Christine Lavelle

This newly updated edition guides the budding allotmenter through every step of successful growing from early planning to planting and harvesting. Information on tools, equipment and soil management follows, along with a chapter on what to grow where, crop rotation, companion planting and growing both outdoors and in a greenhouse. Techniques such as sowing, propagation, feeding, watering, pruning, harvesting and storing are examined with easy- to-follow instructions and examples . Directories of vegetables, fruit and herbs outline the specific requirements of different crops while a section on plant health helps to deal with common pests and diseases and carry out weed management. A season-by-season calendar of care ensures you do the right jobs at the right time.

This book contains essential facts about the habitats, feeding preferences and behaviour of each type of garden wildlife, including their life cycles and how you can supplement their natural diet. It explains how to select the best plants for the creatures that live in your area, with practical advice on cultivation, propagation, the types of wildlife they attract, and how they are used as food and shelter. It includes ideas for closely related plant species, including alternative common types that help wildlife and those that are not beneficial, allowing you to decide which plants to choose. This book, written by award-winning authors Christine and Michael Lavelle, is aimed at gardeners who want to encourage wildlife to take up residence in their backyards. The first part focuses on the more common types of wildlife found in a variety of habitats and the plants and supplementary food that will attract them. The next stage is how to choose the right plants to attract backyard wildlife. A directory of over 200 species makes the process clear and simple and every plant is accompanied by a full-colour identification photograph. Each entry explains how to grow the plant and which types of wildlife will benefit. This book's wealth of information and beautiful photographs will appeal to gardeners and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

This book is about growing your own vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers with over 530 practical photographs and illustrations. It is the complete practical guide to growing your own vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers in an allotment, shown in over 530 hands-on photographs and illustrations. It explains how to get started on your allotment, from finding and applying for a site to assessing the conditions, planning the design and planting your first crops. It contains step-by-step instructions for essential techniques, such as testing the soil, weeding, composting, planting, sowing seeds, propagating and fertilizing. It includes down-to-earth advice on growing in the open and under glass, and how to deal with pests and diseases. It features a gardener's calendar of care to help you plan for each season. This highly accessible book shows gardeners how to start their own allotment, from applying for permission and planning the garden through to planting, growing and harvesting vegetables, herbs, fruit and flowers. The book explains how to keep your soil healthy, plan what to grow where, and how to choose the best plant varieties and manage your crop rotation. It includes instructions for sowing seeds, propagation, watering, feeding, staking, pruning, harvesting and storage. With its expert information and more than 530 photographs and illustrations, this is an essential volume for anyone interested in looking after home-grown crops and flowers on their own plot of land.

This is the complete guide to growing fruit, vegetables and herbs on an allotment, packed with easy-to-follow advice and illustrated with more than 800 photographs. It offers everything you need to know, from clearing and planning to planting, growing, harvesting and maintenance, with beautiful plant directories and a seasonal calendar. It contains step-by-step guides to a wide range of essential techniques, such as testing and preparing the soil, weeding, composting, planting, sowing seeds, propagating and fertilizing, and when to harvest the crop. Few things in life are more pleasurable than being able to eat fresh fruit and vegetables that you have grown yourself. In this accessible book, the budding allotment grower is guided through every step of the process. Directories of fruit, vegetables and herbs outline the requirements of different crops: when they should be sown, how to care for them, and when to harvest them. A season-by-season calendar of care presents a checklist of what to sow, plant out and harvest for every stage in the gardening year. Packed with expert information, step-by-step techniques and more than 800 photographs and diagrams, this is an essential volume for every gardener.

This is the organic cookbook that includes over 140 imaginative and inspiring recipes. It is the organic gardening book that is an essential reference guide to natural techniques, with advice on applying organic principles to all aspects of garden planning, design and maintenance. It is an expert and practical guide for the home cook on understanding the issues around organic food and drink. It features a comprehensive survey of organic ingredients, from fabulous fruit and vegetables to tender meat and poultry, hearty breads and handy storecupboard items. It is packed with practical advice and clear, step-by-step sequences to show you how to achieve the best results in ornamental, wildlife and kitchen gardens. Reflecting our growing interest in producing and eating healthy organic food, this boxed book set is perfect for those who love cooking and gardening. There is advice on all aspects of organic gardening, from growing, watering and feeding to pruning and propagation. The cookbook provides tips on storing and using organic ingredients, as well as 140 recipes for all types of meals, from light lunches to dinner parties. Try seasonal dishes such as Asparagus with Lemon Sauce or Summer Berries in a Sabayon Glaze. A directory of vegetables, herbs and fruit provides clear information on growing and cooking healthy produce, with handy hints for gardeners and cooks.

This is a practical directory of garden produce with over 250 photographs. It is a comprehensive guide to vegetables, fruit and herbs, with advice on how to grow them in a healthy and chemical-free environment. It offers practical introduction illustrates the basic gardening materials and techniques you will need for successful organic gardening, helping you to grow beautiful and tasty produce for your kitchen. It offers guidance for choosing reliable varieties of vegetables and fruit, combined with tips on cultivation, after-care, harvesting and storing, as well as dealing with any common pests and diseases you may encounter. It is lavishly illustrated with over 250 inspirational and practical photographs, including step-by-step sequences demonstrating gardening techniques, luscious vegetable and fruit photographs, and over 25 hand-painted artworks. Creating and maintaining a working garden that is both safe and natural is becoming an increasingly common ambition among gardeners. This helpful guide contains directories of vegetables, fruit and herbs, each providing information on recommended varieties, their cultivation requirements, sowing, planting, harvesting and storage needs. From apple trees to rhubarb, a wide range of plants are covered. With its stunning photographs and a superbly well-informed text by award-winning authors, the book is the perfect guide for first-time growers and experienced gardeners wishing to transform their garden into a healthy, organic plot bursting with goodness.

This is a practical gardener's guide for animal lovers, including planting advice, designs and 90 step-by-step projects, with 1700 photographs. Turn your garden into a wildlife haven by growing the right plants to encourage beneficial insects, aquatic life, birds and animals. It includes illustrated directories of over 200 plant species, from annuals to climbers, with practical advice on cultivation and uses, plus 80 of the most common garden bird species, with identification illustrations and natural history information on distribution, size, distinguishing characteristics, behaviour, nesting, eggs and feeding habits. It includes practical step-by-step projects that show you how to make all kinds of birdhouses, bird tables, birdbaths, wildlife stacks and more. It features all the basic gardening techniques such as plant propagation, soil preparation, composting and general maintenance. Itis illustrated throughout with over 1700 practical colour artworks and photographs. One of the most enjoyable aspects of creating and maintaining a garden lies in the feeling of closeness to nature. Now, with this new book box set, you can encourage hidden birds, animal and insects to proliferate in your very own back garden. These two books, written by award-winning gardening experts, give clear advice on how to create a range of wildlife gardens, showing how adopting a few simple methods will produce a dazzling display of colour while helping native animal species. There are suggestions for the best flowers, shrubs, hedges and trees to attract birds, including a design for a garden border that will provide food throughout the seasons. Comprehensive directories explore over 200 beautiful garden plants, plus over 80 of the most common birds, insects and animals, from woodland and countryside locations to town and city environments. With its helpful practical advice and over 1700 photographs and illustrations, this is the ideal source book for gardeners, bird lovers and wildlife enthusiasts.

This is an essential reference guide to natural gardening, showing how to apply organic principles to all aspects of garden planning, design and maintenance and illustrated with over 800 colour photographs. It is packed with practical advice, step-by-step sequences to show you how to achieve the best results, directories of all the main vegetables, fruit and herbs, and an easy-to-use calendar of the vital garden tasks. It is named 'Practical Book of the Year' at The Garden Writers' Guild Awards 2003. Christine and Michael Lavelle give clear advice on creating and caring for a natural garden, showing how to adopt an organic approach. They also provide practical information on dealing organically with pests and diseases as well as how to attract a host of beneficial creatures to the wildlife garden. An easy-to-use directory of vegetables, herbs and fruit provides clear information on growing a range of healthy produce, with advice on sowing, planting, harvesting and storing. With its wealth of inspirational and practical photographs, useful step-by-step information and well-informed text, this is a comprehensive guide for both first-time and experienced gardeners, whether you wish to start an organic garden from scratch or use organic methods in an existing garden.

In this new book, experts Michael and Christine Lavelle guide the budding allotmenteer through every step, from applying and early planning to planting and harvesting. Information on tools, equipment and soil management follows, along with a chapter on what to grow where, crop rotation, companion planning and growing both outdoors and in a greenhouse. Techniques such as sowing, propagation, feeding, watering, pruning, harvesting and storage are examined with easy-to-follow instructions and examples. Directories of vegetables, fruit and herbs outline the specific requirements of different crops while a section on plant health helps to deal with common pests and diseases and carry out weed management. A season-by-season calendar of care then presents an at-a-glance checklist of what to sow, plant out and harvest for every stage in the gardening year.

Creating and maintaining a beautiful garden that is safe and natural is becoming increasingly popular as we begin to understand the benefits of adopting an organic way of life. The Organic Garden is an indispensable guide to using organic methods to create flourishing ornamental and wildlife gardens. There is also a vital section on kitchen gardening that reflects our growing interest in eating and producing fresh, healthy and chemical-free vegetables, herbs and fruit. Christine and Michael Lavelle give clear advice on creating and caring for a natural garden, showing how to adopt an organic approach to each garden task, whether this is soil preparation, weeding and weed control, watering and feeding, or pruning and propagation. There is also helpful practical information on dealing organically with pests and diseases in both the garden and the greenhouse. The book looks in turn at different aspects of organic gardening, from creating spectacular lawns and decorative beds and borders in the ornamental garden, through attracting a host of beneficial creatures to the wildlife garden, to growing a wealth of crops in the kitchen garden. An easy-to-use directory of vegetables, herbs and fruit provides clear, at-a-glance information on growing a wide range of healthy produce, with advice on sowing, planting, harvesting and storing. With its wealth of inspirational and practical photographs, useful step-by-step information and well-informed text, The Organic Garden Book is a comprehensive guide for both first time and experienced gardeners, whether you wish to start an organic garden from scratch or use organic methods in an existing garden.