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The Hands On Gardener: Water

by Susan McClure
0761117784
138 pages; Softcover

How to Use and Conserve Our Most Precious Resource

In The Hands-On Gardener: Water, Susan McClure, author of Smith & Hawken Seeds and Propagation, clears up one of the most common yet mystifying problems gardeners face--the right way to deliver the right amount of water to the right plant at the right time. Rooted in the belief that good gardening is water-conscious gardening, Water shows how to have your garden and water, too, and covers when and how much to water; soil types; improving drainage; minimizing stress; the importance of mulch; watering systems--from the old-fashioned watering can to sophisticated drip and trickle irrigation; and ends with an encyclopedia that lists over 100 water-conserving plants.

Clearing up one of the most common yet mystifying problems gardeners face: how to deliver the right amount of water to the right plant at the right time- WATER is a fully illustrated guide with an emphasis on conservation, and includes an encyclopedia of over 100 plants that require low-to-moderate water use.

THE LESSONS OF XERISCAPING: The beauty of mulch. The importance of humus. Choosing plants according to their needs, and avoiding lawn envy.

DRAINAGE & SOILS: Know your dirt: clay, silt, sand. The drainage test. Wetting agents and water-holding gels.

SELF-RELIANT PLANTINGS: Encouraging vigorous roots. Spacing plants further apart. Dealing with wind, sun, slopes. And letting a plant go dormant when it wants to.

WISE WAY TO WATER: From watering cans to sprinklers to soaker hoses to a customized system. Recycling water an gray water. A season-by-season guide to efficient watering practices by climate.