The Propagator's Handbook: Fifty Foolproof Recipes-Hundreds of Plants for Your Garden

Containing straightforward practical advice on dividing plants, sowing seeds and taking cuttings, this book aims to instil confidence in even complete beginners, and to provide any gardener with the freedom to plan and plant lavishly and imaginatively, without counting the cost. The book covers annuals, biennials, herbaceous perennials, ferns, bulbs, alpines, conservatory plants, shrubs, climbers and even trees. Each short section describes one simple method of propagation and growing on - how to do it, what will be needed, a list of the plants for which it works, and details of what can go wrong and the remedies.

Why bother to propagate plants when garden centers and catalogs are full of ready-to-plant bedding plants, shrubs and vines, and trees? Cost and satisfaction. Two or three plants for an apartment balcony won't break the bank, but filling a garden with more plants than a contractor supplies might. Moreover, the dedicated gardener will always want to save seeds from favorite plants or root cuttings when pruning and divide and share beautiful plants with friends. Thompson, who has a lifetime of nursery experience, here presents 50 "recipes" for growing plants, offering straightforward instructions and excellent drawings by Josie Owen. Lists of plants that can be propagated following the same recipe are included. Charts outline possible problems, specifying symptoms, causes, and remedies, and division, layering, seeds, and cuttings are all covered in depth. Economy is always a consideration, and the pros and cons of greenhouses, cold frames, and many other tools and aids are covered objectively. This is an excellent, easy-to-follow presentation; recommended for all gardening collections.ACarol Cubberley, Univ. of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.