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Products tagged with: growing
Eat More Dirt: Diverting and Instructive Tips for Growing and Tending an Organic Garden
A witty, whimsical gardening primer for anyone who wants to tend their patch of earth with a truly green thumb. A garden can either bring you bliss or drive you insane, but organic landscape gardener Ellen Sandbeck has spent a lifetime discovering creative, effective techniques for growing and tending a garden with ease--while being kind to the earth itself. "Eat More Dirt" is her delightful compendium of homespun tips and tricks for designing, planting, nurturing, and beautifying your land without the use of harmful chemicals and pesticides. From peat moss to irksome pests and predators, Sandbeck explores the lively world of compost heaps (which can be used to naturally "vaccinate" your garden against disease), growing good soil, choosing plants well-adapted to your climate, weed warfare, planting protocols, and eco-friendly ways to quench your garden's thirst. Whether you tend an acre or just a window box, "Eat More Dirt" is an essential guide to keeping your garden thriving, the natural way. - Build up topsoil without toxic fertilizers or noisy machinery - Compost, the other black gold - Eradicate weeds with sunflower seeds - Protect berries from birds with a sugar-water spray - Gentle pruning techniques - Banish beetles with wheat bran - Drive off furry pests with cayenne pepper - When life hands you a seep, dig a pond--transforming garden irritants into garden pearls - Pre- and post-gardening stretches - Dancing with tools - The Zen of puttering -
Fair Food: Growing a Healthy, Sustainable Food System for All
A host of books and films in recent years have documented the dangers of our current food system, from chemical runoff to soaring rates of diet-related illness to inhumane treatment of workers and animals. But advice on what to do about it largely begins and ends with the admonition to "eat local or "eat organic." "Fair Food" is an enlightening and inspiring guide to changing not only what we eat, but how food is grown, packaged, delivered, marketed, and sold. Oran B. Hesterman shows how our system's dysfunctions are unintended consequences of our emphasis on efficiency, centralization, higher yields, profit, and convenience--and defines the new principles, as well as the concrete steps, necessary to restructuring it. Along the way, he introduces people and organizations across the country who are already doing this work in a number of creative ways, from bringing fresh food to inner cities to fighting for farm workers' rights to putting cows back on the pastures where they belong. He provides a wealth of practical information for readers who want to get more involved.
From Seed to Table: A Practical Guide to Eating and Growing Green
Eating locally grown seasonal food is the solution to so many of the social and environmental problems raised by modern intensive food production methods. In From Seed to Table, organic gardener Janette Haase offers a month-by-month guide to growing a significant amount of food in a home garden. From the earliest salad leaves to the autumn's sweetest root vegetables, this book will show anyone with a small plot of earth and willing hands how to eat a healthier, more environmentally responsible diet--one with a smaller impact on both the environment and household food bills. The book's introductory chapter explains the importance of eating locally and seasonally and offers some practical considerations before beginning a garden of one's own. The rest of the book is divided into chapters covering each months. Haase takes the home gardener through the tasks of the gardening year, giving clear and helpful instructions for the work to be done at each time, from planning and planting to harvesting and storage. She also offers delicious seasonal recipes and menu ideas. From Seed to Table concludes with a thoughtful essay on food-related environmental issues, from greenhouse gasses to the genetic modification of seeds. Janette Haase was born in Montreal and was raised there and in Newfoundland. She holds a degree in geology from Queen's University. Haase started farming on fifty acres near Kingston, Ontario, and ran a large organic market garden. In 1998, as a single parent with a tiny front garden and no backyard in a village near Kingston, Haase planted vegetables and realized she could feed her family with what she could grow in a very small space.
Great Growing at Home: The Essential Guide to Gardening Basics
In this book readers will discover how to grow the tastiest vegetables, most glorious flowers, improve their landscape to boost their property values and have gardens that are they envy of the neighborhood. The book is an easy-to-follow compilation of gardening know-how in one convenient volume by a nationally-recognized and acclaimed veteran garden writer. Top arborists, horticulturalists, plant breeders and other experts shared their knowledge and advice which Swenson has assembled in this fact-filled book. Great Growing at Home will answer all your gardening questions on such disparate subjects as container gardening and field layering, pruning and raised beds, compost bins and crop rotation, to name just a few. Written with a bias toward organic gardening as a result of his studies at the famous Rodale Farm in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, Swenson presents natural, organic gardening as a practical, productive and wholesome approach to producing an abundant, nourishing, and flavorful food supply. The book not only reflects his 40+ years as a garden writer, but also the first time he has been able to assemble his accumulated knowledge of gardening in one convenient place, including the latest information on new vegetable hybrids that resist disease and repel insects. Whether it's how to attract birds and butterflies to your garden or planting on slopes, Great Growing at Home will be your indispensable source of all you need to know about gardening.
Greenhouse Gardener's Companion: Growing Food & Flowers in Your Greenhouse or Sunspace
"Exceptionally comprehensive . . . a joy to read."--Hobby Greenhouse Association The most comprehensive book on greenhouse gardening available today. Shane Smith draws on his more than twenty years' experience to explain everything you need to know to establish a charming and productive greenhouse.
Greenhouse Gardening: Step by Step to Growing Success
Crowood Gardening Guides have become the indispensable handbooks for the keen gardener who wants his information clear, practical, and full of color. The greenhouse opens up a new dimension to gardening; making tropical conditions, a temperate room, or even an alpine house a possibility. This practical guide adopts a simple and logical approach to what to do and when for the best results. Routine tasks as well as new ideas are included in any easy-to-follow monthly calendar of progress in the greenhouse.
Growing a Garden City: How Farmers, First Graders, Counselors, Troubled Teens, Foodies, a Homeless Shelter Chef, Single Mothers, a
Fifteen people--plus a class of first graders--tell how local food, farms, and gardens changed their lives and their community...and how they can change yours, too. Growing a Garden City includes: Fifteen first-person stories of personal and civic transformation from a range of individuals, including farmers and community garden members, a low-income senior and troubled teen, a foodie, a food bank officer, and many more Seven in-depth "How It Works" sections on student farms, community gardens, community supported agriculture (CSA), community education, farm work therapy, community outreach, and more Detailed information on dozens of additional resources from relevant books and websites to government programs and national non-profit organizations Over 80 full-color photographs showing a diverse local food community at home, work, and play Read Growing a Garden City to: Learn how people like you, with busy lives like yours, can and do enjoy the many benefits of local food without having to become full-time organic farmers Gain the information you need to organize or get involved in your own "growing community" anywhere across the country and around the world
Homesteading: A Backyard Guide To: Growing Your Own Food, Canning, Keeping Chickens, Generating Your Own Energy, Crafting, Herbal
Who doesn't want to shrink their carbon footprint, save money, and eat homegrown food whenever possible? Even readers who are very much on the grid will embrace this large, fully-illustrated guide on the basics of living the good, clean life. It's written with country lovers in mind-even those who currently live in the city. Whether you live in the city, the suburbs, or even the wilderness, there is plenty you can do to improve your life from a green perspective. Got sunlight? Start container gardening. With a few plants, fresh tomatoes, which then become canned tomato sauce, are a real option. Reduce electricity use by eating dinner by candlelight (using homemade candles, of course). Learn to use rainwater to augment water supplies. Make your own soap and hand lotion. Consider keeping chickens for the eggs. From what to eat to supporting sustainable restaurants to avoiding dry cleaning, this book offers information on anything a homesteader needs-and more.
Organic Gardening for the 21st Century: A Complete Guide to Growing Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs and Flowers
The comprehensive guide to do-it-yourself organic gardening, starting from the basics. This groundbreaking book explains the latest scientific knowledge on how to find, choose and grow the best plants without any synthetic chemicals.
Organic Gardening for the 21st Century: A Complete Guide to Growing Vegetables, Fruits, Herbs, and Flowers
This comprehensive guide to organic gardening will help you create a steady supply of organically-grown fruits, vegetables, herbs, and flowers all year round. Includes the latest information on how to find, choose, and grow plants that thrive without synthetic chemicals. Learn how to: Plant traditional varieties, known as Heirloom plants, that were developed before the use of pesticides and fertilizers Select regional varieties adapted to your climate and location Increase your bounty by repurposing seeds from your own garden Discourage pests while encouraging beneficial insects and birds Includes a beautifully illustrated, A-to-Z directory of 250 varieties of vegetables, fruits, nuts, and herbs. Detailed entries include when to sow, plant, and harvest; cultivation information; and the top ten health-enhancing fruits and vegetables.
Small-Scale Grain Raising: An Organic Guide to Growing, Processing, and Using Nutritious Whole Grains for Home Gardeners and Local
First published in 1977, this bookafrom one of Americaas most famous and prolific agricultural writersabecame an almost instant classic among homestead gardeners and small farmers. Now fully updated and available once more, "Small-Scale Grain Raising" offers an entirely new generation of readers the best introduction to a wide range of both common and lesser-known specialty grains and related field crops, from corn, wheat, and rye to buckwheat, millet, rice, spelt, flax, and even beans and sunflowers.More and more Americans are seeking out locally grown foods, yet one of the real stumbling blocks to their efforts has been finding local sources for grains, which are grown mainly on large, distant corporate farms. At the same time, commodity prices for grainsaand the products made from themahave skyrocketed due to rising energy costs and increased demand. In this book, Gene Logsdon proves that anyone who has access to a large garden or small farm can (and should) think outside the agribusiness box and learn to grow healthy whole grains or beansathe base of our culinary food pyramidaalongside their fruits and vegetables.Starting from the simple but revolutionary concept of the garden apancake patch, a Logsdon opens up our eyes to a whole world of plants that we wrongly assume only the agricultural abig boysa can grow. He succinctly covers all the basics, from planting and dealing with pests, weeds, and diseases to harvesting, processing, storing, and using whole grains. There are even a few recipes sprinkled throughout, along with more than a little wit and wisdom.Never has there been a better time, or a more receptive audience, for this book. Localvores, serious home gardeners, CSA farmers, and whole-foods advocatesain fact, all people who value fresh, high-quality foodsawill find a field full of information and ideas in this once and future classic.
The Container Gardener's Bible: A Step-By-Step Guide to Growing in All Kinds of Containers, Conditions, and Locations
Gardeners love container plantings for the wonderful flexibility they provide. Without much effort, informal and formal container plantings can make a modern and stylish statement in every setting--shady backyards, sunny patios, exposed roof terraces, and as accents in beds and borders.Almost all plants grow easily in pots, and can accent a huge garden or nestle into a tiny space. Container gardens also offer the opportunity to bring fragile plants indoors to protect them from the winter freeze--as well as to start fresh again each season, allowing for continuous creativity and season-by-season decor. "The Container Gardener's Bible "covers every step in the container gardening experience, from choosing and placing containers, combining plants for drama and beauty, and maintaining and caring for container plants to attracting birds, bees, butterflies, and wildlife. It also includes a comprehensive directory of flowers, shrubs, trees, bulbs, fruit, vegetables, and herbs best suited to container gardens, categorized by color, foliage, season, habit, and planting schedules. This guide is also full of "Go Green" sidebars with eco tips and techniques, as well as a bonus feature on containers to combat noise, atmospheric, and visual pollution. Beautifully packaged with more than 500 stunning photographs and design ideas, "The Container Gardener's Bible "is an endless source of inspiration for beginning and experienced gardeners alike.
The Gardener's A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food
Before it was a book, The Gardener's A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food was organic gardener Tanya L. K. Denckla's highly prized personal database, the distillation of years of careful research and hands-on, real-life, dirt-under-the-fingernails experience in growing her own vegetables, herbs, fruits, and nuts. Now available to all, this easy-to-read sourcebook offers much to gardeners of all skill levels, answering questions quickly and authoritatively so more time can be spent enjoying the garden. Six comprehensive chapters cover vegetables, fruits and nuts, herbs, organic remedies, and allies and companions. Within each chapter plants are arranged alphabetically, making needed information eminently accessible. Individual plant entries provide specific information on planting; temperature; soil and water needs; measurements; seed-starting dates; pests, diseases, allies, companions, and incompatibles, as applicable; when to harvest; how to store produce; and overviews of selected varieties. Fully half of the book is dedicated to organic remedies that can prevent or combat plant diseases and garden pests. Hundreds of common diseases and pests are discussed, as well as which plants are likely to be affected, how to recognize the problem, and tried-and-true natural remedies. The Gardener's A-Z Guide to Growing Organic Food demystifies how to work collaboratively with the complex natural systems of the environment, making gardening a little easier and definitely more fun.
The Homesteading Handbook: A Back to Basics Guide to Growing Your Own Food, Canning, Keeping Chickens, Generating Your Own Energy,
Who doesn't want to shrink their carbon footprint, save money, and eat homegrown food whenever possible? Even readers who are very much on the grid will embrace this large, fully-illustrated guide on the basics of living the good, clean life. It's written with country lovers in mind-even those who currently live in the city. Whether you live in the city, the suburbs, or even the wilderness, there is plenty you can do to improve your life from a green perspective. Got sunlight? Start container gardening. With a few plants, fresh tomatoes, which then become canned tomato sauce, are a real option. Reduce electricity use by eating dinner by candlelight (using homemade candles, of course). Learn to use rainwater to augment water supplies. Make your own soap and hand lotion. Consider keeping chickens for the eggs. From what to eat to supporting sustainable restaurants to avoiding dry cleaning, this book offers information on anything a homesteader needs-and more.
The No-Dig Garden Specialist: The Essential Guide to Growing Vegetables, Salads and Soft Fruit in Raised No-Dig Beds
For those without the time or stamina to spend hours maintaining a garden, well-known experts Alan and Gill Bridgewater offer an easy-care method with minimal digging and weeding. They show how to make raised beds, build up soil with mushroom compost, cover weeds with mulch, and protect plants with nets and plastic--all using organic methods whenever possible. A must for every gardener.
The Ultimate Guide to Growing Your Own Food: Save Money, Live Better, and Enjoy Live with Food from Your Garden or Orchard
Growing your own food is a hot topic today because of the high cost of transporting food long distances, the heightened problem of diseases caused by commercially grown foods, and concerns of the overuse of chemicals in mass food production. Many people-from White House executives to inner-city kids-have recently discovered the benefits of homegrown vegetables and fruits. Community gardens, and even community canning centers, are increasingly popular and have turned roof-top gardening into a great and healthy food source. And on a smaller scale, some plants can even be grown in containers for the smallest backyard or patio. The possibilities for growing your own food are endless The Ultimate Guide to Growing Your Own Food informs you how to grow all types of vegetables, fruits, and even grains on your own land or in any small space available to you and your family. Also included is information on specific health benefits, vitamins, and minerals for each food, as well as detailed instructions for fall and winter food growing. Learn how to grow for your family, harvest and store all types of home-grown produce, and find joy in eating foods planted with your own hands.
Tips for Container Gardening: 300 Great Ideas for Growing Flowers, Vegetables & Herbs
Truth be told, you can grow almost anything in a pot -- and you can place those pots anywhere ... on a deck, patio or rooftop. That's why so many people love container gardening. It's versatile enough for suburban homeowners with acres of land as well as apartment-dwellers with no patch of ground to call their own. In fact, growing edibles in containers is a perfect way for homeowners and gardeners with limited space to have fresh food in their kitchens. Like each issue of "Fine Gardening," this latest collection is brimming with 300 essential tips, savvy shortcuts, and tried-and-true techniques, celebrating the growing popularity of container gardening. "Tips for Container Gardening "promises to bring out the bountiful best in all containers, large or small.
Your Farm in the City: An Urban-Dweller's Guide to Growing Food and Raising Animals
The most complete book on urban farming, covering everything from growing organic produce and raising chickens, to running a small farm on a city lot or in a suburban backyard. Eating locally and growing one's own food is a rapidly evolving movement in urban settings - Hantz Farms in Detroit has transformed 70 acres of abandoned properties into energy-efficient gardens, and Eagle Street Rooftop Farm, a 6,000-foot vegetable farm in Brooklyn, New York, yields 30 different kinds of produce, while private square-foot farms are cropping up in cities all over the country. Created by Lisa Taylor and the gardeners of Seattle Tilth, "Your Farm in the City" covers all of the essential information specific to gardening and farming in a city or town. Clear, easy-to-follow instructions guide and inspire even the most inexperienced urbanite in how to grow and harvest all types of produce, flowers, herbs, and trees, as well as how to raise livestock like chickens, ducks, rabbits, goats, and honeybees. Important information particular to gardening in a city or town is included, such as planning and maximizing limited space, building healthy soil, managing irrigation, understanding zoning laws, outwitting urban pests, and being a considerate farming neighbor. With 100 two-color instructional illustrations throughout and dozens of vital resources, Your Farm in the City is the most practical, comprehensive, and easy-to-follow guide to the burgeoning trend of urban farming.
