The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegetable Gardening


Book Description

Perhaps it's because of the uncertainty that surrounds the safety of produce purchased in the grocery store these days. Perhaps it's because people are looking for fun, inexpensive hobbies to dive into. Or perhaps it's because there's nothing like the taste of fresh fruits and veggies grown in the backyard. But whatever the reason, readers need advice on gardening now more than ever before. And The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Vegetable Gardening is just the place to turn. In this book, expert authors Daria Price Bowman and Carl A. Price provide information on: Expert techniques for planning and plotting a gardenUnderstanding what's necessary for soil nourishmentPlanting seeds and seedlingsGrowing fruits, vegetables, berries, and moreCultivating medicinal and healing herbsRecognizing and preventing the most common plant diseasesIdentifying and eliminating weedsPruning and trimming plantsKnowing when to harvestDeciding whether to can, dry, or freeze A comprehensive, easy-to-read book, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Vegetable Gardening is an excellent resource for anyone interested in growing fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs.




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables


Book Description

A garden of delight-and healthy, economical eating. In The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Heirloom Vegetables, readers will learn the rewards of growing heirlooms; find hundreds of descriptions and histories of a variety of available vegetables and find out how to make pollination work. ?Helps readers grow and eat locally, reduce or eliminate pesticides and additives, and save money along the way ?Includes step-by-step instructions for harvesting, drying, cleaning, and storing heirloom seeds ?For economical reasons-as well as concern for the environment and personal health-the popularity of gardening has grown in recent years




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Seed Saving And Starting


Book Description

Mouthwatering heirlooms, exciting hybrids, sensational herbs, colorful flowers - you dream of a garden overflowing with vibrant, healthy plants. Turn your dream garden into reality with seeds you save and start yourself! With easy ideas on harvesting, storing, sowing and nurturing your seeds into flourishing plants, this helpful guide gives you a sure path from start to success. In it, you get: A look at seed and plant anatomy and how pollination works. Simple suggestions for identifying seeds to save, and for gathering and prepping seeds for next year's garden. Guidance on germinating seeds, indoors or out, using scarification or stratification. Tips for transplanting, thinning, hardening off, and protecting seedlings from weather, pests and disease. Easy ideas for cross-breeding plants and creating hybrids suited to your garden and climate. A comprehensive directory of botanical names and harvesting, germination, and sowing data for hundreds of plants. The Complete Idiot's Guide To Seed Saving And Starting is an essential resource to reap richer results with plants grown from your own seeds!




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition


Book Description

The healthy vegan diet-made easy. Vegans face their own special challenges when it comes to nutrition and this book provides answers. There are about one million vegans in the U.S. and about 50,000 new ones every year. A growing number of physicians advocate a completely plant-based diet for many of their patients who suffer from diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. In The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Plant-Based Nutrition, readers will find: ? Where to get nutrients that others get from meat and dairy. ? How to avoid the vegan pitfall of overfed but undernourished. ? How to spot hidden animal ingredients in packaged foods. ? Tips for eating at restaurants. ? Special considerations for children and seniors.




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Small-Space Gardening


Book Description

Creative strategies for gardens on balconies, ledges, fireescapes, planting beautiful borders and walkways, kids gardens, and much more!




Starter Vegetable Gardens


Book Description

Develop your green thumb as you learn to grow your own food. In this introductory guide to growing vegetables, Barbara Pleasant addresses common problems that first-time gardeners encounter. Using simple language and illustrated garden layouts, Pleasant shows you how to start, maintain, and eventually expand an organic vegetable garden in even the tiniest backyard. With handy tips on enriching soil, planting schedules, watering, fighting pests, and more, you’ll quickly discover how easy it is to enjoy your own homegrown vegetables.




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Year-Round Gardening


Book Description

Enjoy and benefit from the garden all year long. Whether it's onions in the summer, lettuce in the winter, or orchids any time, 'The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Year-Round Gardening', covers every step of the process of both outdoor and indoor gardening. From seeds, soil, compost, equipment, and fertilizers to all types of covers and greenhouses, and even gardening and harvesting in root-cellars during winter, this guide is a must-have for any dedicated gardener. Over 7 million households nationwide plan to grow their own fruits, vegetables, herbs and berries. The trend has recieved a boost from Michelle Obama's White House garden - aswell as from the desire to save money on food. The only book that covers both outdoor covered gardening and greenhouse gardening, as well as root-cellar gardening and harvesting, written by an expert in the field of greenhouse gardens.




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Composting


Book Description

Waste not, want not The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Composting takes readers step by step through the process of selecting the right compost container, filling it with the right "ingredients," maintaining the mix at the right temperature and humidity, and using the end product. • A concise format, simplified approach, and thrift-conscious price Chris McLaughlin • Author is a Master Gardener and an expert on all forms of composting • Gardening has risen greatly in popularity in the last few years, with an added boost from First Lady Michelle Obama, and so has composting, which is cheap, effective, and environmentally friendly • Thousands of state, regional, and municipal programs have been developed to encourage composting and thus reduce landfill waste




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Edible Gardening


Book Description

-- Builds on the best trends in gardening today and the growth of the gardening and cooking categories. -- Daria Bowman has written for this market and category before, knows the audience well, and will bring in top experts for technical review. -- Timing is right for holidays and winter Perfect for holiday gifts and winter garden planning. Home-based, comfort activities including gardening are booming plus there is growing popularity for cooking and growing your own veggies, herbs and even healing herbs! The Complete Idiot's Guide "RM" to Edible Gardening includes all you need to know about selecting, plotting, planting, pruning and harvesting vegetables, fruit and herbs. Whether it's growing your own carrots or tomatoes in a back yard plot, keeping lemon trees on the patio or a windowsill herb gardening, this title will help you choose what you're going to grow, where you're going to grow it and even what you'll do with it when it's finished. The Complete Idiot's Guide "RM" to Edible Gardening includes selecting space and what you'll grow, organic gardening - how to choose, what to use, pros and cons, growing seasons, styles types of vegetables, fruits, herbs for cooking and medicinal/healing herbs, options from large plots to container gardening, seeds, seedlings, starters and weeding watering, feeding, pruning and trimming, harvesting and some ideas for storing your bounty, seed saving, year-round gardens, and planning for next season, troubleshooting - determining what the problem is and how to fix it!




The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Cooking


Book Description

Delicious recipes for the growing vegan lifestyle. There are so many reasons to go vegan--health and nutrition, weight loss, green and sustainable living, and prevention of cruelty to animals. With over 200 mouth-watering recipes and tips for converting meat- and dairybased dishes into vegan ones, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Vegan Cooking will help readers enjoy a healthy vegan diet without sacrificing taste.