Starting Seeds: How to Grow Healthy, Productive Vegetables, Herbs, and Flowers from Seed. A Storey Basics® Title
Every spring, grocery-store sidewalks are lined with newly sprouted plants waiting to be transplanted in backyard plots by amateur gardeners. According to veteran gardening expert Ellis, most of these seedlings are overpriced, nonorganic, and quickly fall prey to transplant shock. In this slender, do-it-yourself guide to growing all varieties of plants from seed, Ellis demonstrates how much greater control the enterprising gardener acquires with germinating methods, from being able to choose from a much wider variety of vegetables and herbs to keeping seedlings free of pesticides. In three easy-to-follow, jargon-free sections, complete with useful illustrations, Ellis covers the fundamentals of seed selection, soil preparation, proper moisture, and choosing the best containers. An invaluable section includes troubleshooting tips, a frost-dates map, and an Internet resource guide. Whether you’re a novice gardener just breaking in a new greenhouse or a veteran fine-tuning your germination skills, Ellis’ book offers plenty of sound advice on working botanical magic from one of nature’s most fundamental units of life. --Carl Hays