Le s ge t’ t g g a e ni r n d US_001_Title_Page.indd 1 19/11/2018 16:54 Senior editor Satu Hämeenaho-Fox Designer Rachael Hare Design assistants Eleanor Bates, Kitty Glavin Art editors Seepiya Sahni, Jaileen Kaur Senior art editor Nidhi Mehra Editor Radhika Haswani US Senior editor Shannon Beatty Americanizer Margaret Parrish Picture researcher Sakshi Saluja Pre-production producer Dragana Puvacic Producer John Casey Jacket designer Rachael Hare Jacket co-ordinator Isobel Walsh Managing editor Penny Smith Managing art editor Mabel Chan Creative director Helen Senior Publishing director Sarah Larter Published in the United States by DK Publishing 1450 Broadway, Suite 801, New York, NY 10018 Copyright © 2019 DK, a Division of Penguin Random House LLC 19 20 21 22 23 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 001–314398–Feb/2020 All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under the 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 the copyright owner. Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited. A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress. ISBN: 978-1-4654-8549-6 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, 1450 Broadway, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10018 [email protected] Printed and bound in China A WORLD OF IDEAS: SEE ALL THERE IS TO KNOW www.dk.com This book contains content previously published in DK titles How Does My Garden Grow?; Ready, Set, Grow!; Grow It, Cook It; and Wildlife Gardening. US_002-003_Contents.indd 2 10/12/2018 16:19 s t C n ent o 4 Be an eco-friendly gardener 68 Mini nature preserve 6 What is a plant? 70 Plant a tree 8 What plants need 72 Water plants 10 Gardening tools 74 Pond life 76 Pond dipping 12 Kitchen garden 78 Container pond 14 What is a kitchen garden? 80 Make a frog and toad home 16 Growing herbs 82 Plants for bees 18 How to grow carrots 84 Create a bee hotel 20 How to grow potatoes 86 Ladybug sanctuary 22 How to grow beets 88 Plants for caterpillars 24 How to grow lettuce and butterflies 26 How to grow leeks 90 Butterfly feeder 28 How to grow spinach 92 Pets’ corner 30 How to grow chilies 94 Recycling garden 32 How to grow eggplant 34 How to grow zucchini 96 Why recycle in the garden? 36 How to grow pumpkins 98 Recycle and renew 38 How to grow beans 100 Collecting seeds 40 How to grow peppers 102 Eggshell planters 42 How to grow corn 104 Stunning succulents 44 How to grow tomatoes 106 Cork planters 46 How to grow blueberries 108 Creative containers 48 How to grow strawberries 110 Pot labels and markers 50 How to grow lemons 112 Mini greenhouses 114 Strawberry boots 52 Wildlife garden 116 Bird bathroom 54 Why be a wildlife gardener? 118 Bird feeder 56 Your garden is a habitat 120 Owl nesting boot 58 Your seasonal wildlife garden 122 Self-watering seedlings 60 A wildlife hedge 124 Glossary 62 Plants for a fragrant garden 126 Index 64 Starting plants for wildlife 128 Acknowledgments 66 Sunflowers US_002-003_Contents.indd 3 30/03/2020 12:51 Be an eco-friendly g e r den a r Being eco-friendly means thinking about how what we do affects nature, from tiny seedlings to huge trees, and the animals that rely on them. It’s also about keeping in mind that you are part of nature, too. Get out there and get gardening! What does an eco-friendly gardener do? Grows vegetables Vegetables that you grow yourself are by far the best. They are tasty and healthy to eat, save money, and help the environment by reducing pollution from the vehicles that carry them to supermarkets. No plastic packaging here! Protects wildlife We can attract wildlife to our gardens by planting plants that encourage animals to visit, and by giving them a safe home. Gardens are vital habitats for animals in cities, where many areas have been paved over. 4 US_004-005_Be_an_eco-friendly_gardener.indd 4 16/11/2018 14:23 Reduces waste We can reuse and recycle things from the home so we don’t have to throw them away. Food waste can be used as compost, while broken items can find a new purpose in the garden. Makes home greener Bring plants inside to help make your Gets healthy home prettier and healthier. Plants Gardening is good for you! clean the air and make for a much Research has shown that digging nicer indoor environment. in the soil makes you feel happier, and it’s also good exercise. 5 US_004-005_Be_an_eco-friendly_gardener.indd 5 16/11/2018 14:23 What is a plant ? A plant is a living thing that makes food from sunlight. There are nearly 400,000 types of plant! They have flowers, leaves, stems, and roots. Flowers Many plants create new life using flowers. Once the flowers have been fertilized, they produce seeds or fruit. Leaves A plant’s leaves capture energy from sunlight to turn into food. Tiny openings let gases and moisture in and out of the plant. Stem Stems act as a transportation network to take water, minerals, and food to all parts of the plant. They also produce leaves and new shoots along their length. Fruit Root hairs These absorb water from the soil. Roots Roots suck up the water and nutrients from the soil that the plant needs to grow. Root tip This part grows into the soil. 6 US_006-007_What_is_a_plant.indd 6 16/11/2018 14:23 What is a plant ? True leaf How do plants grow? Seed leaf Seeds contain everything a new plant When the conditions are right, the seed One or two tiny seed leaves shoot out, needs to grow: the baby plant itself takes in water, swells, and splits its case. quickly followed by the first true leaves. and the food to get it started. The main root reaches down into the soil. The seedling can now make its own food. Stigma Flowers: the inside story Stamens Style Seeds form inside flowers. At the base of a flower there is These produce an open part called the ovary, which contains eggs, called pollen grains. ovules. Leading to the ovary is a tube called the style, which has a sticky end called a stigma. Pollen is carried onto the stigma by the wind or insects. The pollen travels down the style into the ovary and combines with the ovules to become seeds. Petals Bright colors attract insects. Ovary Bees This contains and other insects the ovules, which help pollinate flowers. become the seeds. 7 US_006-007_What_is_a_plant.indd 7 16/11/2018 14:23 p a W a s need h t l nt Plants adapt to their environments—some like hot, dry weather, some like lots of rain, while others prefer sandy soil. Whenever you buy a plant from a garden center, or grow one from seed, make sure you give it what it needs to thrive. These tomatoes have grape-size fruit in bunches—ideal for hanging baskets. Check the labels Read labels and seed packets when you buy plants and seeds. These tell you: • What the plant will look like Sow Plant out Harvest • When to sow • How to sow •• WWhheenn ttoo phalarnvte ostu t in the yard Spring Summer Fall Winter • If the plant likes sun or shade • The type of soil it prefers Sowing and growing Sow indoors in early spring iSno fwre see-eddras in1⁄4in ing (s6e emdm c)o dmepeops t oPrla enat rolyu stdumoomrse irn late spring Harvest late summer to fall Likes full sun Soil Prefers warm, well-drained soil The front of the seed packet shows the variety of This is vital to plants. It anchors their roots and the plant and what it will acts as a store of water and nutrients. Not all soils look like when fully grown. are the same, so gardeners often add compost made from dead plant material (like you’d find on a compost heap) to their soil to improve it. Seed compost All-purpose Grow-bag compost A fine-textured mix that This is a nutrient-rich compost holds water well. It is low in mixture specially prepared An all-around compost mixture nutrients because seeds for hungry vegetables, such that looks like soil. Most plants already have their own as peppers. in this book will grow well in supply of food. all-purpose compost. 8 US_008-009_What_plants_need.indd 8 16/11/2018 14:23