HOW TO GROW PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING PROJECTS ABSOLUTELY OF GARDENING S 100 10 0 ANYONE CAN DO ZIA ALLAWAY LIA LEENDERTZ HOW TO GROW PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING LONDON, NEW YORK, MUNICH, MELBOURNE, DELHI Senior Editor Zia Allaway Senior Designer Lucy Parissi Project Editor Caroline Reed US Editor Jill Hamilton Editors Chauney Dunford, Becky Shackleton Designer Francesca Gormley Picture Research Jenny Baskaya, Lucy Claxton Jacket Design Duncan Turner Production Editor Joanna Byrne Production Controller Imogen Boase Managing Editor Esther Ripley Managing Art Editor Alison Donovan Publisher Jonathan Metcalf Art Director Bryn Walls RHS Publisher Susannah Charlton RHS Editor Rae Spencer-Jones Photography Brian North, Peter Anderson Additional text Jenny Hendy First published in the United States in 2010 by DK Publishing 375 Hudson Street New York, New York 10014 10 11 12 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 176547—March 2010 Copyright © 2010 Dorling Kindersley Limited, London Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited. A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. ISBN: 978-0-7566-3341-7 DK books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. For details, contact: DK Publishing Special Markets, 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014 or SpecialSales@dk.com Printed and bound by Star Standard, Singapore IMPORTANT NOTICE The author and the publishers can accept no liability for any harm, damage, or illness arising from the use or misuse of the plants described in this book. Discover more at www.dk.com [...]... flowers to find out how they grow, and the best ways to care for them Then, find out more about soil types and aspect to make sure you match your plants to the conditions in your garden Equipped with this information, the fun can begin: put together a tool kit, decide on your style, design a planting plan, and start choosing plants and seeds Finally, browse through the “Seasonal Planner” on pages 24–25 to. .. in your garden, whether it’s to relax and entertain, tend a vegetable plot, or grow a colorful flower border MEETING YOUR NEEDS It is a good idea to focus on a particular style when designing your garden, but you will need to factor in your specific needs too Write a list of practical requirements and incorporate these into your plans For example, you may need a space to store trash cans or bikes, or... to worry about adding it to individual areas each time you plant 22 GARDENING BASICS >> Essential tools You don’t need to spend a fortune when you start gardening, but a few basic tools are essential if you want to perform more than the smallest tasks When you have more than three or four tools, consider investing in a small shed or box to keep your collection clean, dry, and free from rust YOUR TOOL... of growth and reproduction begins Learn what plants need to grow strong and healthy, and you can help them to put on their best performance Vital supplies Plants need water, air, nutrients, and light to thrive, and when first planted they are dependent on you to provide them Neglect them at this stage and they are unlikely to survive LIGHT REQUIREMENTS Plants make energy from sunlight through photosynthesis,... space to grow CHOOSE CAREFULLY If some of the plants you have chosen are not available at your local garden center, it is tempting to select a similar plant, but take care to check the labels for heights, spreads, and growing conditions first (left) Different species of the same type of plant may grow to very different proportions from the one on your list a Small selections Garden centers often stock... constantly seeking new areas to exploit and form a large underground network, so that when one area dries out or is killed off, other roots can be relied upon to take over and keep the plant alive In a natural environment, the plant population will adjust to the nutrients that are available In a well-stocked garden where plants are growing closely together you will need to top-up the nutrient level regularly... (pp.424–433) Cut out dead or diseased wood (pp.410) Clean all cutting tools after use to prevent spreading plant diseases (p.23) 25 Beautiful Beds In this chapter you will find everything you need to know to make stunning beds and borders, from digging out a new site, to creating a group of grasses or a sparkling winter display Learn how to plant bulbs, perennials, and shrubs, and then create a range of... arching shoots of brambles start to grow roots when they touch the soil, producing a new plant. 4 Bamboos throw out long underground roots called “runners,” which in turn generate shoots that grow to form new plants 13 14 GARDENING BASICS >> Understanding soil Your most important task as a gardener is to gain an understanding of soil Your soil type determines what will grow well and what will fail, so... the soil, preventing regrowth CLEANING AND CARE Clean your tools regularly to keep them in good condition Oil clippers every few months to prevent them from rusting and check that the blades are tight so they cut efficiently Brush soil from spades and forks regularly, and apply oil to the blades and prongs once or twice a year to deter rust Before trimming or pruning a plant, help to prevent the buildup... cleaning your cutting tools, including saws and clippers, with household disinfectant 1 Clean all pruning tools before each use to avoid spreading diseases from one plant to another 2 At the end of the season, clean and oil spades to prevent rust 3 Wipe pruning saws with a soft cloth and oil them The most useful tool for weeding is a hoe, which you push along the surface of the soil to slice through the . HOW TO GROW PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING PROJECTS ABSOLUTELY OF GARDENING S 100 10 0 ANYONE CAN DO ZIA ALLAWAY LIA LEENDERTZ HOW TO GROW PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING LONDON, NEW. MELBOURNE, DELHI Senior Editor Zia Allaway Senior Designer Lucy Parissi Project Editor Caroline Reed US Editor Jill Hamilton Editors Chauney Dunford, Becky Shackleton Designer Francesca Gormley Picture. world of plants and flowers to find out how they grow, and the best ways to care for them. Then, find out more about soil types and aspect to make sure you match your plants to the conditions in your