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Books > Gardening > General
Described here are the techniques and fundamental concepts
underlying the production and marketing of vegetable crops,
particularly those crops that contribute to the commercial vitality
of the vegetable industry in the western hemisphere. Those
resources which are fundamental to successful crop production,
natural, biological and economic, are covered, as well as the
vegetable management systems that integrate these resources. Also
included is specific information on each of the major vegetable
crops, such as history, botanical characteristics, production
techniques, pests, harvesting and marketing. In addition,
discussions are provided of social conflicts and problems that
arise from water and land use practices, pesticide application and
conservation.
Ever since she was old enough to help her grandmother in the
garden, Sharon Lovejoy has spent her life working with plants--and
along the way, through "trowel and error," she's accumulated
hundreds and hundreds of remedies, tips, short-cuts, and cure-alls.
Now Ms. Lovejoy--author of "Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots" and
the award-winning "Sunflower Houses"--does for the garden what
Heloise or the Queen of Clean does for the household. "Trowel and
Error" collects all of her homespun garden advice into an inviting,
environmentally friendly, whimsically illustrated yet dead-on
helpful book that will benefit every gardener, beginner or
experienced.
Cure plant viruses with spoiled milk. Steep a natural and effective
insecticide out of fresh basil. Place flat stones under squash or
melons to hasten ripening. Recycle an old apple corer as the
perfect dibber for muscari and other small bulbs. Start rosemary
cuttings in a green glass bottle. Sprinkle baby powder over
seedlings to discourage rabbits. Crush a garlic clove and apply it
to your skin as an insect repellent. From urging the reader to take
an occasional shower with the houseplants to giving all-natural
gardenside first aid, "Trowel and Error" is a direct line to the
kind of practical wisdom that comes only after a lifetime of
experience. The book is indexed by problem, plant, pest, and
solution, and includes a list of tools and common household
items--borax, cornmeal, vinegar--that completes the gardener's
arsenal.
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