Contents

Foreword

Level 1: Digging In

Take Lots of Notes

Watch Your Frost Dates

Start with Herbs

Perennials vs. Annuals

North vs. South

Windowsill Gardening

Gardening Toolbox

Get a Water Barrel

Watering the Right Way

Mulch

Start Composting

Grow What You Eat

Thin Out the Seedlings

Get to Know the Good Bugs

Natural Pesticides

Level 2: Gone to Seed

Starting Seeds Indoors

Apartment Gardening

Container Gardening

Vertical Gardening

The Art of Transplanting

Testing Your Soil

Support Your Plants

Level 3: Green Thumb

Natural Fertilizers

Heirloom vs. Hybrid

Row or Not to Row

Rotate Your Crops

Successive Sowing

Get International

Adding Shade

Edible Flowers

Think of the Bees

Dealing with Animal Pests

Get Kids Involved

Saving Seeds

Level 4: Garden Pro

Get Started in the Fall

Cold Frames

Raise Up Your Beds

Preserving Your Harvest

Using Row Covers

Pruning and Cutting Back

Use Your Greywater

Microgreens and Sprouting

Companion Planting

Get Cooking

Level 5: Frequent Farmer

Growing Mushrooms

Growing Grains

Getting into Trees

Get Into Grafting

Harvesting

Sell Your Surplus

Think About Chickens

Bonus

Further Reading