low-cost scenarios. The focus on scalability (from small gardens to homesteads) and soil-specific adjustments sets it apart.

What are common criticisms of Gardening When it Counts?

Some find Solomon’s rejection of raised beds and close planting too rigid, especially for urban gardeners with limited space. Others note the soil-focused approach requires patience, as rebuilding fertility takes years. However, most praise its practicality for crisis preparedness.

Why is Gardening When it Counts relevant in 2025?

With climate uncertainty and water scarcity rising, Solomon’s drought-resilient methods offer a blueprint for food security. The book’s emphasis on low-tech, scalable solutions aligns with growing interest in off-grid living and regenerative practices amid economic volatility.