Old Farmers’ Almanac’s 2019 Garden Guide Sparks the Joy of Gardening

According to the latest edition of the Garden Guide, the “joy of gardening” is a scientific fact: Studies have shown that gardening increases chemicals in the brain that boost well-being. Proving that happiness is contagious, there are now more U.S. and Canadian gardening households (96.9 million!) than ever before, with almost a third of gardeners under the age of 34.

From the editors of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the 2019 Garden Guide—available now in digital formats and in print on February 19—sparks the joy of gardening by meeting gardeners where they are, no matter their garden size, skills, or income level.

“Adults in their 20s and 30s have been leading a revolution in gardening that has made us rethink how we add to the conversation,” says Janice Stillman, editor of the 2019 Garden Guide. “Not long ago, the typical person looking for advice on gardening was a woman over the age of 55; today, it’s a man under 35. They also want information that fits their particular life situations, so this means considering all of the ways that people can and do garden.”

Many new gardeners start with small spaces—as often as not these days, indoors. The 2019 Garden Guide shows readers how to turn tiny containers into places of plant pride with wisdom in the ways of kusamono (that is, the ancient art of Japanese small-pot gardening) and step-by-step directions for growing sprouts and microgreens from containers as simple as canning jars and shallow planting trays.

While not exactly Tinder for houseplants, the book also offers the definitive houseplant matchmaking guide to help partner plants with the personalities of their growers. For example, Neatnik, meet Agave—here’s why you’re a good match!

For the weekend DIY warrior, the 2019 Garden Guide presents plans for creating a staycation-ready tropical patio paradise (complete with floral drama, elephant ears, and bananas!). For cooks who like growing herbs with style, there’s a step-by-step guide for a living herb wreath with thyme, tarragon, marjoram, and creeping varieties of mint and rosemary.

Speaking of food: Grow 2019’s newest vegetables (think personal-size butternut squash and container-ready habaneros!), flowers with flavor enough for delicious dishes or to infuse teas, oils, or vodka, and easy-to-grow essential root veggies (carrots, turnips, parsnips, and more). For gardeners becoming more mindful of how personal choices impact the planet, there’s advice on plant-based proteins—tasty, grow-your-own alternatives to meat and fish.

Weather is never far from the mind of any gardener and neither is its effect on a landscape. Especially as we see more and more extreme weather events, gardeners will want to learn about plants that are ready to stand up to Mother Nature’s worst challenges, including wind, flood, drought, and wildfire. These extreme weather warriors are identified by their suitability in regional and zonal sites from coast to coast.

Sometimes the best garden tool is just a bit of inspiration. The 2019 Garden Guide is ready with one man’s story of the trials, tribulations, and thrill of living with 1,600 houseplants, as well as some personal accounts of how community gardens—and the food they produce—are revitalizing neighborhoods around Philadelphia.

 The joy of gardening—whether through the beauty of one hardy succulent or a massive garden with beautiful bouquets for days—lives large throughout the 2019 Garden Guide, especially in the advice of wickedly witty lifestyle blogger Karen Bertelsen. She encourages readers to find joy in all things dirty, sprouting, and growing, from pests and plants to vines and vegetables.

“For people who love it, gardening is like meditating,” writes Bertelsen. “But at the end of it, you don’t just find peace—you’ll also find a tomato.”

The 2019 Garden Guide—like its parent publication, The Old Farmer’s Almanac—is published annually and now available for the budget-friendly price of $5.99 U.S./Can. at plant nurseries, home centers, and wherever books and magazines are sold. A full list of retailers can be found at Almanac.com/wheretobuy. A digital version of the Garden Guide, plus other resources, is available at Almanac.com/GardenGuide.

Also available is The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Planner, an online garden-planning tool that takes the guesswork out of planning, plotting, and planting any garden, no matter its size, shape, or layout. The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Planner—which is completely free to try for 7 days—can be found at Gardenplanner.almanac.com.

 Finally, readers can share the joy of gardening with The Old Farmer’s Almanac Garden Guide by uploading planting photos and gardening shots and stories on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. Be sure to include #JoyofGardening or #GardenGuide.