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Books > Health, Home & Family > Gardening > Gardening: plants
Grow-your-own food fans will be delighted to hear that it's possible to have tasty, homegrown mushrooms to eat every month of the year. This easy-to-follow, practical book explains how to grow them in the garden, balcony, kitchen or cellar. Mushrooms are an organic, sustainable and delicious form of plant nutrition and fungi experts Magdalena Wurth and Herbert Wurth take you through every step of the cultivation process. Learn how to grow 19 different mushroom helped along by clear tables, drawings and photographs. Whether you start mushroom growing outdoors on tree stumps and straw bales or indoors using compost or a kit, these tried-and-tested methods make this the ultimate book on small-scale mushroom growing.
Grow amazing plants from the comfort of your own home. This book will teach you the basics of growing fruit, vegetables, herbs, and the very best indoor flowers, as well as tips and tricks to reuse your food scraps and reduce your waste as you experiment with seeds. Did you know that you can grow a beautiful houseplant from an avocado seed? Or regrow lettuce in a matter of weeks, just in an inch of water? And you can create a windowsill of delicious herbs simply from cuttings? You don't need a complicated toolkit to start sowing; just spades of enthusiasm and any spare containers you have lying around your home. And here's the best part: as your windowsills begin to burst with greenery, you will reap the health benefits too - from anti-oxidants to air purifiers, as well as plants which aid good sleep, your plants will transform every aspect of your lifestyle. This gorgeous book celebrates the joy of creating something from scratch and infusing the home-grown mentality into all aspects of your lifestyle, from your mealtimes to your home d�cor and your wellbeing. So, just pick up a pot and start sowing your own!
A comprehensive and sumptuous survey that celebrates the beauty and appeal of flowers throughout art, history, and culture The latest installment in the bestselling Explorer Series takes readers on a journey across continents and cultures to discover the endless ways artists and image-makers have employed floral motifs throughout history. Showcasing the diversity of blooms from all over the world, Flower spans a wide range of styles and media - from art, botanical illustrations, and sculptures to floral arrangements, film stills, and textiles - and follows a visually stunning sequence with works, regardless of period, thoughtfully paired to allow interesting and revealing juxtapositions between them.
An exploration of how plant behavior and adaptation offer valuable insights for human thriving. We know that plants are important. They maintain the atmosphere by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen. They nourish other living organisms and supply psychological benefits to humans as well, improving our moods and beautifying the landscape around us. But plants don't just passively provide. They also take action. Beronda L. Montgomery explores the vigorous, creative lives of organisms often treated as static and predictable. In fact, plants are masters of adaptation. They "know" what and who they are, and they use this knowledge to make a way in the world. Plants experience a kind of sensation that does not require eyes or ears. They distinguish kin, friend, and foe, and they are able to respond to ecological competition despite lacking the capacity of fight-or-flight. Plants are even capable of transformative behaviors that allow them to maximize their chances of survival in a dynamic and sometimes unfriendly environment. Lessons from Plants enters into the depth of botanic experience and shows how we might improve human society by better appreciating not just what plants give us but also how they achieve their own purposes. What would it mean to learn from these organisms, to become more aware of our environments and to adapt to our own worlds by calling on perception and awareness? Montgomery's meditative study puts before us a question with the power to reframe the way we live: What would a plant do?
Just how productive can one small vegetable garden be? More productive than one might think! Colin McCrate and Brad Halm, former CSA growers and current owners of the Seattle Urban Farm Company, help readers boost their garden productivity by teaching them how to plan carefully, maximize production in every bed, get the most out of every plant, scale up systems to maximize efficiency, and expand the harvest season with succession planting, intercropping, and season extension. Along with chapters devoted to the Five Tenets of a Productive Gardener (Plan Well to Get the Most from Your Garden; Maximize Production in Each Bed; Get the Most out of Every Plant; Scale up Tools and Systems for Efficiency; and Expand and Extend the Harvest), the book contains interactive tools that home gardeners can use to assist them in determining how, when, and what to plant; evaluating crop health; and planning and storing the harvest. For today's vegetable gardeners who want to grow as much of their own food as possible, this guide offers expert advice and strategies for cultivating a garden that supplies what they need.
This book is the first comprehensive critical analysis of the cultural politics of a new kind of British heritage discourse. Based on texts ranging from tweets to restaurant menus that tell the story of heritage vegetables, this book explores what it means to think about our food systems, and their future, through the lens of 'heritage'. From town hall seed swaps to restaurant menus and coffee table books, it has become hard in recent years for consumers to avoid the idea of 'heritage' fruit and vegetables. The British counterpart of North American heirlooms, their varied colours, strange shapes and endearing names are charming. Yet their proponents claim far more for them, arguing it is vital that we safeguard our crop heritage for global food security, social justice and consumer choice. This book examines how heritage fruits and vegetables are adopted to subvert corporate food production and take food back into our own hands, while supermarkets are eagerly adding them to their luxury ranges. The book also discusses the practice of heritage seeds being stored in secure facilities where most of the world's growers cannot reach them. Written in an accessible style, this book will appeal to those studying, and those interested in, food studies and food politics; heritage studies; geography and environmental studies; the sociology of consumption and cultural studies.
'Brilliant ... Equal parts irreverent, cheeky and vitally important ... Charming ... Much too valuable to tuck away until the zombies come ... A gardening manual that you can put to use immediately, regardless of your situation' Zombie Research Society. Climate change? Brexit? Screaming brain-biters? Don't lose the plot, this book can help! Irreverent, straightforward and useful, it shows even complete beginners how to grow enough of their own food to survive when Armageddon arrives and imports collapse. Or even if they don't. A grow-your-own guide for the generation who'd rather eat compost than watch Gardeners' World, it tells you how to sow and grow 20 key crops, whether you have two pots, a patio or a whole allotment to play with. It takes you through what seeds, tools and other kit you'll need, teaches you how to plan and plant your site for maximum nutrition, and suggests gardening projects to get underway while civilization still stands, from growing dinner in a dustbin to a juice bar on a balcony. All while sticking a garden fork in the eye of the undead. Gardening for the Zombie Apocalypse: surviving has never been so much fun.
Increase your stock of plants easily and for free by propagating them yourself. RHS How to Grow Plants for Free demystifies the art of taking cuttings and explains the other ways you can multiply your garden plants. Propagating your own plants is fun, inexpensive, and a sustainable way to garden. An introductory section explains the botanical science behind all types of propagation and defines and simplifies the language. The book is then split into self-contained practical chapters detailing each of the different types of propagation. Each chapter includes a selection of 'plant profiles' for the plants best suited to each propagation method:
"Grow Now is an earth manual that applies to everyone, everywhere. Regenerating life begins with our hands, the soil, and our heart. Take this book and go outside, stay outside, and transform." --Paul Hawken, author of Drawdown and Regeneration Did you know you can have a garden that's equal parts food source and wildlife haven? In Grow Now, Emily Murphy shares easy-to-follow principles for regenerative gardening that foster biodiversity and improve soil health. She also shows how every single yard mirrors and connects to the greater ecosystem around us. No-dig growing, composting and mulching smartly, and planting a variety of edible perennials that attract bees and butterflies are all commonsense techniques everyone can use to grow positive change. You'll also find detailed advice on increasing your nature quotient, choosing plants that cycle more carbon back into the soil, selecting a broader variety of vegetables and fruits to improve overall soil fertility, rethinking space devoted to lawns, and adding companion plants for pollinators to rewild any plot of land. Exquisitely photographed and filled with helpful lists and sidebars, Grow Now is an actionable, hopeful, and joyful roadmap for growing our way to individual climate contributions. Gardening is climate activism!
"Cel grows her beautiful flowers with art and soul." -- Shane Connolly, floral designer and author Prepare the ground, sow seed, nurture, harvest and fill your home with beautiful flowers. Growing flowers can bring colour and life to the garden, and also give you an abundance of sustainable floral material to use at home. This handbook shows you how to plan a cutting garden, grow the perfect plants for the vase and nurture them so they thrive from season to season. Whether you have a few pots or a dedicated patch, you can grow beautiful blooms and learn how to cut, condition and arrange them for garden-gathered floral designs all year round, all without the carbon footprint of most shop-bought flowers! Cut Flowers includes a directory of flowers, bulbs and foliage to grow, plus pro advice on creating dreamy designs. This title is from the Bloom Gardener's Guide series, complete and comprehensive gardening handbooks. Bloom is an award-winning independent print magazine for gardeners, plant admirers, nature lovers and outdoor adventurers, and winner of the Garden Publication of the Year at the Garden Media Awards 2021. Other titles in this series include Shade and Pots.
The interest in organic fruit and vegetables has never been greater. As people grow ever more suspicious of the chemicals used in food production, more and more gardeners are keen to grow their own vegetables and fruit while steering away from synthetic insecticides and pesticides. In this book John Fedor draws on both his training as a biochemist and his extensive gardening experience to explain exactly why and how to garden organically. He includes ground plans for gardens of all sizes, all the information you need on organic techniques such as soil care and composting, and an extensive illustrated directory of fruit and vegetables, with cultural information and recommended varieties. This is a book for beginners and experienced gardeners alike and set to become the standard reference manual on organic gardening.
The rose is the world's favorite flower: its beauty and scent make
it the acknowledged queen of the garden. Roses have been used for
thousands of years as perfume, as decoration, and even in the
cuisine of many countries. The power and appeal of the rose can be
seen in art, history, and in horticulture. "The Little Book of
Roses" opens the door to the magical world of the rose from the
flower's symbolic roles in legend to the secrets of today's top
rose breeders (an industry itself worth millions of dollars).
Besides fascinating rose facts, this Little Book is also sprinkled
throughout with interesting rose trivia. For example, one fluid
ounce of the world's most expensive perfume requires as many as 28
dozen roses! "The Little Book of Roses" offers a pleasing bouquet
of rich illustrations, useful information, and interesting details
affectionately dedicated to this voluptuous blossom.
'This is a clearly presented work, with accessible topic headings and plenty of good advice sprinkled with engaging personal anecdotes. The message at the book's heart is to adopt a greener way of being and to see oneself as part of nature, not removed from it. On this point it is exceptional, distinguishing itself from many of the green gardening books written in recent years.' The English Garden magazine 'Conversational, interesting, and personal ... it reaffirms the link between what we love to do and why we should be doing it with nature, the planet and our health in mind.' RHS The Garden magazine If you want a sustainable garden and a better relationship with nature, A Greener Life is the guide you need. Packed with inspirational images and practical tips, the book covers garden planning, organic composting and vegetable growing, as well as sustainable planting, rewilding and wildlife-attracting environments. Learn traditional gardening techniques like propagating and growing from cuttings to make your garden self-sustaining, and discover plants that attract hover flies, bees and butterflies. With Jack Wallington's warmth and expertise on every page, this is an ideal book for new gardeners seeking greener practices.
For decades, gardeners have approached vegetable gardening the same way: planting in square or rectangular beds or in straight rows, keeping vegetables separate from flowers, and definitely not mixing perennial plants with annual ones. According to these old rules, every insect must be killed, the garden must be tidy, and nothing should ever be allowed to go to seed. It's time to break the rules! Today's gardeners are re-envisioning the vegetable garden as a creative, playful space where the beds may be circles or spirals, beneficial insects are invited to the party, flowers for cutting grow right next to annual vegetables (which might be chosen for their curb appeal as much as their flavor), and a bit of "untidiness" simply creates a garden that more closely mimics the natural world. With The Creative Vegetable Gardener, lifestyle editor and master gardener Kelly Smith Trimble encourages readers to widen their focus, be playful, and imagine a vegetable garden that reflects their own unique aesthetic and offers a meditative sanctuary as well as a source of fresh, homegrown food. From seed selection to garden layout and regenerative gardening practices, gardeners of all levels will find Smith Trimble's liberating advice a pathway to making the garden a place of nourishment for the soul and creative spirit, while also feeding the body.
'Breathtakingly beautiful' i 'Tender and wholehearted' Helen Jukes LONGLISTED FOR THE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE INDEPENDENT, FINANCIAL TIMES, I and GARDENS ILLUSTRATED When she suddenly finds herself uprooted, heartbroken, grieving and living out of a suitcase in her late twenties, Alice Vincent begins planting seeds. She nurtures pot plants and vines on windowsills and draining boards, filling her many temporary London homes with green. As the months pass, and with each unfurling petal and budding leaf, she begins to come back to life. Mixing memoir, botanical history and biography, Rootbound examines how bringing a little bit of the outside in can help us find our feet in a world spinning far too fast.
"Rhododendrons & Azaleas" profiles over 4,000 varieties of this highly popular and striking plant. Illustrated with 1,100 color photographs, each entry includes a description of the plant and flower color; notes on hardiness, height and spread, and flowering time; advice on cultivation and proven performers; and the name of the parent plants, the raiser, and similar varieties. Practical advice is also given on rhododendrons in the landscape, maintenance and husbandry, pests, diseases, problems and disorders, propagation, and buying and collecting rhododendrons, along with a brief history and a guide to their classification.
Build healthy soil and grow better plants Robert Pavlis, a gardener for over four decades, debunks common soil myths, explores the rhizosphere, and provides a personalized soil fertility improvement program in this three-part popular science guidebook. Healthy soil means thriving plants. Yet untangling the soil food web and optimizing your soil health is beyond most gardeners, many of whom lack an in-depth knowledge of the soil ecosystem. Soil Science for Gardeners is an accessible, science-based guide to understanding soil fertility and, in particular, the rhizosphere - the thin layer of liquid and soil surrounding plant roots, so vital to plant health. Coverage includes: Soil biology and chemistry and how plants and soil interact Common soil health problems, including analyzing soil's fertility and plant nutrients The creation of a personalized plan for improving your soil fertility, including setting priorities and goals in a cost-effective, realistic time frame. Creating the optimal conditions for nature to do the heavy lifting of building soil fertility Written for the home gardener, market gardener, and micro-farmer, Soil Science for Gardeners is packed with information to help you grow thriving plants.
This wonderful little book covers everything you need to know about the types of plants known as weeds. Ehrenfried Pfeiffer discusses the different varieties of weeds, how they grow and what they can tell us about soil health. The process of combatting weeds is discussed in principle as well as in practice, so that it can be applied to any situation. First written in the 1950s, this is still one of the best overviews of the subject available.
Improve your growing techniques with this handy reference. Easy-to-read instructions show the best methods for sowing and growing trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals, alpines, and vegetables. From the easiest potato to the trickiest alpine, all the advice on healthy planting is included.
Growing vegetables requires regionally specific information what to plant, when to plant it, and when to harvest are based on climate, weather, and first frost. The Timber Press Guide to Vegetable Gardening in the Southeast tackles this need head on, with regionally specific growing information written by local gardening expert, Ira Wallace. This region includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. Monthly planting guides show exactly what you can do in the garden from January through December. The skill sets go beyond the basics with tutorials on seed saving, worm bins, and more. This book also includes a comprehensive gardening primer and an A to Z of edibles a detailed, invaluable source for the region s tried-and-tested varieties."
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