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Books > Health, Home & Family > Gardening > Specialized gardening methods
With over 40 projects to make your own creative containers, let
Frances Tophill show you how to use often overlooked pots to their
full potential and transform your garden - whether you've only got
a modest balcony, small square of patio or just a windowsill. There
is always room for a bit of greenery in your life. Whether it's
growing herbs to add a fresh touch of flavour to your cooking or
planting succulents to display on your windowsill, containers help
you to bring nature to the most inhospitable and smallest of
spaces. Frances covers a range of different planting schemes and
types of container, from urns and troughs to chimney stacks and
hanging baskets. She delivers expert advice on what to grow - from
bonsais, bulbs and bamboos to tumbling and creeping plants and
flowers - and shows you how to make a living wall, a pond in a
metal trough or even your own bespoke containers. With Frances's
creative ideas, you can transform any garden into a host of
inspirational and unique pots and plants.
In one affordable polytunnel, kitchen-garden guru Joyce Russell
shows you how to grow vegetables easily, organically and abundantly
so that you have something to eat every month of the year. Whether
you are a beginner or more experienced, this comprehensive,
practical, month-by-month guide to polytunnel gardening has got
everything you need, telling you exactly what to do and when to do
it, in order to grow the best fruit and vegetables all-year-round.
From preparing the site to making a hotbed, from composts and
organic feeds to identifying and coping with pests, plus
information on how to get the best from each crop and
month-to-month planting plans for year-round growing, The
Polytunnel Book provides a wealth of practical tips and techniques
as well as celebrating what can be achieved. Illustrated with 300
stunning colour photographs, this practical guide to polytunnels
hand guides you through each month of the year, ensuring the best
results all year round.
Winner of the Garden Media Guild Practical Book of the Year Award
2022 From the creator of the wildly popular website 'Vertical Veg'
and with over 200k people in his online community of growers, comes
the complete guide to growing delicious fruit, vegetables, herbs
and salad in containers, pots and more - in any space at home - no
matter how small! If you long to grow your own tomatoes, courgettes
or strawberries but thought you didn't have enough space, Mark
Ridsdill Smith, aka the 'Vertical Veg Man,' will show you how. Make
the most of walls, balconies, patios, arches and windowsills and
create rich, beautiful and delicious homegrown food. With proven
results from his ten years of experience growing in all kinds of
containers and teaching people how to grow bountiful, edible crops
in small spaces, Mark will show you how gardening in containers is
more than just a hobby but rather a way of creating a significant
amount of delicious, low-cost, nutritious food. In his second year
of growing in containers, Mark grew over 80kg of food worth GBP900!
Inside The Vertical Veg Guide to Container Gardening, you'll find:
Mark's 'Eight Steps to Success' How to make the most of your space
How to draw up a planning calendar so you can grow throughout the
year Planting projects for beginners and the best plants to start
with Compost recipes and wormery guide for the more experienced
gardener Troubleshoots for the specific challenges of growing in
small spaces Ways to support pollinators and other wildlife in
urban areas How growing food at home can contribute to wellbeing,
sustainability and the local community Don't be confined by the
space you have - grow all the food you want with Mark's Vertical
Veg Guide to Container Gardening.
Growing plants in containers is a quick and easy way to enhance
gardens, courtyards, patios and terraces, balconies, windows and
entrances. This detailed and authoritative book sets out the best
container plant combinations and gives you all the step-by-step
directions you need for planting, creating and maintaining
beautiful container-based displays.
'n Vars blik op inheemse tuinmaak, of jy nou geleidelik uitheemse
plante met inheemses wil vervang, of van voor af begin en volledig
op ons eie plante fokus. Hierdie plante verg minder werk as
uitheemses, het gewoonlik minder water nodig, wil byna geen
chemiese kunsmis en insekdoders he nie, en kos heelwat minder omdat
jy hulle nie kort-kort hoef te vervang nie. Elke plant in die titel
is spesiaal gekies omdat dit blom, soms besadig, maar meer dikwels
baldadig. Benewens 'n nabyfoto en volledige beskrywing van byna 100
plantspesies is hier interessante inligting oor grondvoorbereiding,
voeding, voortplanting en instandhouding.
Take an inspirational journey through the seasons with this
beautifully illustrated RHS children's almanac. Created with the
Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the UK's leading gardening
charity, this stunning book is perfect for inspiring a love of
nature. Watch the seasons unfold as you leaf through this
gorgeously illustrated almanac. With stunning illustrations, each
page introduces a magical moment in nature with enchanting poetry
and stories. Meanwhile, gardening spreads, recipes, outdoor
activities and fascinating nature facts help you discover more
about the wonderful world around you, from amazing animal
migrations to a close-up view of the animal world beneath the soil.
The perfect gift to treasure, with sumptuous shiny foil finishes on
the cover Stunning illustrations and nature poems and stories take
you on a wonderful journey through nature This amazing book will
inspire children and (grown-ups!) The perfect book to help you
connect with nature.
A scythe is one of the most elegant and efficient hand tools
available. It is ideal for harvesting many types of crops and is
quieter and pleasanter to use than a strimmer. There is a graceful,
rhythmic quality to scything that once mastered can provide the
ultimate mind and body workout. In this book, Ian Miller teaches
you how to scythe from scratch including assembly, perfecting the
stroke, honing, peening, uses and aftercare. A scythe can be used
for mowing the lawn, harvesting small grain, and cutting back
wildflower meadows without disrupting wildlife. The hay and straw
can be used in the garden for mulching and composting or for food
and bedding for household pets while small grains can used for
making bread and feeding poultry. The Scything Handbook will
delight all gardeners, allotmenteers and smallholders who are tired
of their noisy, heavy, fuel-dependent machines and looking for
better ways to take care of themselves and their land.
Gardens are often crawling with all kinds of garden bugs, and even
the smallest plot can be an important haven for wildlife. But can
you distinguish between a Garden Snail and a Strawberry Snail? Or
can you tell a False Widow Spider from a Harvestman? These are just
some of the more than 2,000 different species of garden bugs that
are found in the British Isles, many of which we depend on for our
own survival. RSPB ID Spotlight Garden Bugs is a reliable fold-out
chart that presents illustrations of more than 50 of our most
widespread and familiar garden bugs by renowned artist Richard
Lewington. - Species are grouped by family and helpfully labelled
to assist with identification - Artworks are shown side-by-side for
quick comparison and easy reference at home or in the field - The
reverse of the chart provides information on the habitats,
behaviour, life cycles and diets of our garden bugs, as well as the
conservation issues they are facing and how the RSPB and other
conservation charities are working to support them - Practical tips
on bug houses and implementing wildlife-friendly garden practices
are also included The ID Spotlight charts help wildlife enthusiasts
identify and learn more about our most common species using
accurate colour illustrations and informative, accessible text.
Forest Gardening (or agroforestry) is a way of growing edible crops
with nature doing most of the work. A forest garden imitates young
natural woodland, with a wide range of crops grown in vertical
layers. Species are chosen for their beneficial effects on each
other, creating a healthy system that maintains its own fertility,
with little need for digging, weeding or pest control. The result
of this largely perennial planting is a tranquil, beautiful and
productive space. This book is a bible for permaculture and forest
gardening, with practical advice on how to create a forest garden,
from planning and design to planting and maintenance. It explains
how a forest garden is designed from the top down: the canopy layer
first, then the shrub layer, the perennial ground-cover layer, the
annuals & biennials next, the climbers and nitrogen fixers and
finally the clearings, living spaces and paths. Whether in a small
back garden or in a larger plot, the environmental benefits of
growing this way are great. Forest Gardens are a viable solution to
the challenge of a changing climate: we can grow food sustainably
in them without compromising soil health, food quality or
biodiversity. Forest gardens: store carbon dioxide in the soil and
in the woody biomass of the trees and shrubs. enable the soil to
store more water after heavy rains, minimizing flooding and
erosion. boost the health of the ecosystem, ensuring a balance of
predators and beneficial insects because mixed planting is crucial
to the scheme. allows the soil to thrive because it is covered with
plants all year round. Creating a Forest Garden includes a detailed
directory of over 500 trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials,
annuals, root crops and climbers. As well as more familiar plants
such as fig and apple trees, blackcurrants and rosemary shrubs, you
can grow your own chokeberries, goji berries, yams, heartnuts,
bamboo shoots and buffalo currants. Forest gardens produce fruits,
nuts, vegetables, seeds, salads, herbs, spices, firewood,
mushrooms, medicinal herbs, dye plants, soap plants, and honey from
bees. This book tells you everything you need to create your own
forest garden with beautiful illustrations and helpful tips
throughout.
In this uniquely Southern African book, Carl Morrow and Keith
Kirsten guide readers step by step into the magical realms of
bonsai as a hobby, horticultural practice and art form. The
contents reflect the natural progression most people follow as
their interest grows, and includes keeping your first tree or two
alive and thriving, the basic techniques and skills to shape your
trees and add to your collection, and the advanced skills and
underlying philosophy needed for advancing in the art. This edition
has been revised and updated in both content and illustrative
material. The species list at the end of the book is a guide to
popular trees in the Southern African bonsai context and is
illustrated for ease of identification. Bonsai success in Southern
Africa is the perfect 'teacher' for those making their first foray
into this fascinating and rewarding art, as well as for more
experienced bonsai growers.
The original biodynamic sowing and planting calendar, now in its
61st year. The easy-to-view layout features detailed planting,
tending and harvesting information to help growers maximise the
yield and vitality of crops and plants. Trusted by generations of
farmers and gardeners, the ultimate biodynamic calendar features:
-- A clear layout making it simpler to plan what to do and when --
Space dedicated to detailed explanations of the recommended
activities -- Information panels make it easy to use -- Clear
headings and sections for fast look-ups -- Detailed planting,
tending and harvesting information to maximise the yield and
vitality of crops and plants -- Suitable for both seasoned
biodynamic farmers and beginner gardeners -- Solar and lunar
events, plus information on planetary aspects, are given dedicated
space The calendar includes a pull-out wallchart that can be pinned
up in a barn, shed or greenhouse as a handy quick reference.
In recent years, container gardening has taken on a new dimension,
as new and vastly varied containers have become available to suit
every taste. In this will advise you on the best use of container
plants to enhance your garden and patio, to achieve dramatic and
colourful results in small spaces, or, in larger gardens, to create
focal points which link different parts of the garden. She gives
practical suggestions on how containers can be used to solve
problems in the garden, and hundreds of ideas for striking and
unusual plant combinations. Creative containers provides a wealth
of exciting and original ideas for container gardening, focusing on
the following - Planning - how containers fit into the overall
design of the house, patio and garden. Choosing containers,
including ideas for unusual containers and instructions for making
or decorating your own containers. Plant discussions - detailed
descriptions of suitable container plants, suggested combinations,
growing conditions, etc. Plant care and maintenance - how to make
sure that your container plants flourish.
An invaluable reference for beginners and experienced enthusiasts
alike! Beginners will love this book for its pictorial and concise
approach to growing, grouping and caring for succulents and cacti
to make them thrive. Experienced succulents enthusiasts will
appreciate the sheer variety of plants described here--a detailed
field guide to over 700 varieties, both common and exotic. Author
Shoichi Tanabe walks you through all the steps from selecting your
plants to potting, watering and displaying them. In this complete
guide you will find everything from: Advice on selecting the right
plants for your environment and lifestyle How to create attractive
groupings of succulents and spaces which thrive together Tips on
ensuring the right light, air flow, humidity and watering regimen
Essential tools and soils as well as how and when to transplant
your succulents And so much more! The plants are grouped by seasons
(spring-fall or summer-winter types), when and how much to water
them, their ease of cultivation, and more. Tips for cultivating
each genus are included, along with plenty of advice on how to keep
them healthy and vigorous. An index to all the plants makes this an
indispensable guide when adding to your collection of succulents,
cacti and air plants!
This inspirational book from Kew Gardens' tree expert is the
perfect guide to choosing and growing these essential garden
mainstays. With authoritative advice from Kew tree expert Tony
Kirkham and the Kew Gardens team, this is the ultimate companion to
growing and planting trees. In addition, there are twelve
tree-related projects to inspire every green-fingered gardener.
There is a place in every garden for a tree, but before buying it
is important to think about why and what you are planting and
where. Do you want to plant for privacy, as a single ornamental
specimen for seasonal interest or to attract wildlife? Such key
considerations are discussed by the Tony Kirkham, Head of the
Arboretum, Gardens & Horticultural Services at the Royal
Botanic Gardens, Kew. He also explains the practicalities of
growing a tree as well as describing and illustrating a wide range
of trees in detail, for every size of garden. The Kew Gardener's
Guide to Growing Trees is part of the Kew Gardener's Guide to
Growing series, a collection of books from Kew's top experts filled
with tips, projects and handy advice on a range of gardening
issues. Other titles include Growing Herbs, Growing House Plants,
Growing Vegetables, Growing Orchids and Growing Fruit.
Ben Raskin's wide-ranging work in varied locations makes The
Woodchip Handbook a really useful overview of the possibilities
afforded by woodchip. Charles Dowding, author of Charles Dowding's
No Dig Gardening The first and only complete guide to sourcing and
using woodchip - an abundant, inexpensive and ecologically
sustainable material - for savvy growers and landscapers at any
scale, from farm to garden to greenhouse. The Woodchip Handbook is
the essential guide to the many uses of woodchip both in
regenerative agriculture and horticulture. Author Ben Raskin, Head
of Horticulture and Agroforestry at the Soil Association, draws on
his extensive practical experience using woodchip, provides the
latest research from around the world and presents inspiring case
studies from innovative farmers. The book explores and unlocks the
tremendous potential of woodchip to enhance soil health and plant
growth: As a natural mulch for weed suppression, temperature
buffering and water conservation As a growing medium for
propagating plants As a decomposing source of warmth for hotbeds in
the greenhouse or hoop house As a carbon-rich compost ingredient
that supports beneficial fungi and microorganisms As a powerful
soil health booster when applied as small-sized ramial chipped wood
As an ideal substrate for growing many kinds of edible or medicinal
mushrooms As a sustainable, versatile and durable material for foot
paths and ornamental landscaping Some of these techniques, like
mulching - or the renewable harvest potential from coppicing and
pollarding trees - have been around forever. Yet there is always
new science to be discovered, such as the role that salicylic acid
from willow woodchip can play in preventing tree diseases or
promoting livestock health when used as a bedding material. Whether
you are a commercial grower or farmer, a permaculture practitioner
or a serious home gardener producing your own fruit and vegetables,
The Woodchip Handbook will show you how to get the most out of this
readily available and renewable material. I did not know the world
needed a whole book on woodchip, but from the first chapter I could
not put this book down. Alys Fowler, author of The Edible Garden
and The Thrifty Gardener
By reimagining how we design and use our gardens, we can all do our
bit to support local wildlife, improve our health and help tackle
the climate crisis. If we all take positive steps in our gardens,
no matter how small, we can all really make a difference in the
world. This book focuses on the activities and planting suitable
for a Scottish climate but also contains lots of useful information
relevant for gardeners throughout the UK. Practical information on
planning is followed by expert guidance on: Planting for wildlife
in nectar-rich borders, wildflower meadows, hedgerows, trees and
shrubs Building for wildlife with bird boxes, bug boxes, feeders
and ponds Green gardening approaches with fruit and veg production,
rain gardens, green roofs, compost making and creating new plants
through propagation Attracting birds, bees, butterflies and other
insects, aquatic life and nightlife
Discover the joy of growing and using plants indoors and outdoors,
no matter how limited your space. This beautifully illustrated book
is a modern, fresh take on gardening that shows how anyone can grow
their own vegetables, create a mini wildflower meadow or learn how
to make the most of their houseplants. And you don't need your own
garden to get started. Creating a thriving window box, choosing
suitable plant pots for a desktop oasis or joining a local
community garden are perfect ways to experience the joys of
gardening. Learn which plants will encourage wildlife, discover
what works best for your space (no matter how small), find
inspiration, experiment with colour, texture and techniques.
Whatever you choose to grow, you'll be doing one of the best
activities there is to enhance your sense of well-being and improve
your physical health - so grab those seeds, pick up the watering
can and get growing!
Zero-Waste Gardening is your essential go-to guide to growing your
own food for maximum taste and minimum waste. Organic gardening
expert, Ben Raskin, shares over 60 unique planning-for-yield guides
for key crops. Work out how to make the most of the green space you
have got, what to grow easily in it, and how much you will harvest
seasonally for zero waste. Learn about the roots of organic
gardening, and unearth how to plant waste-free for any size plot,
from balcony containers to 5-metre-square yards. Peppered with
root-to-stalk cooking techniques, and edibility tips including
which crops you can eat straight away, this is a plot-to-plate
handbook for everyone with a green-thumb. Perfect for new and
experienced growers, zero-food waste followers, city gardeners, and
the ecologically minded, this is the only gardening book you will
ever need!
Delicious Italian-inspired recipes from a New Zealand home garden
Nostrana means homegrown, ours; growing food with the intent of
sharing it. Inspired by the abundant lemon trees and trellised
tomato vines of her Italian grandparents' vegetable garden, Bri
DiMattina started her own edible pantry in her back garden and
discovered the joys of bringing food from seed to table. Organised
seasonally, and with growing guides for each ingredient, Nostrana
shares simple, gorgeous and delicious recipes with fresh vegetables
and fruits you can easily grow and harvest yourself. Just a taste
of the mouth-watering, Stromboli-inspired recipes in Nostrana
includes: fried artichokes with caper mayonnaise strawberry and
amaretto slushies green bean panzanella bottled spaghetti zucchini
arancini rhubarb and custard tortes BBQ parmigiana and limoncello.
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