Synopses & Reviews
It's the holy grail of gardening: a plant that perfectly matches your tastes and the conditions in your garden. The hitch? You're not likely to find it at your local garden center. You're going to have to create it yourself.
But don't worry — it isn't hard. After all, gardeners have been doing it for centuries, simply by saving seeds of the varieties that tasted or performed best. But you'll get even better results by following the advice in Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener. You'll learn how to set achievable goals in your breeding program; the ins and outs of genetics; how to pick the best parent plants; how to cross-pollinate; the best techniques to use for popular vegetables and flowers; and how to harvest and store seeds.
In no time at all, you'll be producing a tomato perfect for your palette, a pepper with just the right amount of heat, or a more fragrant rose!
Synopsis
Brighter zinnias, fragrant carnations, snappier green beans
Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener makes it easier than ever to breed and grow your own varieties of vegetables and flowers. This comprehensive and accessible guide explains how to decide what to breed, provides simple explanations on how to cross plants, and features a basic primer on genetics and advanced techniques. Case studies provide breeding examples for favorite plants like daffodils, hollyhocks, roses, sweet corn, and tomatoes.
About the Author
Joseph Tychonievich studied horticulture, plant breeding, and genetics at Michigan State University. He is the nursery manager at Arrowhead Alpines.