We cover a lot of ground in this book, from preparing soil to choosing herbs to using the harvest in a variety of ways. You can access the information in whatever way suits you — you can read the book from cover to cover, refer to selected chapters as you need them, flip through pages to browse the contents, or use the detailed table of contents and index to home in on specific information. Because you may not read the book straight through, each chapter includes the background information you need to understand the topic at hand.
This book is divided into five parts, starting with background information, and then leading you step-by-step through the process of growing, harvesting, and using herbs. You can also find an encyclopedia of herbs in the appendix.
Part I: Herb Basics
This part covers some background information on growing herbs, how herbs have been used throughout history, and some basic botany principles.
Part II: Deciding How and What to Grow
Before you sow your first seed or set out your first transplant, you’ll want to evaluate the growing conditions in your garden. This part shows you how to do so. And even the most spontaneous gardener benefits from have a basic garden plan, so we get you started on that aspect, too.
Part III: Getting Down to Earth
It’s time for the nitty-gritty of herb gardening. In this part, we demystify soil so that you know what you’re digging in and how to improve it. Then we look at techniques for planting and caring for herbs, as well as dealing with pest problems.
Part IV: Cut and Dried: Handling the Herbal Bounty
For some gardeners, gathering and using herbs are the fun parts. (It’s all fun for us — yes, even the weeding.) This part is all about harvesting herbs, preserving them, and using them in all sorts of ways, in the kitchen, home, medicine chest, and more.
Part V: The Part of Tens
A side benefit of herb growing (or perhaps the main benefit for some people) is the array of gifts you can make from what you’ve grown. In this part, we suggest ten great gift ideas. And if you can’t decide which of the dozens of herbs to try, you can find lists for different garden situations, culinary uses, and other ways to help you choose.
Appendix: An Encyclopedia of Herbs
If you have a question about a particular herb, turn to this appendix. Arranged alphabetically by common name, the encyclopedia includes specific information about how to plant, grow, preserve, and use individual herbs.
About the Authors
- Karan Davis Cutler is a former magazine editor and newspaper columnist, Karan Davis Cutler is the author of seven other garden books. She publishes regularly in horticultural magazines and is an eight-time winner of the Quill & Trowel Award from the Garden Writers Association of America.
- Kathleen Fisher was an editor of The American Gardener, published by the American Horticultural Society, and a longtime newspaper reporter and magazine editor. The author of several books and many articles, she died in May 2005.
- Suzanne DeJohn is a writer and horticulturist at the National Gardening Association for 14 years, Suzanne now writes, gardens, and runs a petfriendly B&B in northern Vermont.
- The National Gardening Association (NGA) is committed to sustaining and renewing the fundamental links between people, plants, and the Earth. Founded in 1972 (as “Gardens for All”) to spearhead the community garden movement, today’s NGA promotes environmental responsibility, advances multidisciplinary learning and scientifi c literacy, and creates partnerships that restore and enhance communities.
Product Details
- Paperback: 392 pages
- Publisher: For Dummies; 2 edition (2011)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0470617780
- ISBN-13: 978-0470617786
- Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 1 inches
List Price: $19.99