Growing Vegetables With A Smile

"Biggs and Balzer have gardened far and wide, from Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, and Grande Prairie, to Qualicum Beach on Vancouver Island. No Guff Vegetable Gardening is a down-to-earth, fun book for new gardeners with a delicious collection of savoury tips and ideas for experienced gardeners.

Plant parsley and asparagus together and you’ll have more of each, but keep broccoli and tomato plants far apart if you want them to thrive. Utilize the natural properties of plants to nourish the soil, repel pests, and secure a greater harvest. With plenty of insightful advice and suggestions for planting schemes, Louise Riotte will inspire you to turn your garden into a naturally nurturing ecosystem.

If you want to grow healthy vegetables at home, but have hesitated because it seems too hard and time consuming, Organic Gardening for Everyone is your perfect hands-on guide—an “if I can do it, you can do it” case study that addresses your concerns and gets you started. Loaded with practical advice and step-by-step guidance, Organic Gardening for Everyone takes a very personal and friendly approach to a subject that can be intimidating. It is a first-class primer on organic vegetable gardening, and an inspirational story about how anyone can balance the rigors of gardening with the demands of a modern, family-oriented lifestyle. In 2012, a California mom decided to start an organic vegetable garden. But she went about it in an unusual way: she crowdsourced it by launching a YouTube channel under the name "CaliKim" and asking for help. And then she started planting. As questions came up, she turned to her viewers and subscribers and they replied with answers and advice. As she learned, her garden grew successfully—even in the hot, harsh California climate. Her expertise also grew, and now she answers many more questions than she asks and has become a very accomplished home gardener. And CaliKim has a great story to tell: growing healthy organic vegetables for your family is not difficult, even for today’s time-challenged lifestyles. She provides complete step-by-step information on growing the most popular edibles organically, and also gives sound advice on how to take on the challenges of balancing a hectic lifestyle with successful growing—and how to involve the whole family in the process. You'll be rewarded for your effort every time you place a plate of natural, organic vegetables on the family dinner table knowing exactly what they are, what is in them, and where they came from.

Huw Richards set himself a challenge - to grow his own fruit and veg for free for a year. He succeeded and now wants to help you do the same. Can't afford a raised bed? Try repurposing an old wooden pallet. Don't want to spend money on buying plants? Look in the fridge and your kitchen cupboards for food that you can plant. Need a particular tool? Barter or borrow from a neighbor. Don't have a garden? See if someone in your area has an untended patch you can turn into a well-loved veg plot. Huw's Grow Food for Free has the inspiration and practical advice you need to start, grow, love, propagate and harvest your own fruit and veg organically and at zero-cost. This is real sustainability!

The Great Vegetable Plot is a modern and inspirational guide to growing vegetables. It isn't about becoming totally self-sufficient, but about concentrating time and energy on varieties that are really worth growing rather than buying. The results - your own fresh, delicious, home-grown crops, available throughout the year - that will enhance your life. Sarah's principles are speed and simplicity, so she focuses on easy and rewarding crops that don't require huge amounts of time and space. Like so many of us these days, Sarah doesn't have the times to devote hours to her garden every week, so her methods have evolved to make the most of labour-saving and time-efficient ideas, from sowing seedlings in guttering to growing herbs in wooden crates.

Whether it's vegetables, fruits, or flowers; on a balcony or along your steps and walkways, you want information on container gardening that is foolproof and has step-by-step directions. Walliser provides scalable projects for differing needs, and give you ideas for reusing containers you have around your home. She covers the importance of drainage, irrigation, and other watering concerns for a successful garden.