Did you know that April is National Garden Month? Let’s celebrate, get outside, and do some gardening! Why should you garden? There are quite a few health benefits associated with gardening. Gardening has been proven to lower stress levels and positively affect our mental health. Spending time outdoors in green spaces is also a great way to boost the immune system and enhance our memory. Need to get a good night’s rest? Gardening will expose you to natural light, fresh air, and low-impact exercise! All good things to aid a good night’s sleep. Don’t forget the best benefit of all, fresh vegetables and fruits from your own garden! This ensures that you have a variety of healthy and nutritious foods to include in your daily diet. Just think, how nice would it be to pick fresh vegetables from your own backyard and skip that grocery run?
Have you ever thought about how having a garden might impact our environment? Gardens provide a natural habitat for pollinators, which support our ecosystems in many important ways. Are you aware that one out of every three bites of food that we eat exists because of pollinators like bees, butterflies, and moths? Many plants cannot reproduce on their own unless a pollinator assists. Here is a fun fact: “More than 150 food crops in the U.S. depend on pollinators, including almost all fruit and grain crops.” * So, let’s give the pollinators a round of applause and assist them by reading more about how to plant a garden. Let’s help our ecosystem grow stronger and reap the many benefits of having a garden.
Check out the CCPL catalog for these gardening resources below. Happy gardening!
“Want to create a garden you can enjoy? Not sure where to begin? Beginner Gardening Step by Step is your foolproof companion to creating a flourishing garden. Packed full of creative ideas with simple step-by-step instructions and clear images, this book teaches the basics you need to care for lawns, shrubs, flowers, and vegetables. Just pick up this books and get gardening!”
–Back cover
“Keep your garden in great condition all year round with the bestselling guide from expert gardener Ian Spence. What is the best time for pruning rose bushes? When will your potatoes be ready to harvest? How do you encourage healthy plants to grow back each year? Discover what to do when with Gardening Through the Year. Keep on top of gardening tasks with month-by-month chapters and handy to-do lists. Be inspired by photo galleries that showcase each month’s best plants and flowers, or explore more than 350 varieties in the illustrated Plant Directory. Packed with essential gardening advice, and fully updated with sustainable practices and guidance on supporting local biodiversity, Gardening Through the Year is a must-have book for new gardeners and a trusty reference for those more experienced.”
— Back cover
“Vegetable Gardening Made Easy is filled with over 80 quick and oh-so-useful tips for growing a successful organic food garden.”
— Provided by publisher
“For gardeners who are ready to take their efforts to the next level by planting for birds, butterflies, and other wildlife by focusing on restoring native habitat and using sustainable practices, this offers more than 200 recommendations of specific cultivars, sustainability tips, and facts about how to garden organically. Regional recommendations are tailored to attracting specific pollinators; planting diagrams and plans show the possibilities with lush visuals.”
— Provided by publisher
“The Backyard Homestead Guide to Growing Organic Food is a one-stop reference for all the key information food gardeners need to grow a healthy, bountiful garden. The book features a comprehensive companion planting guide and an in-depth review of the most effective organic pest control practices, including recipes for how to make your own pest deterrent sprays.”
— Provided by publisher
Gardening in the Mid-Atlantic — Plants 101 — Seasonal gardening — Planning the garden — Building great soil — Planting the garden — Growing the garden — Fruits and vegetables — Vegetable and herb gardening — Cool-season gardening tips and tricks — Cool-season vegetables — Cool-season herbs — Warm-season gardening tips and tricks — Warm-season vegetables — Warm-season herbs.
No description from catalog.
No description from catalog.
“Take charge of your family’s food security by learning how to grow your own fruits, vegetables, and herbs-and right along with them, you’ll nurture your own inner strength, too. Food insecurity affects millions of people worldwide. Without access to well-stocked stores or nutritious, fresh foods, those living in “food deserts” face more hunger and health issues than communities where a diversity of food is plentiful. With the inspiration and knowledge found in How to Become a Gardener, self-reliance and food autonomy are within reach for anyone willing to get a little dirt under their nails and dig in. Author, health coach, and food security advocate Ashlie Thomas of The Mocha Gardener (@the.mocha.gardener) serves as an experienced and encouraging guide on your journey toward self-empowerment through the cultivation of your own homegrown harvests. With a spirit of respect for others, for nature, and for community, Ashlie walks you step by step through not only the practical ins and outs of gardening-from seed starting to making the harvest-but also through the personal challenges and lessons found within the act of gardening itself. Regardless of whether you only have space to grow in a few pots or you have enough room for multiple raised beds or an in-ground garden, you’ll find freedom and wellness through the food you grow, along with patience, compassion, and perspective. How to Become a Gardener focuses on: What makes a space a garden and how to get one started How gardens can be a symbol of resilience in challenging times Finding what motivates you to grow and using it to cultivate nutrient-dense, homegrown harvests Why reclaiming your food authority is one of the most empowering things you can do for you and your family The importance of finding personal freedom by growing your own garden-to-table food How the garden grows you just as much as you grow the garden How to Become a Gardener is about growing food, yes. But it’s also about finding your strength through gardening, reclaiming your food authority, discovering your motivation, and learning that no matter what your garden yields, it’s always worth the wait.”
— Provided by publisher
“In just one raised bed, author Huw Richards shows you how to grow vegetables easily, organically, abundantly and inexpensively so you have something to harvest every month of the year. Month by month, discover what you need to do and how to do it. Try it in your allotment, a small garden, or even on a roof terrace. Everything is explained in clear, photographed steps.”
— Provided by publisher
