Organic Gardening : The Classic Guide to Growing Fruit, Flowers, and Vegetables the Natural Way

Fully revised and updated to reflect eco-friendly thinking and techniques, Organic Gardening is a classic guide to growing flowers, fruit, and vegetables the natural, chemical-free way. Whether you want to grow better-tasting fruit and vegetables untainted by chemicals, find natural methods of pest and weed control, or create a garden that is safer for your children, pets, and wildlife, Organic Gardening is your practical, easy-to-follow guide to gardening with, rather than against, nature. Contents 5......Page 7 6 Introduction......Page 8 Improving on nature 9......Page 11 Applying soil conditioners 20......Page 14 Soil types 14......Page 16 Soil management 15......Page 17 18 SOIL IMPROVEMENT......Page 20 The four phases of soil management 19......Page 21 Compost 21......Page 23 Animal manure 27......Page 29 Alternative soil conditioners 29......Page 31 Worm-worked compost and manure 31......Page 33 Green manure 32......Page 34 Acidity and alkalinity 35......Page 37 The need for nutrients 38......Page 40 Organic fertilizers 40......Page 42 43 ORGANIC PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL......Page 45 Maintaining a healthy garden 44......Page 46 Companion planting 45......Page 47 Controlling birds and animals 46......Page 48 Controlling soil pests and insects 49......Page 51 Biological control 52......Page 54 Organic chemicals 53......Page 55 Clearing uncultivated ground 54......Page 56 Hoeing 57......Page 59 Mulching 58......Page 60 Recognizing weeds 60......Page 62 Useful weeds 62......Page 64 The physical characteristics of your garden 64......Page 66 Features to include 67......Page 69 Drawing up a plan 72......Page 74 74 THE ORNAMENTAL GARDEN......Page 76 Preparing the soil 75......Page 77 Hedges 76......Page 78 Lawns 78......Page 80 Trees 81......Page 83 Deciduous trees 84......Page 86 Coniferous trees 86......Page 88 Planting ornamental borders 88......Page 90 Choosing suitable plants 92......Page 94 Winter plants 94......Page 96 Early spring plants 96......Page 98 Mid-spring plants 98......Page 100 Late spring plants 100......Page 102 Early summer plants 102......Page 104 Midsummer plants 104......Page 106 Late summer plants 108......Page 110 Fall plants 110......Page 112 Cultivation of border plants 112......Page 114 Ponds and aquatic plants 121......Page 123 Alpines 123......Page 125 Cultivating wildflowers 125......Page 127 Types of container 126......Page 128 Planting in containers 127......Page 129 Hanging baskets 130......Page 132 Crop rotation 132......Page 134 Preparing vegetable beds 135......Page 137 Sowing 138......Page 140 Protecting crops against cold 140......Page 142 Choosing what to grow 143......Page 145 Salad vegetables 144......Page 146 Cultivating salad vegetables 146......Page 148 Shoot vegetables 149......Page 151 Cultivating shoot vegetables 150......Page 152 Pod and seed vegetables 154......Page 156 Cultivating pod and seed vegetables 156......Page 158 Fruiting vegetables 162......Page 164 Cultivating fruiting vegetables 164......Page 166 Bulb vegetables 168......Page 170 Cultivating bulb vegetables 170......Page 172 Squash vegetables 172......Page 174 Cultivating squash vegetables 174......Page 176 Root vegetables 178......Page 180 Cultivating root vegetables 180......Page 182 Leaf vegetables 188......Page 190 Cultivating leaf vegetables 190......Page 192 Vegetable pests and diseases 198......Page 200 202 THE FRUIT GARDEN......Page 204 Selecting plants 203......Page 205 Planting and training fruit trees and bushes 204......Page 206 Cultivation of fruit 210......Page 212 Tree fruit 212......Page 214 Citrus fruit 214......Page 216 Cultivating tree fruit 215......Page 217 Soft fruit 224......Page 226 Cultivating soft fruit 225......Page 227 Fruit pests and diseases 232......Page 234 Planning an herb garden 236......Page 238 An herb collection 238......Page 240 Cultivating herbs 240......Page 242 Choosing a greenhouse 246......Page 248 Heating a greenhouse 249......Page 251 Caring for greenhouse plants 252......Page 254 Maintaining a greenhouse 255......Page 257 Deciding what to grow 256......Page 258 Greenhouse pests and diseases 257......Page 259 Choosing the right tools 258......Page 260 Choosing garden equipment 261......Page 263 Cultivation techniques 262......Page 264 Supporting plants 266......Page 268 Growing from seed 268......Page 270 Other methods of propagation 273......Page 275 278 THE GARDENING YEAR......Page 280 Spring 279......Page 281 Summer 280......Page 282 Autumn 281......Page 283 Winter 282......Page 284 Useful addresses 283......Page 285 Index 284......Page 286 Acknowledgments 288......Page 290 Contents 5 7 6 Introduction 8 9 THE ORGANIC WAY 11 Improving on nature 9 11 12 THE SOIL 14 What is soil? 12 14 Soil types 14 16 Soil management 15 17 18 SOIL IMPROVEMENT 20 The four phases of soil management 19 21 Applying soil conditioners 20 14 Compost 21 23 Animal manure 27 29 Alternative soil conditioners 29 31 Worm-worked compost and manure 31 33 Green manure 32 34 35 FERTILIZERS 37 Acidity and alkalinity 35 37 The need for nutrients 38 40 Organic fertilizers 40 42 43 ORGANIC PEST AND DISEASE CONTROL 45 Maintaining a healthy garden 44 46 Companion planting 45 47 Controlling birds and animals 46 48 Controlling soil pests and insects 49 51 General garden diseases 52 54 Biological control 52 54 Organic chemicals 53 55 54 ORGANIC WEED CONTROL 56 Clearing uncultivated ground 54 56 Hoeing 57 59 Mulching 58 60 Recognizing weeds 60 62 Useful weeds 62 64 64 PLANNING YOUR GARDEN 66 The physical characteristics of your garden 64 66 Features to include 67 69 Drawing up a plan 72 74 74 THE ORNAMENTAL GARDEN 76 Preparing the soil 75 77 Hedges 76 78 Lawns 78 80 Trees 81 83 Deciduous trees 84 86 Coniferous trees 86 88 Planting ornamental borders 88 90 Choosing suitable plants 92 94 Winter plants 94 96 Early spring plants 96 98 Mid-spring plants 98 100 Late spring plants 100 102 Early summer plants 102 104 Midsummer plants 104 106 Late summer plants 108 110 Fall plants 110 112 Cultivation of border plants 112 114 Ponds and aquatic plants 121 123 Alpines 123 125 Cultivating wildflowers 125 127 126 THE CONTAINER GARDEN 128 Types of container 126 128 Planting in containers 127 129 Hanging baskets 130 132 132 THE VEGETABLE GARDEN 134 Crop rotation 132 134 Preparing vegetable beds 135 137 Sowing 138 140 Protecting crops against cold 140 142 Choosing what to grow 143 145 Salad vegetables 144 146 Cultivating salad vegetables 146 148 Shoot vegetables 149 151 Cultivating shoot vegetables 150 152 Pod and seed vegetables 154 156 Cultivating pod and seed vegetables 156 158 Fruiting vegetables 162 164 Cultivating fruiting vegetables 164 166 Bulb vegetables 168 170 Cultivating bulb vegetables 170 172 Squash vegetables 172 174 Cultivating squash vegetables 174 176 Root vegetables 178 180 Cultivating root vegetables 180 182 Leaf vegetables 188 190 Cultivating leaf vegetables 190 192 Vegetable pests and diseases 198 200 202 THE FRUIT GARDEN 204 Selecting plants 203 205 Planting and training fruit trees and bushes 204 206 Cultivation of fruit 210 212 Tree fruit 212 214 Citrus fruit 214 216 Cultivating tree fruit 215 217 Soft fruit 224 226 Cultivating soft fruit 225 227 Fruit pests and diseases 232 234 236 THE HERB GARDEN 238 Planning an herb garden 236 238 An herb collection 238 240 Cultivating herbs 240 242 246 GREENHOUSE GARDENING 248 Choosing a greenhouse 246 248 Heating a greenhouse 249 251 Caring for greenhouse plants 252 254 Maintaining a greenhouse 255 257 Deciding what to grow 256 258 Greenhouse pests and diseases 257 259 258 BASIC TECHNIQUES 260 Choosing the right tools 258 260 Choosing garden equipment 261 263 Cultivation techniques 262 264 Watering plants 266 268 Supporting plants 266 268 268 PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES 270 Growing from seed 268 270 Other methods of propagation 273 275 278 THE GARDENING YEAR 280 Spring 279 281 Summer 280 282 Autumn 281 283 Winter 282 284 Useful addresses 283 285 Index 284 286 Acknowledgments 288 290 9780756671792 Dorling Kindersley Organic Gardening, a classic guide to growing flowers, fruit, and vegetables the natural, chemical-free way has been fully revised and updated to reflect the latest thinking and techniques. Written by one of the UK's best-loved gardening personalities and a keen advocate of the organic approach, this book will be appreciated by the novice and the experienced gardener alike. Whether you want to grow better-tasting fruit and vegetables untainted by chemicals, find natural methods of pest and weed control, or create a garden that is safer for your children, pets and wildlife, Organic Gardening is your practical, easy-to-follow guide to gardening with, rather than against, nature.With practical advice and instructions, supported by clear, step-by-step photographs and artworks, the authorexplains how to grow delicious, healthy produce as well as how to turn your garden into a safe haven for children, pets, and wildlife. The book promotes an organic approach to the whole garden, and includes practical techniques for cultivating flowers, trees, and shrubs, as well as advice on ponds and aquatic plants. Organic methods of weed control and solutions to pest and disease problems are also fully explained and clearly illustrated.Contents include: soil improvement; organic pest & disease control; weed control; hedges, trees & shrubs; containers; the vegetable garden; the fruit garden; herbs; greenhouse gardening; basic techniques; propagation; the gardening year. Whether you want to grow better-tasting fruit and vegetables untainted by chemicals, find natural methods of pest and weed control, or create a garden that is safer for your children, pets and wildlife, Organic Gardening is your practical, easy-to-follow guide to gardening with, rather than against, nature.

Author Biography: One of Britain's best-loved gardeners, Geoff Hamilton was renowned for his common-sense, practical approach to gardening. The author of many books on different aspects of gardening, he was host of Gardener's World on BBC2 for 17 years.

A practical guide to creating a safe and productive garden without using chemicals. Covers the basic principles of organic gardening, with practical sections on how to improve the fertility of the soil and how to control garden pests and diseases by natural methods. Basic gardening techniques are explained in easy-to-follow steps. 550 illustrations.

Learn how to grow delicious, healthy produce and beautiful plants, while turning your garden into a chemical-free haven for children, pets, and wildlife. -- Source other than Library of Congress