Back to Basics Growing

The average tomato farmer has more than 100 varieties of tomatoes, ranging from the sweetest, juiciest strains available to the smallest, easiest to grow options out there. Tomatoes are found in thousands of dishes across the world and they are notoriously expensive. For all these reasons and more, many people have taken to growing their own tomatoes. Growing tomatoes is a task anyone can accomplish and enjoy and this book strives to provide every possible resource and tip needed for you to become one of a growing legion of tomato growers. You will learn the fundamental basic aspects of all tomato plants that have helped growers around the world master their craft and create the largest tomatoes around. You will learn the basics of composting and fertilization and what each tomato plant benefits best from. You will learn how to select your garden location. Tomato experts who have created a livelihood for themselves in growing and mastering the tomato plant have been interviewed around the country and their responses added to the book, helping you to know how to set the plants, prune them effectively, read a tomato plant at various times during the season and even to combat the various trials and tribulations of tomato growing, from pests and disease to frost and storms. Everything you could possibly need to know about tomatoes, how to grow them and how to effectively start a new hobby and possibly create secondary income, is included in this guide for you.Atlantic Publishing is a small, independent publishing company based in Ocala, Florida. Founded over twenty years ago in the company president's garage, Atlantic Publishing has grown to become a renowned resource for non-fiction books. Today, over 450 titles are in print covering subjects such as small business, healthy living, management, finance, careers, and real estate. Atlantic Publishing prides itself on producing award winning, high-quality manuals that give readers up-to-date, pertinent information, real-world examples, and case studies with expert advice. Every book has resources, contact information, and web sites of the products or companies discussed. This Atlantic Publishing eBook was professionally written, edited, fact checked, proofed and designed. You receive the same content as the print version of this book. Over the years our books have won dozens of book awards for content, cover design and interior design including the prestigious Benjamin Franklin award for excellence in publishing. We are proud of the high quality of our books and hope you will enjoy this eBook version.

Almost 25% of city homeowners lack the yard space needed to cultivate and grow a decent sized garden (according to Seattle Lawn and Garden) meaning more and more people interested in harvesting flowers, vegetables, and herbs are turning to containers. The options provided by containers are plentiful. This book will provide every potential container gardener with the necessary steps and resources needed to grow their very own crops. From the very outset, you will learn about how vegetables, flowers, and herbs grow naturally. Companion planting for small spaces will show you how the plants will survive with other plants in the same container and which plants can even be placed in confined spaced and survive. The basics of container planting, including the best single plant containers, two, three, and four plant combinations are provided to help you decide how to lay out your container garden. The top gardeners were contacted and interviewed, providing highly insightful information that guides you through how container potted plants grow and thrive. You will learn the basics of side planted containers and how succulents perform in these closed spaces. The best container plants are listed in order along with the necessary tools they need to survive. The best container sizes, soil types, fertilizer, climate information, and pest prevention methods are all given as well to help round out your container planting. Regardless of your needs or methods, this guide will take you through every step necessary to get your container plants growing and thriving. Atlantic Publishing is a small, independent publishing company based in Ocala, Florida. Founded over twenty years ago in the company president's garage, Atlantic Publishing has grown to become a renowned resource for non-fiction books. Today, over 450 titles are in print covering subjects such as small business, healthy living, management, finance, careers, and real estate. Atlantic Publishing prides itself on producing award winning, high-quality manuals that give readers up-to-date, pertinent information, real-world examples, and case studies with expert advice. Every book has resources, contact information, and web sites of the products or companies discussed. This Atlantic Publishing eBook was professionally written, edited, fact checked, proofed and designed. You receive the same content as the print version of this book. Over the years our books have won dozens of book awards for content, cover design and interior design including the prestigious Benjamin Franklin award for excellence in publishing. We are proud of the high quality of our books and hope you will enjoy this eBook version.

According to the Virginia Cooperative Extension, operated by Virginia Tech and Virginia State University, there are more than 60 different kinds of shrubs in North America with varying pruning requirements, timelines, and necessities. This massive variety makes it so that anyone interested in pruning needs to be very well educated in how the process is completed, what it needed, what should be avoided, and most of all, when to plant, prune, and provide maintenance to your shrubs. This book walks every shrub enthusiast through the surprisingly complex process of pruning from the first seed in the ground to the annual progression of pruning steps that must be done in the right order to maximize the health of your shrubs. You will learn everything you need to know about the 10 most common pruning methods and a number of more methods that are nearly as common but equally as useful. You will learn how to apply these techniques to ornamental trees and shrubs, shade trees, pruning evergreens, pruning hedges, artistic pruning, pruning fruit trees, pruning small trees, pruning nut trees, pruning vines and ground covers, and finally pruning houseplants and bonsai plants. You will benefit from the advice gathered from interviews with top experts in the field of pruning and gardening and their insights on how pruning should be completed for reach type of plant. For anyone who interested in pruning of their plants either inside or outside, this guide will provide everything you need.

Sprouts have been a happy addition to many sandwiches, noodle dishes, and side plates at restaurants for decades, and when they are properly grown at home, they can add a much needed boost of both plant protein and fiber to your diet. This book guides you through the complex process of adding a new plant to your garden. You will learn how to take advantage of the core benefits of sprouts, starting with how to recognize the various types of sprouts and what they do for your body. You will learn how they com- pare to other top super foods and vegetables and how to effectively use them to fight cancer, boost your mineral and vitamin intake, increase your raw food intake, cleanse the blood, improve liver function, and generally feel better. Learn how to start growing and juicing your own sprouts as well, using your home, greenhouse, or garden as a source of daily nutrition and a boost to your body. You will read interviews from top nutritional experts and sprout growers who share their experiences and insights into how sprouts can benefit nearly anyone. As an added bonus, you will benefit from dozens of top recipes that help you utilize your spouts in foods that best take advantage of their high nutritional content, while bolstering their taste and texture. For anyone who has ever considered growing and adding sprouts to their diet, this book will be a much needed resource.

The idea of companion planting has arisen in the gardening community in recent years as an extremely viable new take on how plants should be situated, grown, and cultivated. Whether you are planting Tomatoes and Onions or Carrots and Corn, the proper pairing of your plants can have a major impact on your eventual harvest and the quality of your vegetables. This book shows you everything you need to know to effectively pair your crops in a way that ensures there are no incompatibilities and that you get the most out of every seed. You will learn the basics of crop rotation to maintain the integrity of soil and harvests. You will learn how companion planting is an extension of this basic format and how it works in tandem with natural conditions and plant minerals to create the best produce. You will learn about how to prepare your garden and how to set the right system in place. You will learn, via a chart and a great deal of detail, about each possible combination, the best possible companion plants as well as which plants are largely incompatible. You will learn about how perennials and shrubs coexist and the fundamentals of companion planting care and seasonal care of your plants. From the top tips and methods for this style of gardening to which plants bring good insects and which ones keep pests away, you will learn everything you need to know to plot out and plant your perfect garden.

Herbs have been the centerpiece of natural healthcare since before the dawn of medicine in ancient Greece. With more than 50,000 strains of herb from around the world currently catalogued by various botanical societies and a small percentage of those serving solid, universally recognized medical purposes, it is no wonder that many people have taken up the hobby of growing their own herbs at home to help with basic things like healing burns or relieving headaches. This book will guide you through the process of learning about and growing your own healing herbs, starting with the basics of what each herb can do and proceeding to show you everything you need to cultivate them yourself. Matching the right herbs to your region, you will be able to start learning how herbs grow, what they need from the soil, water, the weather, and feeding. You will learn which plants grow best together and which style of herbs are best for selling and which are best for personal growing. Experts in the field of healing herbs have provided their insights into issues such as how to harvest the healing herbs best and how to dry or preserve them for use as healing materials. Learn how you can make a number of common treatments for various ailments with your herbs and how you can benefit best from your new found gardens. This book is a complete guide for anyone who has ever wanted to try something different and grow it themselves.

For the everyday person seeds are vital for the creation of gardens and plant life, while for others they represent the future of the earth as in the case of the Doomsday Seed Vault in Norway which opened in March 2008 with the intention of housing more than 3 million seed samples from around the world. While you will never need to store three million seed samples, you may need to preserve a handful for next year's growing season, which is why this book was developed. You will learn everything you need to know to effectively grow and preserve seeds, starting with the process of sowing the seeds. You will learn how to seed the plants until they bloom and how to select plants for harvesting and saving seeds. The process of collecting the seeds is outlined in detail with information about annual vegetables, flowers, and more. You will learn the optimal germination temperatures for your plants and the vegetables that are easiest to save for seed. Dozens of gardening experts from all walks of life have been interviewed and have provided their insights on how you can specially treat your plants for germination and what varieties are out there. You will be provided a zone map to show you which plants are best for your region and additional resources in appendices for where to order materials and more information. For anyone who has ever wanted to grow and save their own seeds, this book is ideal for your situation.

A windowsill is among the best possible places to put a plant, it provides ample sunlight, brightens the look of your home from the outside, and adds what amounts to a filter to the air coming in and out of your home. In winter, they can add a touch of color to an otherwise drab view, and in summer they thrive. This book will guide you through the steps needed to select the perfect plants for your windowsill and cultivate them to both fit in with your space and to survive the conditions, whether inside or outside. You will learn everything you need to effectively plant windowsill plants and improve how your home and your windows look to the world outside. You will learn, through a series of detailed charts, which plants are best suited to the cramped space of a windowsill. You will learn how much light each plant needs and how much water and food they need and whether you need to supplement natural provision of these resources. You will learn how to care for your plants while keeping away pests and animals that may eat the leaves or dig up the dirt. Top experts in gardening have been interviewed and their insights will help you learn what works and what doesn't work for your windowsill plants. From first planting, whether by seed or potted plant, you will have every resource you need to keep your windowsill plants alive and thriving in their new environment with this book.

Beer is one of the most complex alcoholic drinks with some beers having more than thirty ingredients and most of them requiring the proper mixture and amounts of the right hops, malts, and herbs to taste just right. This book will guide any prospective brew master through the process of growing their own brewing ingredients from inception to harvesting. You will learn all of the many advantages to growing your own beer materials. You will learn how to home grow your own hops, with detailed instructions and information about the taste and effect of more than a dozen different strains. You will learn which grains and malts are used in beer making and how you can start growing your own depending on your needs and your location. You will learn how to concoct your own brewing herbs and how to start combining everything into the ideal mixtures to form your own beer. Beer experts from professional brew masters to backyard microbrewers have been interviewed and asked how to best utilize these methods and their insights have been provided to help get you through the complex process of beer growing and production. You will learn the proper measurements and conversions for everything you will make as well as being given a source list for supplys that might be needed. Finally, you will be provided with a list of the top homegrown recipes for beer available, allowing you to create and enjoy your very own brews in the comfort of your home.

More and more people are taking advantage of wheatgrass, this highly useful plant, and growing it themselves, but for many, the lack of instruction and direction can lead to frustration and confusion over how the plant is supposed to be grown and what it needs to thrive. This book guides you through the process of not only growing, but successfully cultivating wheatgrass for your own personal use in nearly any endeavor. You will learn what wheatgrass does for you and your body; providing the necessary energy you need to lose weight and helping to fight illness by boosting your immune system. You will learn how to grow your own wheatgrass and how chlorophyll functions within wheatgrass, reducing environmental hazards, cleaning your blood with unique enzymes, improving liver function, and deodorizing the body. The nutritional benefits of wheatgrass are outlined in detail for anyone who wants to benefit from them, including the vitamin contents, and comparisons to other super foods. The minerals, amino acids, cancer fighting aspects, and weight loss potential of wheat grass are outlined in detail for you alongside instructions on how to grow and juice your own wheatgrass regardless of where you live. Top wheatgrass growers and experts have been interviewed and have provided their take on how you can start using it to cleanse your body and increase your nutritional intake every day. For anyone who has ever considered wheat grass s super food potential for their greenhouse or garden, this guide is everything you need.

Your lawn is a representative of you and your home it shows your neighbors and visitors how much time and effort you are willing to put into keeping your home looking good. Organic lawn care is becoming much more prevalent for many home owners, but knowing how to effectively plant and grow a lawn, keep weeds away and kill bugs without using chemicals and unnatural law products can be complicated and downright confusing in many cases. This book was written with these things in mind, guiding every lawn care enthusiast through the steps needed to continue caring for a lawn without letting the concerns that develop because of unnatural products overwhelm you or your lawn. The keys to organic lawn care, starting with how to create a low maintenance lawn are laid out in great detail in this book. You will learn how to keep your lawn healthy with the right soil, seed, sod, and feeding without using any chemically enhanced products. Finally, learn how to change your existing lawn so that it is both environmentally sound and just as beautiful as it has always been. The final step in the process will show you how to deal with pests, disease and weeds in your lawn organically. Lawn experts in every field have been interviewed for this book and their advice has been included to provide specific, top tips for organic lawn care. Anyone looking to maintain their lawn and stay eco-conscious need look no further than this book.