Plant Propagation A to Z: Growing Plants for Free - Softcover

Bryant, Geoff

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1554071704 ISBN 13: 9781554071708

Publisher: Firefly Books, 2006

Synopsis

A handy and richly illustrated guide to all propagation techniques.

Plant Propagation A to Z has more than 500 photographs that illustrate both practical step-by-step propagation techniques and the plants themselves. The book introduces propagation in general and then describes the tools and methods used. There are extensive tables detailing which techniques are best suited to more than 1,000 garden plants and noting the best times for propagating.

The book also includes:

• Annotated step-by-step color diagrams
• Seed, cutting and division techniques
• Specialized propagation methods
• Temperature and moisture requirements
• Germination time and strike rate
• Guidance on specific techniques for each propagation procedure
• Recommendations for choosing the best equipment.

Easy-to-use and informative, Plant Propagation A to Z is an essential reference book and how-to guide for gardeners everywhere.

About this title

About the Author

Geoff Bryant is a plant propagator and hybridizer with 25 years of experience in this field. He is a fulltime garden writer and photographer and has written or contributed to a dozen gardening books.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction

Having a garden or even just a love of plants provides a lifetime of joy. However, that enjoyment does not always come cheaply because for all but the most esoteric designs, gardens need plants and those plants are usually bought. So it is often with economy in mind that gardeners start to propagate their own plants. However, plant propagation is even more addictive than gardening and if you have a passion for plants, propagating them provides the ultimate satisfaction. Moreover, it does not have to involve elaborate equipment and months of waiting. Hundreds of different plants can be propagated quickly with little more than a few seed trays, a good pair of pruning shears, decent potting mix and some sturdy plastic bags.

I suppose that strictly speaking, plant propagation is a science, but for the most part it is easy. Easy that is, once you learn the basics and break through the mystique that surrounds the idea of the "green-fingered" propagator. There is really no such creature and the expertise and equipment needed for simple plant propagation is within anyone's reach. The plants that result can be at least as good as those bought from the garden center, and they provide a sense of achievement and closeness to nature that is rare in our increasingly store-bought, manufactured age.

This book is for home gardeners whose small- to medium-scale propagation involves plenty of trial and error While I have tried to be as precise as possible, I know that not all of my methods will work for all gardeners in all circumstances. There are usually several ways to propagate a plant, depending on the season, the available equipment and the propagator's expertise. Therefore, I have attempted to give just an outline of the general techniques involved along with highlighting some of the pitfalls to avoid. Feel free to try different methods, because a large part of being successful with plant propagation is finding out what works for you and your plants. Plenty of reading helps, too, as does developing a comprehensive understanding of plant types, families and relationships.

Finally you need a sense of quality; don't be happy to put up with whatever plants result. Demand the same standards that you expect of a professional nursery and have no qualms about consigning your lesser efforts to the compost pile. When you start to realize that the parental pride of the propagator has to come second to producing good plants, you will know that your efforts and experiments are turning into experience and understanding.

Edition details

• Publisher: Firefly Books
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1554071704
• ISBN 13: 9781554071708
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 224