Synopses & Reviews
Gardening: The Complete Guide - Valuable information on planning, planting, and maintaining all types of gardens, including vegetable, fruit, flower, water gardens, and specialty gardens - Wondering what to plant? Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Directories give detailed information on annuals, perennials, bulbs, biennials, water-garden plants, herbs, vines, fuits, and vegetables - Step-by-step planting and growing instructions for all types of garden plants - Tables and charts filled with valuable information that will help get you organized - Tips for harvesting and storing fruits and vegetables from the garden, and for drying flowers - More than 1,000 garden-related color photographs and watercolors
Synopsis
Part inspiration and part hands-on instruction, Gardening The Complete Guide presents the latest gardening techniques with a strong emphasis on time-saving, efficient practices. Learn how to grow herbs, flowers, vegetables, and fruits--hundreds of plants are profiled in 400 pages featuring more than 600 beautiful full-color photos and 260 illustrations. Smart Tips, featuring the authors special techniques, are displayed in every chapter.
Synopsis
Covers how to grow flowers, vegetables, herbs, and fruits with very little effort and great results. Written with both the beginner and experienced gardener in mind. Over 580 color photos and 260 illustrations.
Synopsis
Gardening: The Complete Guide will satisfy those readers who enjoy the process of gardening as much as the finished product. It contains equal parts of inspirational photographs and hands-on instructional pictures. The book presents the latest gardening techniques for the 21st century gardener with an emphasis on time-saving, efficient practices. There is considerable space devoted to growing herbs, flowers, vegetables, and fruit. This book is perfect for the gardener who wants to know how things grow and why certain practices are more effective.
About the Author
The late Miranda Smith was an expert grower, who gardened and tought gardening for over 30 years. She was the author of five top-selling garden books, including Your Backyard Herb Garden, Backyard Fruits and Berries, and Greenhouse Gardening. She edited and was the primary writer of The Real Dirt, Farmers Tell about Organic and Low Input Practices in the Northeast.
Table of Contents
Gardening: The Complete Guide
Table of Contents
Introduction...8 • Tools, Materials, and Plants • About the Plant Directories
Chapter 1 Gardening Basics...10 • Getting Started • Plant Basics• Buying Plants • Propagation • Seeds • Planting • Watering
Chapter 2 Garden Prep...28 • Making a Plan• Designing for Easy Care • Laying Out the Garden • Soil • Composting • Testing Your Soil • Soil Amendments and Fertilizers • Cover Crops and Green Manures • Climate • Hardiness and Heat-Zone Maps
Chapter 3 Growing Vegetables...58 • Planning Your Vegetable Garden • Keeping Soil and Plants Healthy • Benefits of Hybrids vs. Open-Pollinated Plants • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Vegetables
Chapter 4 Growing Herbs...102 • The Benefits of Herbs• Designing Herb Gardens • Containers • A Garden of Treasures • Herbs for Beauty • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Herbs
Chapter 5 Growing Fruit...126 • Why Grow Fruit? • Fruit Trees • Planting Fruit Trees • Pruning Fruit Trees • Espaliered Fruit Trees • Care of Your Fruit Trees • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Fruit Trees • Choosing Fruiting Shrubs • Pruning Fruiting Shrubs • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Fruiting Shrubs • Choosing Fruiting Vines • Pruning and Training Fruiting Vines • Caring for Your Fruit Vines • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Fruiting Vines • Choosing Bramble Fruit • Planting, Pruning, and Training Brambles • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Bramble Fruits • Strawberries
Chapter 6 Creating Water Gardens...174 • Considering Your Lifestyle • Siting Your Water Feature • Practical Considerations • Liners • Edging • Designing the Pond Configuration • How to Make a Site Plan • Choosing Plants • Beware of Invasive Plants • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Recommended Oxygenators • Floating Plants • Plant-by-Plant Directory Recommended Floating Plants • Water Lilies • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Hardy Water Lilies • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Tropical Water Lilies • Lotuses • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Readily Available Lotuses • Marginal Plants • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Recommended Marginal Plants • Plants for the Periphery • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Recommended Perennials • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Recommended Bulbs • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Recommended Ferns • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Recommended Grasses
Chapter 7 Growing Flowers...254 • Garden Design• Planning Flower Beds • Bulbs • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Bulbs • Perennials • Deadheading and Trimming • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Common Perennials • Annuals • Cultural Requirements • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Common Annuals • Biennials • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Common Biennials
Chapter 8 Specialty Flower Gardens...310 • Garden Inspiration• Rose Gardens • Gardens for Bees, Birds, and Butterflies • Rock Gardens • Gardens for Dried Arrangements
Chapter 9 Growing Vines...330 • Vine Basics• How Vines Climb • Training and Pruning Vines • Watering and Routine Care • Plant-by-Plant Directory of Vines
Chapter 10 Maintaining Your Garden...346 • Good Management• Weeds • Common "Beneficial" Weeds • Animal Pests • Insect and Mite Pests • Directory of Pests, Including Controls • Diseases • Directory of Diseases
Glossary...384 Index...387 Credits...398