Gardening: The Basics: E-books Overdrive/Libby

From the chef, restaurant owner, and author of the critically lauded A Girl and Her Pig comes a beautiful, full-color cookbook that offers tantalizing seasonal recipes for a wide variety of vegetables, from summer standbys such as zucchini to earthy novelties like sunchokes. A Girl and Her Greens reflects the lighter side of the renowned chef whose name is nearly synonymous with nose-to-tail eating. In recipes such as Pot-Roasted Romanesco Broccoli, Onions with Sage Pesto, and Carrots with Spices, Yogurt, and Orange Blossom Water, April Bloomfield demonstrates the basic principle of her method: that unforgettable food comes out of simple, honest ingredients, an attention to detail, and a love for the sensual pleasures of cooking and eating. Written in her appealing, down-to-earth style, A Girl and Her Greens features beautiful color photography, lively illustrations, and insightful sidebars and tips on her techniques, as well as charming narratives that reveal her sources of inspiration.

Make the most of your CSA membership--or your garden harvest--with simple yet bold, inventive yet nourishing meals from acclaimed blogger Linda Ly.Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs have connected farms to consumers and made people more in tune with where their food comes from, but still leave many stumped beyond the conventional uses for their produce. How many times has a CSA share arrived with things you've never seen before or not known what to do with?The CSA Cookbook will help you cook your way through a CSA box (or farmers' market or backyard bounty) with 105 seasonal recipes that utilize every edible part of the plant, from leaves and flowers to stems and seeds. Think of it as a nose-to-tail approach--for vegetables!With innovative ideas for preparing the lesser-known but no-less-delicious parts of plants, tips for using the odds and ends of vegetables, and easy preservation techniques, Linda Ly helps you get from farm to table without a fuss. Chapters include tomatoes and peppers, leafy greens, peas and beans, bulbs and stems, roots and tubers, melons and gourds, and flowers and herbs. You'll find globally-inspired, vegetable-focused recipes that turn a single plant into several meals--take squash, for instance. This year-round vegetable brings a variety of tastes and textures to the table: Squash Blossom and Roasted Poblano Tacos, Sicilian Squash Shoot Soup, Autumn Acorn Squash Stuffed with Kale, Cranberries, and Walnuts, and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds. If you grow your own food at home, you might be surprised to learn you can eat the leaves from your pepper plants, or pickle the seed pods from your radishes.The CSA Cookbook aims to inspire curiosity in the garden and creativity in the kitchen. You'll look at vegetables in a whole new way and think twice before you discard your kitchen "scraps"!"One of my favorite sayings is, 'Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.' What appeals to me about this phrase is the idea that everything is useful. And that's why I like The CSA Cookbook so much. Many of Linda's dishes utilize the oft-discarded parts of vegetables such as tomato leaves, radish greens, and carrot tops. More than just being efficient, these recipes encourage us to explore the flavors and uses of every edible part of a plant. This book will completely change the way you look at vegetables." --P. Allen Smith, author of P. Allen Smith's Seasonal Recipes from the Garden"The CSA Cookbook shows you how to use everything your vegetables offer, whether they come from your CSA or your garden. After all, why throw away what's edible when it can offer so much in the kitchen?" --Deborah Madison, author of Vegetable Literacy: Cooking and Gardening with Twelve Families from the Edible Plant Kingdom

Find happiness, connection, and accomplishment by cultivating your garden life every day of the week using this inspiration-packed guide that shows aspiring gardeners exactly what they need to know. Are you ready to discover your garden's unexpected gifts? All it takes is a daily practice. In The 30-Minute Gardener, Greg Loadesreveals what dedicated time spent in the garden every day can create: a moment of solitude in a busy world, a welcoming space to enjoy with family and friends, and an increased connection to nature. In this practical and inspiring guide you'll find advice on tasks such as pruning a rose bush and planting bulbs, inspired ideas for transforming an overgrown garden into a beautiful flower-filled haven, and hints on how best to savor your garden and enjoy your accomplishments.

Join the permaculture revolution! Author Angela Ferraro-Fanning (Axe & Root Homestead) shares techniques and tips for a homestead with synergy between soil, plants, animals, and trees.
If you're like most homesteaders, the dream is to make the most of your land by working with it, not against it. From capturing water and building strong soil to helping your animals live their best lives, The Sustainable Homestead is about making your homestead stronger by achieving synergy between what can seem like different parts.
In this book, new and veteran homesteaders alike can find detailed information to put to use this year, this month, even this week! Angela—also the co-host of the HOMESTEADucation podcast and author of the Little Homesteader/Little Country Cottage series of children's books—has spent more than a decade building and strengthening her small acreage homestead and shares the lessons chapter by chapter:
Site Selection: Evaluate the elements, water flow and management, wildlife considerations, effective layouts, land elevation, water access points, permaculture zones, considerations based on acreage, how to remedy site shortcomings
Soil: The importance of soil, symptoms of poor soil, synthetics, water and erosion, healthier crops and animals, how to regenerate soil, cover crops, no-till method, perennial plantings
Growing: Catching and storing water with swales, catchment ponds, and rain barrels; sunlight and garden design including mandala, terrace, and forest; plant choices; companion planting; holistic pest management including cultural, physical, and biological options
Pasture: Design considerations, cover cropping, grazing, animal compatibility, pasture rotation, closed-loop grazing systems, maintenance, solar fencing
Animals: Chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and the sustainable coop; sheep, goats, pigs, and sustainable living quarters; horses, cows, donkeys, and sustainable stable; natural remedies; livestock guardian dogs and barn cats
Compost: What is compost?, hot vs. cold, decomposition and carbon to nitrogen ratios, creating a composting system, tier considerations, access and rotation, uses of compost, compost tea
Overstory: Nut trees and permaculture contributions, pollinator groups, fruiting trees, planting in guilds, pest management, tree health

Wherever you want to start first, follow along and make your homestead more resilient by making it more sustainable.

Plant propagation is an economical, rewarding and sustainable way to increase your plant stock and develop your horticultural skills. A Gardener's Guide to Propagation Techniques is a comprehensive, practical guide to the various methods of propagation suitable for a wide range of trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials, bulbs and tender plants. Chapters cover seeds, cuttings, layering, division, grafting, bulbs and even micropropagation, as well as providing an extensive list of plants that are suitable for each method, rating them from easy to difficult. In addition, the book includes: step-by-step photographic guides to the different propagation techniques; advice on selecting the right plant material, at the right time; help with deciding on the best method for different plants; guidance on choosing the appropriate propagation environment and aftercare of the material, and finally an overview of pest and disease challenges.

Bring your garden to life--and life to your garden   Do you want a garden that makes a real difference? Choose plants native to our Northeast region. The rewards will benefit you, your yard, and the environment--from reducing maintenance tasks to attracting earth-friendly pollinators such as native birds, butterflies, and bees. Native plant expert Uli Lorimer of the Native Plant Trust makes adding these superstar plants easier than ever before, with proven advice that every home gardener can follow. This incomparable sourcebook includes 235 recommended native trees, shrubs, vines, ferns, wildflowers, grasses, sedges, and annuals. It's everything you need to know to create a beautiful and beneficial garden.   This must-have handbook is for gardeners in Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, eastern Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

"Kranz's facility at simplifying the process of raising fava beans or beets or lemon verbena--yes, anywhere--will have you scouring seed catalogs." --NewsweekEdible Gardens LA founder Lauri Kranz shares her secrets for planning, planting, growing, and maintaining luscious edible gardens, no matter the setting or size of the plot. Through gorgeous gardens created for her well-known clientele, including James Beard Award-winning chefs, celebrities, rock stars, and more, Lauri shares her essential methods for growing abundant organic food. This practical guide is built around Lauri's philosophy that nourishment and beauty are not separate goals. It's also at the forefront of a gardening revolution, where more and more people are craving a patch of land for growing and the trend is toward edible gardens over ornamental gardens. A Garden Can Be Anywhere reveals Lauri's knack for providing both beauty and bounty in her clients' outdoor spaces."Every time I see Lauri, I come away feeling nourished. Her superpower is her warmth, and her ease that makes any conversation about your garden feel empowering. She is a grounding force that strips away any gardening intimidation and makes you feel strong, capable, joyful. There's no ego in her approach; she's really rooting for you. Being around Lauri is such a gift." --Maya Rudolph, actor, comedian, singer"The book takes readers through the process--step-by-step--of designing and growing a beautiful home garden." --Gardenista"Lauri Kranz not only set up my edible garden, but also created and established a relationship between me and my backyard. She is the Tinder for me and my vegetables." --Nicole Richie, fashion designer, author, actor

If you want a vibrant, chemical-free vegetable garden, companion planting is the solution.
Did you know tomatoes produce a natural insecticide that can help protect carrots against pests? Or that planting mint near lettuce can repel slugs? Every gardener knows that the key to an abundant harvest in their vegetable garden is controlling pests and disease, while still maintaining a healthy growing environment. But it is possible to have a healthy, thriving vegetable garden without using dangerous chemicals? It is, as long as you know how to pair up the right plants. Organic gardeners have known for years that planting the right plants together is the key to minimizing pests, improving soil quality, and increasing the yield of their gardens, and almost any vegetable you can grow likely has a beneficial companion. Companion planting is the ideal way to avoid using chemicals, while still increasing the efficiency of your garden. Expert organic gardener Brian Lowell will teach you how to use plants to create a beautiful, vibrant vegetable garden that will be free of toxic chemicals.

Here's what you'll find inside:
Handy companion planting pairings for all of the most common garden vegetables
Practical, simple photography and colorful illustrations for dozens of beneficial planting configurations
Expert advice from a master gardener that is specifically designed for beginners
Loads of troubleshooting tips for fixing common issues with companion-planted gardens
Tips for setting up the perfect vegetable garden, including practical advice on watering, soil management, troubleshooting, and more

"Wonderfully written, beautifully illustrated, and everything you need to know to get more productivity out of your food garden." --Joe Lamp'l, creator and executive producer, Growing a Greener World Discover how to get more out of your growing space with succession planting--carefully planned, continuous seed sowing--and provide a steady stream of fresh food from early spring through late fall.   Drawing inspiration from succession in natural landscapes, Meg McAndrews Cowden teaches you how to implement lessons from these dynamic systems in your home garden. You'll learn how to layer succession across your perennial and annual crops; maximize the early growing season; determine the sequence to plant and replant in summer; and incorporate annual and perennial flowers to benefit wildlife and ensure efficient pollination. You'll also find detailed, seasonal sowing charts to inform your garden planning, so you can grow more anywhere, regardless of your climate.   Plant Grow Harvest Repeat will inspire you to create an even more productive, beautiful, and enjoyable garden across the seasons--every vegetable gardener's dream.

A step-by-step guide to growing your own vegetables in small spaces like patios, decks, balconies, and windowsills.Container gardening is the simple, economical way to grow your own vegetables without an in-ground garden. Even if you don't have a yard--or don't want to dig yours up--you can grow a bounty of fresh vegetables right on your balcony or kitchen windowsill. Container Vegetable Gardening shows how to use the latest practices of high-density gardening to grow delicious vegetables, herbs, and fruits in flower pots, buckets, planters, window boxes, hanging baskets, recycled containers, and more.Discover how to create bountiful container gardens for big, delicious yields! Plant-by-plant guide to 34 popular container crops Inspiring ideas for 34 edible theme garden combinations Successful strategies for small spaces like patios, decks, balconies, and windowsills

The complete how-to guide for growing herbs indoors for health, vitality, and culinary zest.Learn how to grow herbs for health, for taste, and for life with Your Indoor Herb Garden, a comprehensive guide to growing herbs indoors. Featuring all the tips and guidance you'll need to grow and harvest organic culinary and medicinal herbs right in your own home. Coverage includes: Techniques for successfully growing herbs indoors Equipment, soil types, and feeding Why indoor herb gardens are an important part of life, from cooking to healing Herbal medicine Herbal history and lore An annotated glossary of herbs, including their common uses, growing requirements, cautions, and more. Growing herbs indoors leads the list of the healthiest and most useful indoor activities we can do. Herbs can clean the air of toxins, provide oxygen and humidity, and help vanquish our psychoses. And they're tasty!This is the ideal practical guide for gardeners and cooks with an interest in healthy living and fresh flavors looking to create their own indoor herb garden anywhere.Praise for Your Indoor Herb Garden"As a behavioral science expert, I've spent 30 years advising and altering people's behavior. Helping big brands make their brands all that more appealing by tapping into the psychology of consumers. Your Indoor Herb Garden has given me a complete new set of tools with which to alter the moods of consumers, and myself. Anyone interested in human health and wellbeing should get hold of this book immediately. It's frankly brilliant. And there was me thinking herbs were just . . . herbs." --Phillip Adcock commercial psychologist, author, Master Your Brain"A fascinating, beautifully-illustrated guide to growing and using herbs to enhance your life, from ancient supernatural rituals to present-day cooking and medicinal purposes." --Janet Kay author, The Sisters"[A] beautiful and easy-to-understand book. From the history of herbs to their medicinal value and the "ins and outs" of using them. Great stuff. Dig in!" --Dr. Al Danenberg periodontist, certified functional medicine practitioner, certified primal health coach