There are no stupid questions here. Everyone has to start somewhere, after all. In The First-Time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers, Sean and Allison McManus, the gardening pros behind the popular website and podcast Spoken Garden, answer all of your questions and more. Caring for outdoor plantings can be intimidating, especially if the process is completely new to you. Before running to the hardware store to stock up on plastic bags of mulch and tools you don’t really need, arm yourself with the know-how to plant and tend outdoor areas correctly and safely. Doing so saves you time, money, and energy—and helps make the process a whole lot more fun! With help from this easy-to-follow beginner gardening guide, you’ll learn: Tips for selecting the best plants and flowers for your growing conditions The best planting techniques for different types of plants How to mulch trees, shrubs, and garden beds correctly Pruning dos and don’ts for common garden plants Ways to keep weeds out of outdoor areas—without using synthetic herbicides How to recognize and manage different pests and diseases naturally Insider tips on everything from the difference between annuals and perennials to choosing the best organic fertilizer Plus, you’ll find time-management advice and tips for effective, resource-conscious gardening You will close the book not only knowing how to care for your home's outdoor plantings using earth-friendly methods, but also knowing the satisfaction of a beautiful, all-natural landscape. This book is part of The First-Time Gardener's Guides series from Cool Springs Press, which also includes The First-Time Gardener: Growing Vegetables. Each book in The First-Time Gardener's Guides series is aimed at beginner gardeners and offers clear, fact-based information that's presented in a friendly and accessible way, including step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations throughout.

You’re excited to plant your first vegetable garden—but where to start? In The First-Time Gardener: Growing Vegetables, you'll find the answers you're looking for. Homesteader Jessica Sowards, the warm and energetic host of YouTube’s Roots and Refuge Farm, is the perfect teacher for new gardeners, offering not just know-how but inspiration and time-management tips for success. Before you sink your hands into the soil, she’ll answer all those questions rolling around inside your head: Where do I put my new garden? How do I prepare the soil? What vegetables should I plant? Is it better to start new plants from seed or should I buy transplants? What about watering, feeding, and taking care of my garden? What do I do if bugs show up? There are no stupid questions here. Everyone has to start somewhere, after all. Not only will you learn how to prepare, plant, and tend your first vegetable garden, you’ll also learn: How to design an eco-friendly layout How to grow with the seasons How to maximize your harvest, even if you only grow in a small space Jessica wants your first food-growing experience to be a positive one, and she’s prepared to go the distance to make sure tending the earth becomes your new favorite hobby. A single growing season is all it takes to fall in love with growing your own healthy, organic, nutrient-dense food. With Jessica as your guide, you’ll soon discover all the satisfactions, challenges, and great joys of growing your own food garden. This book is part of The First-Time Gardener's Guides series from Cool Springs Press, which also includes The First-Time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers. Each book in The First-Time Gardener's Guides series is aimed at beginner gardeners and offers clear, fact-based information that's presented in a friendly and accessible way, including step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations throughout.

You’re excited to plant your first vegetable garden—but where to start? In The First-Time Gardener: Growing Vegetables, you’ll find the answers you’re looking for. *Winner of the GardenComm 2022 Media Awards Silver Award of Achievement in the Photography/Book General Readership Category* Homesteader Jessica Sowards, the warm and energetic host of YouTube’s Roots and Refuge Farm, is the perfect teacher for new gardeners, offering not just know-how but inspiration and time-management tips for success. Before you sink your hands into the soil, she’ll answer all those questions rolling around inside your head: Where do I put my new garden? How do I prepare the soil? What vegetables should I plant? Is it better to start new plants from seed or should I buy transplants? What about watering, feeding, and taking care of my garden? What do I do if bugs show up? There are no stupid questions here. Everyone has to start somewhere, after all. Not only will you learn how to prepare, plant, and tend your first vegetable garden, you’ll also learn: How to design an eco-friendly layout How to grow with the seasons How to maximize your harvest, even if you only grow in a small space Jessica wants your first food-growing experience to be a positive one, and she’s prepared to go the distance to make sure tending the earth becomes your new favorite hobby. A single growing season is all it takes to fall in love with growing your own healthy, organic, nutrient-dense food. With Jessica as your guide, you’ll soon discover all the satisfactions, challenges, and great joys of growing your own food garden. This book is part of The First-Time Gardener’s Guides series from Cool Springs Press, which also includes The First-Time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers and The First-Time Gardener: Raised Bed Gardening. Each book in The First-Time Gardener’s Guides series is aimed at beginner gardeners and offers clear, fact-based information that’s presented in a friendly and accessible way, including step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations throughout.

Discover the Joys of Spring Gardening and Cultivate a Flourishing Backyard Oasis Imagine stepping outside to a burst of vibrant colors, the sweet scent of blossoms, and the satisfying crunch of fresh vegetables from your very own garden. With "The First-Time Gardener: Spring Edition", that dream can be your reality. This beginner-friendly guide is your companion through the season of renewal, offering wisdom to transform your outdoor space into a thriving sanctuary. Dive into an insightful introduction that prepares you for the exciting journey ahead, as you learn to embrace all that spring gardening offers. The pages of this book unfurl like the petals of a flower, guiding you through the foundations of understanding your Garden's Spring Canvas in Chapter 1. Discover secrets to assessing your space, ascertaining sunlight patterns, rejuvenating soil, and selecting the right tools for an effortless start. In Chapter 2, you'll sketch the garden of your dreams. Your pulse will quicken as you learn to design a layout that includes a flourish of colors, practical pathways, and a tailored gardening timeline. Then, roll up your sleeves for Chapter 3's deep dive into soil preparation--a pivotal step to ensure a healthy bed for your plants to take root. The heart of Spring Edition lies in the careful curation of plants recommended in Chapter 4. Cool-season vegetables and enchanting blooms are listed not just for their beauty, but for their ability to attract essential pollinators. You'll practically feel the soil beneath your fingernails as you learn about starting seeds indoors come Chapter 5, transplanting, and direct sowing in subsequent chapters. Moving beyond the basics, delve into essential gardening skills with chapters on mindful watering, mulching, organic pest solutions, and regular maintenance. Decoding the mystique of container gardening and composting becomes a pleasure with targeted chapters offering clear, concise tips. Conclude your reading as you look forward to harvesting the fruits of your labor. With an adorned appendix and glossary, you will finish the book not simply as a reader, but as a gardener poised for a bountiful spring. Embrace your green thumb with "The First-Time Gardener: Spring Edition" and make this season your canvas for a masterpiece of nature.

Growing your own fresh, organic food in containers is a great way to begin your gardening journey! This friendly guide includes everything you need to know to get started. What’s holding you back from growing your own food? Are you nervous about having enough space? Do you question whether or not you have the time to make it happen? Are the growing conditions you have a little questionable? Is your budget at a bare-bones minimum? Then container gardening is the answer to all of your concerns! With a minimal investment in time, money, and space, and The First-Time Gardener: Container Food Gardening at your side, start your very first garden in containers, instead of in the ground. You just may find you’re capable of growing fantastic yields in spite of all your initial hesitations. Container gardens can take up as much or as little room as you’d like. They’re portable, so you can locate them wherever conditions are optimal for plant growth. And, you can grow just about any veggie in pots, as long as you have the right container, the right soil blend, and the right care tips. In these pages, author Pam Farley of BrownThumbMama.com lines the path to container food gardening success in clear, simple steps. Not only will you learn how to get started, you’ll also discover: What size container you need for each different veggie Why filling the pot with the perfect soil blend matters so much When to fertilize and how often to water Where to locate your container food garden for optimum production What to do if problems arise and how to fix them Tips for everything from staking and pruning your veggie plants to knowing when it’s time to harvest Plus, find a dozen fully illustrated planting plans for themed container food gardens, including a Smoothie Greens Garden, a Spring Stir-Fry Garden, a Spaghetti Sauce Garden, a Salad Greens Garden, and many others. No room? No problem. Lousy soil? Nothing to worry about. Not enough time? Think again. Growing food in containers is fun, easy, and perfect for beginners. This book is part of The First-Time Gardener’s Guides series from Cool Springs Press, which also includes The First-Time Gardener: Raised Bed Gardening, The First-Time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers, and The First-Time Gardener: Growing Vegetables. Each book in The First-Time Gardener’s Guides series is aimed at beginner gardeners and offers clear, fact-based information that’s presented in a friendly and accessible way, including step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations throughout.

There are no stupid questions here. Everyone has to start somewhere, after all. In The First-Time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers, Sean and Allison McManus, the gardening pros behind the popular website and podcast Spoken Garden, answer all of your questions and more. Caring for outdoor plantings can be intimidating, especially if the process is completely new to you. Before running to the hardware store to stock up on plastic bags of mulch and tools you don’t really need, arm yourself with the know-how to plant and tend outdoor areas correctly and safely. Doing so saves you time, money, and energy—and helps make the process a whole lot more fun! With help from this easy-to-follow beginner gardening guide, you’ll learn: Tips for selecting the best plants and flowers for your growing conditions The best planting techniques for different types of plants How to mulch trees, shrubs, and garden beds correctly Pruning dos and don’ts for common garden plants Ways to keep weeds out of outdoor areas—without using synthetic herbicides How to recognize and manage different pests and diseases naturally Insider tips on everything from the difference between annuals and perennials to choosing the best organic fertilizer Plus, you’ll find time-management advice and tips for effective, resource-conscious gardening You will close the book not only knowing how to care for your home's outdoor plantings using earth-friendly methods, but also knowing the satisfaction of a beautiful, all-natural landscape. This book is part of The First-Time Gardener Guide series from Cool Springs Press, which also includes The First-Time Gardener: Growing Vegetables. Each book in The First-Time Gardener Guide series is aimed at beginner gardeners and offers clear, fact-based information that's presented in a friendly and accessible way, including step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations throughout.

Setting up your first raised bed garden? With help from YouTube gardening star CaliKim, you’ll soon be growing your own fresh, organic vegetables, herbs, and flowers like a pro. Whether your yard is big or small, raised beds are the perfect fit. They allow you to create a controlled growing environment, filled with fertile soil, where plants thrive. Raised beds help gardeners overcome rocky or less-than-ideal soils, there’s little to no weeding involved, and they can be as large or as petite as you’d like. You can even use an elevated or mobile raised bed if the only sunny space you have to grow is on a patio, deck, or driveway. In The First-Time Gardener: Raised Bed Gardening, you’ll learn how to select the best raised bed for your space, what to fill it with, and tips for staking and trellising plants to save space and improve yields. Additional advice found inside includes: DIY plans for building quick-and-simple beds Info on the best soil mixes for filling raised beds How to mulch, water, and fertilize your new garden Illustrated planting plans to help you determine how many plants fit in each bed Step-by-step project plans for unique raised bed trellising systems The best beginner-friendly crops to get you started How to maximize production from a small raised bed garden Tips to get growing in a way that won’t leave you feeling overwhelmed halfway through the season Raised bed gardening is perfect for beginners, as long as you have a pro like CaliKim sharing her essential know-how and cheering you on to veggie-growing victory. This book is part of The First-Time Gardener’s Guides series from Cool Springs Press, which also includes The First-Time Gardener: Growing Plants and Flowers and The First-Time Gardener: Growing Vegetables. Each book in The First-Time Gardener’s Guides series is aimed at beginner gardeners and offers clear, fact-based information that’s presented in a friendly and accessible way, including step-by-step instructions and full-color illustrations throughout.