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.

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!

Work in partnership with nature to nurture your soil for healthy plants and bumper crops - without back-breaking effort! Have you ever wondered how to transform a weedy plot into a thriving vegetable garden? Well now you can! By following the simple steps set out in No Dig, in just a few short hours you can revolutionize your vegetable patch with plants already in the ground from day one! Charles Dowding is on a mission to teach that there is no need to dig over the soil, but by minimizing intervention you are actively boosting soil productivity. In fact, The less you dig, the more you preserve soil structure and nurture the fungal mycelium vital to the health of all plants. This is the essence of the No Dig system that Charles Dowding has perfected over a lifetime growing vegetables. So put your gardening gloves on and get ready to discover: - Guides and calendars of when to sow, grow, and harvest. - Inspiring information and first-hand guidance from the author - “Delve deeper” features look in-depth at the No Dig system and the facts and research that back it up. - The essential role of compost and how to make your own at home. - The importance of soil management, soil ecology, and soil health. Now one of the hottest topics in environmental science, this "wood-wide web" has informed Charles's practice for decades, and he's proven it isn't just trees that benefit - every gardener can harness the power of the wood-wide web. Featuring newly- commissioned step-by-step photography of all stages of growing vegetables and herbs, and all elements of No Dig growing, shot at Charles’s beautiful market garden in Somerset, you too will be able to grow more veg with less time and effort, and in harmony with nature - so join the No Dig revolution today! A must-have volume for followers of Charles Dowding who fervently believe in his approach to low input, high yield gardening, as well as gardeners who want to garden more lightly on the earth, with environmentally friendly techniques like organic and No Dig.

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

-- 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!

Allotment Gardening For Dummies is a lively, hands-on guide to getting the most out of your allotment. Whether you're interested in eating fresh, saving money, getting exercise or enjoying wholesome family fun, this is the guide for you. The step-by-step advice takes you through all the stages in the process, from securing an allotment and preparing your plot, to choosing what to grow and enjoying the benefits of abundant fresh food and a sociable and healthy hobby. With over 50 handy line drawings, plus information on how to grow organic and advice on storing and cooking the food you grow, this guide really does have it all! Allotment Gardening For Dummies includes: Part 1: Getting to Grips with Allotment Gardening Chapter 1: What Are Allotments All About? Chapter 2: Getting hold of an Allotment Chapter 3: Getting Started Part 2: Preparing for Allotment Success Chapter 4: Deciding What to Grow, When Chapter 5: Preparing Your Plot Chapter 6: Keeping Your Soil Healthy Chapter 7: Keeping Your Plants Healthy Chapter 8: Growing Organic Part 3: Growing a Few of Your Favourite Vegetables Chapter 9: Going Underground Chapter 10: The Staples Chapter 11: Growing Leafy Greens Chapter 12: Planting Peas, Beans and Other Pods Chapter 13: Growing More Exotic Veg Part 4: Extending Your Allotment Repetoire Chapter 14: Growing Wholesome Herbs Chapter 15: Growing Fruitful Fruit Chapter 16: Nurturing Flowers on an Allotment Part 5: Getting the Most Out of Your Allotment Chapter 17: Involving Children Around the Allotment Chapter 18: Hobnobbing with Allotment Society Chapter 19: Growing Giant Veg Part 6: The Part of Tens Chapter Chapter 20: Ten Common Accidents and How to Prevent Them Chapter 21: Ten Ways to Revive a Flagging Allotment

No butts about it! Because of increased interest in self-sufficient and sustainable living practices, people interested in having their own milk supply are turning to goats, which are easier to keep than cows. Whether for pets, milk, fiber, or even meat, The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Raising Goats provides everything a beginner needs to know about raising goats. ?According to the June 2007 issue of Better Nutrition magazine, goat's milk is gaining popularity in the United States because it is less allergenic and more easily digestible than cow's milk, and contains higher percentages of key nutrients ?Like raising chickens, raising goats ties directly into the sustainability and thrift movements