N.C Cooperative Extension provides access to a number of publications on a wide variety of horticultural and community organizing topics. In addition to being posted in their electronic form on this website, many of these materials are also available in hard copy form at the Forsyth County Agricultural Building.

Don’t see the topic you were looking for on this page? Use the search box in the top right corner of the NC State Extension website or contact the Community Gardening Program Coordinator with any questions or for more information.

Explore our resources on the topics listed below:

Growing Vegetables

• NC Extension Gardener Handbook chapters:
  • Soils & Plant Nutrients
  • Vegetable Gardening
  • Organic Gardening
  • Container Gardening
  • Weeds
• Vegetable Gardening: A Beginner's Guide
• 2021 Southeastern US Vegetable Crop Handbook
• Central North Carolina Planting Calendar for Annual Vegetables, Fruits, and Herbs
• How to Create a Container Garden for Edibles in the North Carolina Piedmont
• Horticultural Science Publications organized by topic

Growing Fruits

• Small Fruits
• Tree Fruits and Nuts
• Training and Pruning Fruit Trees in North Carolina
• List of Extension fruit publications
• Comprehensive Resources for Fruit Trees

Compost

• NC Extension Gardener Handbook, Chapter 2: Composting
• Home and Backyard Composting Page
• List of Extension composting publications

Insects and Disease Management

• Insects
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
• Diseases & Disorders
• NC Extension Gardener Handbook, Chapter 7: Diagnostics and Diagnostic Tables

Soil Testing

• Instructions for Soil Testing in Forsyth County
• A Gardener's Guide to Soil Testing
• Careful Soil Sampling—The Key to Reliable Soil Test Information
• Minimizing Risks of Soil Contaminants in Urban Gardens
• Soil Facts Catalog

Benefits of Community Gardens

• Research & Benefits of Community Gardens