Guide To Gardening

When I first received this 557 page book (not including index pages), I admit I was a little overwhelmed. It features 2,500 color photos and illustrations and over 700 plants! I certainly wanted to learn about gardening and this book does cover it all. More importantly, it's all organic! While I don't think everything I consume needs to be organic, this book certainly taught me how to do so without paying the high grocery store prices for it.

This book is like one in-depth gardening college class condensed into one book. It answers the call for those who want to create and maintain a garden of beauty using safe organic methods, with the added assurance of getting great results.

The opening chapter explores garden planning, including enviornmentally friendly topics such as wildflower gardens, xeriscaping, rain gardens, and methods of encouraging wildlife. The chapters on annuals, bulbs, perennials, trees, and shrubs end with lists of plants suitable for specific locations or purposes, such as "Fragrant Bulbs" or "Trees for Acidic Soils." In addition, there is a list of plants that should be planted with caution, since they may become invasive under certain conditions. The chapter on plant disorders gives organic methods to combat pests and diseases that may attack plants, as well as suggestions on how to control the weeds.

This big book walks you through planning your garden, talks all about every type of flower, shrub, plant, vegetable, tree (and more), and concludes with how to take care of your garden. I think I was most fascinated with the ending - how to take care of your garden. There is a chapter in that section about "Plant Disorders." There are tons of pictures describing each problem you may have with a particular plant. For example, if you have leaves with holes, you could have caterpillars, earwigs, leafeaters or tortix caterpillars, vine and flower weevils, plant buts or leaf bugs, shot-hole disease, rose slugs, pea leaf weevils, gooseberry sawflies, slugs and snails, flea beatles, leaf-cutting ants and bees, or water-lily beetles! This book shows a picture, describes symptoms and signs, danger period, and offers treatment advice. That being said, there are actually good bugs that help fight against other pests. This book covers that. It even goes on to troubleshoot your vegetables and root and stem problems!

It's one thing to know how to grow a beautiful garden, but you're going to need to know how to take care of it and what to do if something goes wrong. I used to count a dying plant as failure, but with this book, I have learned tips to restore and repair that plant.

This book has a cover price of $35 (much cheaper than going through college), but today you can enter to win it! I have one copy to give to one lucky reader! You can enter this giveaway one time, but have the ability to earn bonus entries.

How to enter:

1. Leave a comment to let me know why you would love to have this book. Be sure to leave me your email address so I know how to contact you if you win.
   

Earn bonus entries:

1. Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter. Come back here and comment telling me you did and what your twitter name is so I can go check it out.
   
2. Copy and paste my Homemaker Hero button code (upper left side of the page) and put it on your blog or website and come back here and leave a comment with a link to it.
3. Take a picture of your garden (or space you would want to plant a garden) and link to it in the comments.

Not So Fine Print: This giveaway will end Tuesday May 26th, 2009. Winner will be chosen by a random number generator. You can earn up to four entries for this giveaway - one entry for each opportunity listed above. If you win, you will need to give me your mailing address of where to send the book. Any contact information you offer will be used for entry and mailing purposes only. You will never be contacted by Homemaker Hero for any other purposes. Good luck!!