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Index
Title
Contents
Introduction
About This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
What You’re Not to Read
Foolish Assumptions
How This Book Is Organized
Icons Used in This Book
Where to Go from Here
Part I : Preparing Yourself (And Your Garden) for Planting
Chapter 1: Getting Ready for Gardening
Playing the Name Game
Bringing in Beauty with Flowers (and Foliage)
Gardening for Your Dining Pleasure
Working with Woody (or Viney) Plants
The World Is Flat: Caring for Your Lawn
Chapter 2: Planning Your Own Eden
Taking Stock: Evaluating What You Already Have
Getting Ideas for Your Garden Space
Zeroing In on Your Ideal Garden Style
Making Sure Costs Don’t Outgrow Your Budget
Bringing Your Garden Ideas to Reality
Getting Professional Help for Your Garden Plans
Chapter 3: Getting into the Zone – Your Garden’s Zone
Different Hardiness Zone Maps for Different Folks
Fathoming Frost Zones and Growing Seasons
Zoning Out: Breaking the Zone and Growing Season Rules
Chapter 4: Live Long and Prosper: Giving Plants What They Need
Let There Be Light!
Facing the Fertilizer Facts
Compost: More than Just a Fertilizer
Demystifying Soil pH
Much Ado about Mulch
Water, Water Everywhere: Tackling Watering Issues
Air! Air! Plants Need Air!
Chapter 5: Gathering Your Gardening Gear
Digging Those, Er, Digging Tools
Clues to Quality Cultivating Tools
Making the Right Cut with Cutting Tools
Putting Power Tools to Use
Wading through Wondrous Watering Tools
Part II : Flowers and Foliage: Growing for Color
Chapter 6: Growing Annuals: Adding Yearly Variety to Your Garden
Finding Flowers that Fit Your Garden
Mixing and Matching Annuals
Buying Annuals
An Annual Event: The Whens, Wheres, and Hows of Planting
Feeding the Flower Power: Taking Care of Annuals
Chapter 7: Growing Perennials: Plants That Make a Comeback
Looking at Perennials, the Repeat Performers
Planning Long-Term Strategy for Your Perennial Garden
Finding and Buying Perennials
Planting Perennials
Show the Love: Taking Care of Your Perennials
Chapter 8: Brightening Up the Garden with Bulbs
Shedding Light on Bulbs
Social Mixers: Choosing to Combine Your Bulbs
The Search: Where to Get Your Bulbs
Getting Down and Dirty: Planting Bulbs
Taking Care of Bulbs
Chapter 9: Coming Up Roses
What Makes a Rose Be a Rose Be a Rose
Deciding Where to Put Your Roses
Buying the Best Roses
Planting Your Roses
Taking Care of Your Roses
Part III : Stretching Your Garden Beyond Its Boundaries: The Permanent Landscape
Chapter 10: Growing a Perfect Lawn
In the Beginning: Getting Ready to Make a Lawn from Scratch
Seeding and Sodding: Adding the Grass
Watering a Thirsty Lawn
Feeding and Fertilizing
Mowing the Lawn, Cutting the Grass, and Otherwise Giving the Yard a Shave
Warring with Weeds
Chapter 11: Reaching New Heights with Trees and Shrubs
Knowing Your Trees
Choosing the Right Tree for Where You Live
Getting Treed! Planting Trees
Taking Care of Your Tree
Knowing Your Shrubs
Planning Practical Uses for Bushes
Planting Shrubs
Caring for Your Shrubs
Chapter 12: Climbers and Crawlers: Growing Vines and Groundcovers
Looking at How Vines Hold On
Choosing the Right Vines for Your Garden
Planting and Supporting Vines
Maintaining Perennial Vines through Pruning
Looking at Groundcovers, a Living Carpet
Planting and Maintaining Groundcovers
Part IV : Producing Your Own Produce
Chapter 13: Food, Glorious Food! Growing Your Own Veggies
Varieties of Veggies
Designing for Dining and Getting Your Vegetable Garden Ready
Finding Your Vegetables
Planting Your Vegetables
Composting for Vegetable Gardens
Fertilizing Your Vegetable Garden
Using Frames and Supports for Veggies
Dealing with Vegetable Pests
Chapter 14: Adding Spice to Your Garden: Growing Herbs
Planting Herbs: A Lesson in Adaptation
Taking Care of Your Herbs
Chapter 15: Sweet and Crunchy: Growing Fruits, Berries, and Nuts
Fruit Basics: Knowing and Choosing the Right Fruits for Your Garden
Finding and Buying Your Fruit Bearers
Planting Your Fruit
Taking Care of Fruits
Part V : Designing Special and Fun Gardens
Chapter 16: Mini Gardens and Microcosms: Gardening in Containers
Exploring Different Kinds of Containers
The Inside Track: Getting the Container Soil Right
Picking the Best Plants for Your Containers
Arranging Containers for a Container Garden
Taking Care of Your Container Plants
Chapter 17: Taking the Plunge: Gardening with Ponds and Fish
Planning Your Water Garden
Picking Out Your Water Garden Parts and Supplies
Installing and Filling Your Pond
Choosing Plants for Water Gardens
Adding Fish to Your Water Garden
Maintaining Your Water Garden
Part VI : The Part of Tens
Chapter 18: Ten Common Questions from (and Ten Common Answers for) Gardening Beginners
What’s the Difference between an Annual and a Perennial?
What’s Organic Matter?
Why Does Everything I Plant in My Flower Bed Die?
How Do I Prepare the Ground for a Brand-New Bed?
Do I Have to Spray Chemicals on My Rosebushes?
Do Any Vegetables Grow in the Shade?
It’s Hot and Dry Here and I Don’t Want Cacti. What Are My Options?
What Can I Plant on a Steep Bank to Prevent Erosion?
How Do I Remove the Weeds from the Lawn without Pulling Them One by One?
Is There Anything Deer Don’t Eat?
Chapter 19: Ten Quick, Fun, or Handy Garden Projects
Set Up a Hammock
Put Up a Rubber Tire Swing
Install Stepping Stones
Set Up a Trellis
Plant a Teepee
Create Whimsical Garden Art from Castoffs
Decorate the Front Steps with Potted Plants
Make Some Plant Labels
Make a Simple Compost Bin for Your Own Organic Matter
Combat Garden Pests with Homemade Pepper Spray
Chapter 20: Ten Garden Projects for Children
Create a Dinosaur Garden
Grow a Sunflower Fort
Make Sunprints
Plant Mini-Pumpkins
Write with Seeds
Trap a Zucchini
Make a Home-Grown Salad
Grow Paperwhites
Set Up a Birdbath
Attract Butterflies to the Garden
Appendix: Basic Gardening Resources
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