Gardening Basics For Dummies

Packed with fun and useful tips to help you plan your garden! Create the garden of your dreams with the right plants and equipment Want a green thumb? This handy guide gives beginning gardeners tips, plans, and insider know–how for getting started with flower beds, borders, vegetables, trees, shrubs, lawns, and more. Packed with step–by–step advice, illustrations, resources, and suggested plantings, this friendly guide covers all the tools that make gardening today easier than ever before! Discover how to Pick the best plants for your climate Plan and prep your garden Keep your plants healthy Use compost, fertilizer, and safe pesticides Troubleshoot common problems Locate garden supplies

Introduction. Part I: Preparing Yourself (And Your Garden) for Planting. Chapter 1: Getting Ready for Gardening. Chapter 2: Planning Your Own Eden. Chapter 3: Getting into the Zone — Your Garden’s Zone. Chapter 4: Live Long and Prosper: Giving Plants What They Need. Chapter 5: Gathering Your Gardening Gear. Part II: Flowers and Foliage: Growing for Color. Chapter 6: Growing Annuals: Adding Yearly Variety to Your Garden. Chapter 7: Growing Perennials: Plants That Make a Comeback. Chapter 8: Brightening Up the Garden with Bulbs. Chapter 9: Coming Up Roses. Part III: Stretching Your Garden Beyond Its Boundaries: The Permanent Landscape. Chapter 10: Growing a Perfect Lawn. Chapter 11: Reaching New Heights with Trees and Shrubs. Chapter 12: Climbers and Crawlers: Growing Vines and Groundcovers. Part IV: Producing Your Own Produce. Chapter 13: Food, Glorious Food! Growing Your Own Veggies. Chapter 14: Adding Spice to Your Garden: Growing Herbs. Chapter 15: Sweet and Crunchy: Growing Fruits, Berries, and Nuts. Part V: Designing Special and Fun Gardens. Chapter 16: Mini Gardens and Microcosms: Gardening in Containers. Chapter 17: Taking the Plunge: Gardening with Ponds and Fish. Part VI: The Part of Tens. Chapter 18: Ten Common Questions from (and Ten Common Answers for) Gardening Beginners. Chapter 19: Ten Quick, Fun, or Handy Garden Projects. Chapter 20: Ten Garden Projects for Children. Appendix: Basic Gardening Resources. Index.

Steven A. Frowine is a noted professional horticulturist and a longtime avid gardener and communicator. The National Gardening Association is the leading garden–based educational nonprofit in the USA. Visit www.garden.org.