How To Garden If You're New To Gardening

Description

New to gardening Start with the essentials for beginners. RHS How To Garden When You're New To Gardening shows you the basics to get your green space under control and keep it that way. With the expertise of the RHS, you'll find simple step-by-step instructions, with clear images to help you create your dream garden, no matter the size and scale. Grow tomatoes, make a hanging basket, cut back your bushes and prune your roses - simply, practically and efficiently - no knowledge of Latin required! The perfect way to kickstart a new outdoor hobby - this refreshingly accessible book will help the gardening novice master and enjoy their precious patch of land. CONTENTS Introduction GETTING STARTED Which way does your garden face? Know your soil Improving your soil Choosing the right potting compost Choosing healthy plants FLOWERS & FOLIAGE Sowing seeds outdoors Sowing seeds indoors Growing plants that last Growing sunflowers Preparing pots for planting Plant up a colourful container Make a spring hanging basket Planting a shady windowbox Planting bulbs in a pot Making a border Making raised beds and edges Choosing flowers and foliage for spring containers Choosing flowers and foliage for summer containers LAWNS Laying turf Sowing grass seed How to make a lawn edging Growing bulbs in grass Caring for your lawn CLIMBERS Planting a climber Potting up climbers Planting an obelisk Create a tower of climbers Make an ivy topiary ball Build a rose arch Pruning a rose arch Pruning a rose on a wall Pruning wisteria Cutting back ivy Raise new plants by layering Choosing climbers for spring interest Choosing climbers for summer interest SHRUBS Planting a shrub Planting a shrub in a pot Planting a bare-root rose Pruning an early summerflowering shrub Lightly pruning shrubs Pruning a shrub rose Pruning hydrangea Pruning lavender Pruning for winter stems Planting a hedge Trimming a hedge Making a topiary cone Repotting a shrub Choosing shrubs for year-round interest Choosing shrubs for autumn interest GRASSES Planting grasses in the ground Caring for grasses Cutting back grasses Dividing grasses Choosing grasses SMALL TREES Planting a tree Removing a branch Moving a tree or shrub Choosing trees for small gardens VEGETABLES Growing seeds in trays Sowing seeds in small pots Growing vegetables from plug plants Raising lettuces on a windowsill Growing tomatoes Growing climbing beans Growing root crops Growing early potatoes Growing potatoes in a bin HERBS Growing herbs from seed Planting a herb garden Planting a herb hanging basket Making a lavender hedge Growing herbs from cuttings Dividing herbs FRUIT Planting a basket of strawberries Planting an apple tree in a pot Pruning an apple tree Soft fruit in small spaces Tree fruit in small spaces PRACTICALITIES Watering plants Making your own compost How and when to prune Caring for your tools Troubleshooting weeds Dealing with pests Preventing diseases Know your garden friends Index Acknowledgements