Vegetables from your own farm to your own table We all love good food, and the fresher it is, the better! And what could be fresher than farm-to-table terms than vegetables you've grown at home? The new edition of Vegetable Gardening For Dummies puts you in touch with your roots in a thousands of years old farming tradition by demonstrating how easy it is to grow your own. And there's no need to buy a farm: all you need to become a successful cultivator of the land is this book and a small plot of soil in the yard, or a container set aside for some tasty natural edibles. Add water and some care, love, and attention--et voila! In a friendly, come-relax-in-my-garden style Charlie Nardozzi--leading horticultural writer and guest expert on shows such as Martha Stewart Living Radio--shares the nutritious results of a lifetime of vegetable-growing experience to delve into the nitty-gritty of micro-farming. It's not rocket science--quite the opposite--but you do need a bit of patience before you can reap your first glorious harvest. This book shows you how to master that, as you get down and dirty with the enjoyable work of building soil, starting seeds, controlling pests, and maintaining your garden. And as your early efforts turn to green shoots, you can dig deeper into information on special tips and tricks, as well as hundreds of vegetable varieties--many of which are beautiful to behold as well as tasty to eat! Plan out your garden Know your veggies, from tomatoes to chard Keep your plants happy and healthy Harvest, store, and preserve your crops Whether your thumb is a fertile green or you've never put plant-to-pot before, this book will bring out your inner farmer: you'll find everything required to transform your garden into a self-renewing larder--and complement every meal with a crisp, healthy, home-grown treat.

A fun and environmentally sound method of using forgotten soil for your garden

Regenerative practices for the farm, garden, orchard, forest, and landscape Mycorrhizal fungi have been waiting a long time for people to recognize just how important they are to the making of dynamic soils. These microscopic organisms partner with the root systems of approximately 95 percent of the plants on Earth, and they sequester carbon in much more meaningful ways than human "carbon offsets" will ever achieve. Pick up a handful of old-growth forest soil and you are holding 26 miles of threadlike fungal mycelia, if it could be stretched it out in a straight line. Most of these soil fungi are mycorrhizal, supporting plant health in elegant and sophisticated ways. The boost to green immune function in plants and community-wide networking turns out to be the true basis of ecosystem resiliency. A profound intelligence exists in the underground nutrient exchange between fungi and plant roots, which in turn determines the nutrient density of the foods we grow and eat. Exploring the science of symbiotic fungi in layman's terms, holistic farmer Michael Phillips (author of The Holistic Orchard and The Apple Grower) sets the stage for practical applications across the landscape. The real impetus behind no-till farming, gardening with mulches, cover cropping, digging with broadforks, shallow cultivation, forest-edge orcharding, and everything related to permaculture is to help the plants and fungi to prosper . . . which means we prosper as well. Building soil structure and fertility that lasts for ages results only once we comprehend the nondisturbance principle. As the author says, "What a grower understands, a grower will do." Mycorrhizal Planet abounds with insights into "fungal consciousness" and offers practical, regenerative techniques that are pertinent to gardeners, landscapers, orchardists, foresters, and farmers. Michael's fungal acumen will resonate with everyone who is fascinated with the unseen workings of nature and concerned about maintaining and restoring the health of our soils, our climate, and the quality of life on Earth for generations to come.

After years of living in awe of the mysterious fungi known as mushrooms -- chefs, health enthusiasts, and home cooks alike can't get enough of these rich, delicate morsels. With updated production techniques for home and commercial cultivation, detailed growth parameters for 31 mushroom species, a trouble-shooting guide, and handy gardening tips, this revised and updated handbook will make your mycological landscapes the envy of the neighborhood.

Pruning is essential to keeping trees, shrubs, and other plants healthy and beautiful. Not only does pruning keep plants from getting unwieldy and large, it also allows light and air to reach more branches, encourages fruit and blossom growth, removes diseased branches, and adds structural strength to plants. But many homeowners and gardeners feel overwhelmed by pruning. When is the right time to prune? How much should be removed? What's the difference between pinching and heading back? What tools should be used? How can a homeowner ensure that pruning ultimately enhances -- and doesn't harm -- the plant?
For all these questions and more, "The Pruning Answer Book" has the answer. Written by two highly respected garden writers with years of experience in providing pruning advice, this book is sure to become a tool as essential as the pruning shears themselves. With clear, concise advice, a browsable format, a friendly tone, and how-to illustrations, the book provides everything a homeowner needs to safely achieve attractive, long-lasting, and healthy plants.
The latest in Storey's enormously popular Answer Book series, "The Pruning Answer Book" demystifies the subject, helping even novices successfully prune a variety of woody plants -- flowering trees, fruit and nut trees, shrubs, brambles, evergreens, vines, and groundcovers. Homeowners will feel as if they have a master arborist by their side, helping them bring out the best in their greenery.

Our climate is in a state of flux. Weather patterns are changing and therefore the way we manage our gardens are changing too. This offers a new and exciting challenge for all gardeners. This new book looks at the garden styles of nine regions which have always dealt superbly with heat, drought and water shortage - the Italianate Garden, the Islamic Garden, the Patio Garden, the Mediterranean Garden, the Gravel Garden, the Desert Garden, the Bush Garden, Cape Colour and the Jungle Garden. Each chapter explains the style and includes a practical tutorial, typical plant forms, a planting plan and a project. The final chapter is a useful plant directory introducing the key plants along with cultivation advice for growing them yourself. This is a critical read for gardeners, a practical and inspirational insight into the classic gardens defined by sunshine, humidity and lack of water that will continue to inform the gardens of tomorrow.

Simple Pleasures Throughout the Year "Simple Pleasures has become my go-to book for remembering to slow down and enjoy the little things in life." -Becca Anderson, bestselling author of Badass Affirmations, The Book of Awesome Women, and more An abundant sourcebook of ideas, encouraging quotes, recipes, and soothing activities, Simple Pleasures of the Garden shows you how to appreciate the simple things within your daily activities. The secret to living well year round can be found in the abundance of your home garden, so get to planting those seeds of simple joys and herbal healing! Nurture your mind, body, and soul. Sometimes finding the positive can be hard, but it doesn't have to be. From the recipe for a homemade herbal bath for a spa day to quick and easy recommendations for an instant room makeover, the suggestions and home recipes collected in this book offer a new appreciation for the everyday activities that nurture and comfort you. Simplify your emotional self care. Taking care of yourself doesn't have to be expensive, unrealistic, or inaccessible. It can be as easy as tending to a green garden, making healing herbal tonics, sipping calming teas, or spending time with other natural energy boosters. Pleasures are made, not bought, so unlock new secrets to happiness with these touching stories, practical tips, and satisfying crafts. Inside this positive attitude book you'll find: Ways to decorate your home with nature crafts, growing herbs, and an air of magic Advice on how to foster a routine for a rejuvenating self care year Tips on how to become the gardener of your moods and emotions If you liked seasonal self care books like A Year of Self-Care, Grow Your Own Medicine, or A Woman's Garden, you'll love Simple Pleasures of the Garden.

Get ready to journey into the huge world of growing small

The next garden trend combines the joy of gardening with the magic of miniatures. Gardening in Miniatureis a complete guide to creating lush, living, small-scale gardens. It has everything you need to pick up this new hobby, including scaled down garden designs, techniques for creating tiny hardscapes, miniature garden care and maintenance, tips on choosing containers, how to buy the right plants, and where to find life-like accessories. Inspiring step-by-step projects feature basic skills that can be recreated in any number of designs, like a tiny patio, a trellis, a pond, and a secret garden.

Whether you want to build a miniature empire in your garden bed or design a private garden with a pebble patio for an indoor centerpiece, Gardening in Miniatureis the primer for creating your own tiny, living world"

Hydroponics offers many advantages to traditional soil-based horticulture. These include greater control over many of the limiting factors, such as light, temperature, and pests, as well as the ability to grow plants in all seasons. With instruction from one of the top recognized authorities worldwide, Hydroponics for the Home Grower gives you step-by-step guidance on how to grow tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, lettuce, arugula, bok choy, and various herbs year-round within your home or in a backyard greenhouse. Read an Interview with Dr. Resh here With Dr. Howard Resh's help, you'll learn: Background information on how hydroponics evolved The nutritional and environmental demands of plants and how to control these factors How to provide formulations of nutrients optimal to the plants you wish to grow The many different hydroponic systems you can purchase or build for yourself Designs for different types of greenhouses with components to fit your personal taste and budget Crop selection and step-by-step procedures, including seeding, transplanting, training, pest and disease control, and harvesting-along with when to plant and when to change crops How you can grow microgreens on your kitchen counter The book includes an appendix with sources of seeds and other supplies, along with helpful websites and lists of books, articles, and conferences on growing hydroponically and caring for your crops. By following the guidelines in this book, you'll understand everything you need to know to get your home-growing operation up and running in no time.