Bøger af Janet Melrose

All the most common questions about growing vegetables in the prairies are answered in this first installation of the new gardening series, Guides for the Prairie Gardener.

Lifelong gardeners Janet Melrose and Sheryl Normandeau tackle the tasty topic of fruit in the seventh book in the Guides for the Prairie Gardener series.Strawberries, blueberries, saskatoons, pears, plums, apricots, cherries, currants, kiwi . . . There are lots of great reasons to grow your own. There's the unparalleled taste of fresh produce to consider, and the opportunity to help reduce ever-rising grocery bills. Then there's the ornamental appeal (think grape vines and apple blossoms).Whether you're growing an orchard in a rural area, planting a couple of currant bushes or haskaps in a small urban yard, or a container of squash on a balcony, you'll find help and inspiration here.Janet and Sheryl answer your questions on things likePlacement for sun- and shade-loving plantsPollination, propagation, and graftingMulching, hilling, trellises, and those oh-so-fancy espaliersTroubleshooting pesky spots, scales, worms, flies, and other killjoysPreventing weather damage and prepping your plants for winterHarvesting and storage methodsWith a primer on what exactly counts as fruit (scientifically and culturally) and Prairie-friendly lists of species and varietals for every space and inclination, you'll soon know your drupes from your pomes, your berries from your pepos and be well on your way to harvesting the fruits of your own labour (yes, we went there).

The eighth book in the Guides for the Prairie Gardener series is all about those reliable, grounded plants you can count on: perennials.Perennials are those species whose stems and leaves die back to their crowns each fall, but whose roots remain alive throughout the non-growing months. They include showy flowers like peonies, poppies, lilies, clematis, and lupine, but also edibles like asparagus, fiddlehead ferns, sunchokes, and rhubarb.In this guide prairie gardening experts Janet Melrose and Sheryl Normandeau answer questions likeWhat are the best perennials for building biodiversity in my garden?What's the difference between species, variety, cultivar, and nativar?What kinds of perennials can I grow in containers?When and how do I divide plants once they're well established?How do I keep enthusiastic re-seeders from taking over?Which of my perennial babies need to be brought inside for the winter?The pair dedicate a chapter to perennial vegetables and another to mitigating common pests and diseases. The final chapter is a perennial hall of fame, an extended list of recommended plantings for colour, native species, rock gardens, ground cover, fragrance, spring champions, and all-season displays. Janet and Sheryl give you the information you need to make your perennial garden as successful as you can while promoting biodiversity and creating a healthy habitat for pollinators and wildlife.

The fifth book in the Guides for the Prairie Gardener series is all about getting good soil--from chemical composition to compost, fertilizer to fungi, and much more.Soil is a whole world under our feet, full of fun words you may have heard but never quite understood, like hard-pan, humus, loam, and tilth. In this fifth book in the Guides for the Prairie Gardener series, master gardeners Janet and Sheryl provide the basics of soil science so that you can apply it to your gardening endeavours.They answer your questions on things likeHow do I test the chemical composition of my garden soil?What's the difference between organic, inorganic, and natural fertilizers?What do those numbers on packages of fertilizer mean?How and when should I amend my garden's soil?Hot compost? Cold compost? Worm compost?Egg shells, coffee grounds, banana peels--yes or no?What exactly do mycorrhizal fungi do?In this handy Q-and-A guide, focused specifically on the prairie region, you'll learn what particles are dominant in your soil, how to make successful compost, the value of mulch, tips on no-till practices and cover crops, and solutions to problems such as compaction, heavy clay, salinity, and soil-borne diseases. With Janet and Sheryl's insight you'll soon be well on your way to healthy, happy soil.

Book six in the Guides for the Prairie Gardeners series demystifies planting and caring for trees and shrubs on the prairies, with tips on stock size, fruit production, pests, and winter protection. Trees and shrubs together make up the bulk of Earth's biomass. They are responsible for carbon dioxide storage, oxygen production, movement of water, and a host of other functions. In our gardens, trees and shrubs provide numerous benefits, including reducing air, light, and noise pollution, protecting our homes from wind, cold, and heat, and providing habitat for birds, insects, and other animals.In the sixth book in the Guides for the Prairie Gardener series, lifelong gardeners Janet and Sheryl offer advice and recommendations to help you successfully grow trees and shrubs from the ground up. They answer your questions onWhether to choose small or large trees and shrubs to match your needs The fine art of digging holes Care and feeding (and mulching and watering and fertilizing) When and how to train and prune for your plant's health and appearance How to protect young trees and shrubs through a bitter winter When to call your local arborist Janet and Sheryl help you trouble shoot on common issues like a tree's failure to produce fruit, girdling, and weather-related challenges, as well as an introduction to pests and diseases like leaf miners, leaf rollers, leafhoppers, and their friends. They also provide prairie-specific lists of recommended trees and shrubs for flower displays, autumn colour, beautiful bark, smaller yards, hedges, and shade.