Here are some books and online resources that can help you successfully plan a garden or landscape in Idaho.

Soils and Geology

Digital Geology of Idaho
Create a custom soil report with the Web Soil Survey
Soil survey, [county name], Idaho. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1899 to present. – Publications are available online from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Barker, Raymond J.; Robert E. McDole, Glen H. Logan; photography by Raymond J. Barker. Idaho soils atlas. Moscow, Idaho: University Press of Idaho, 1983.

Climate and Weather

Cretti, John L. Month-by-month gardening in Idaho: what to do each month to have a beautiful garden all year. Franklin, Tennessee: Cool Springs Press, 2007.
Cretti, John L. Rocky Mountain month-by-month gardening: what to do each month to have a beautiful garden all year. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Cool Springs Press, 2015.
Lauterbach, Margaret. Gardening in the Treasure Valley. Boise, Idaho: Idaho Statesman Publications, 2013.

Idaho Firewise, Inc. – Firewise is a project of the National Fire Protection Association in partnership with agencies and organizations. They provide a variety of tools to help people protect their homes from fire. Includes an online publication library.
Kratsch, Heidi A., editor. Water-efficient landscaping in the Intermountain West: a professional and do-it-yourself guide. Logan: Utah State University Press, 2011.
Wildland Fire, University of Idaho Extension Forestry – Includes publications on the following subjects: Fire and the Wildland/Urban Interface, Wildfire Evacuation, Fire Ecology, and Post-fire Management.

Idaho Native Plant Society
Franklin H. Pitkin Forest Nursery, Center for Forest Nursery and Seedling Research, University of Idaho
Mee, Wendy, and others. Water wise: native plants for intermountain landscapes. Logan, Utah: Utah State University Press, 2003.
Parkinson, Hilary, compiler; edited by Ann DeBolt, Roger Rosentreter, Valerie Geertson; additional assistance from Michelle Richman and Leslie Blackburn.Landscaping with native plants of the Intermountain Region. Boise, Idaho: U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Idaho State Office, 2003.
Filby, Evan E. (Evan Everett). Before the spud: Indians, buckaroos, and sheephearders in pioneer Idaho. Idaho Falls, Idaho: Sourdough Publishing; Charleston, S.C.: CreateSpace, 2012.
Robson, Sara, and James Kingery; [for the Idaho Transportation Department and University of Idaho Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management]. Idaho native plants for roadside restoration and revegetation programs. Idaho: Idaho Transportation Department, 2006.

Wildlife in the Garden, University of Idaho Extension
Golden Eagle Audubon Society and USDA Soil Conservation Service; photos by Soil Conservation Service and Golden Eagle Audobon Society. Landscaping for birds in southwestern Idaho. Boise, Idaho: Boise State University, [between 1975 and 1978].

Bell, Susan M. Planning and Idaho Vegetable Garden. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho, College of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension System, 1996.
Maranhao, Diana. Rocky Mountain fruit & vegetable gardening: plant, grow, and harvest the best edibles. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Cool Springs Press, 2014.
Ross, Jeanette, and Susan Bell, editors. Treasure Valley vegetable growing guide. Boise, Idaho: University of Idaho, Cooperative Extension System in Ada County, 1995.
Jenkins, Elaine; information by Dale and Sheila Anderson and Paulette Blaseg; translation by Keri Acuña. Growing to feed many: how Trinity Community Gardens, Inc. gets more food from less space. Cultivando para alimentar a muchos: cómo Trinity Community Gardens, Inc consigue más alimentos en menos espacio. United States: Trinity Community Gardens, Inc., 2014. First Edition.
Finnigan, Brian F.; W. Michael Colt; Esmaeil Fallahi. Growing apples for local markets in cold climates. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho, Cooperative Extension System, 2000. http://www.extension.uidaho.edu/publishing/pdf/BUL/BUL0820.pdf. Accessed March 12, 2019.

Updated by Ronnie Joiner on March 14, 2022.