Gardening Down-Under: A Guide to Healthier Soils and Plants

by Kevin Handreck

Overview

This fully revised edition of Kevin Handreck’s classic best-seller contains a wealth of information for practical gardeners. It will enable you to improve the worst of soils, choose the best fertilizer for particular plants and minimize water use. It also contains a comprehensive guide to managing potted plants.

Here also are the basics of soil, composting, fertilisers and potting mixes, as well as simple tests and colour guides to nutrient deficiencies. Gardening Down-Under covers much practical information left out by other gardening books.

Features
* Practical information on soils, potting mixes and fertilisers
* How to deal with dead plants, mulch and compost
* Information on water usage
* Key issues for gardening in pots

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780643066779
Publisher:	CSIRO Publishing
Publication date:	06/30/2001
Series:	Landlinks Press
Edition description:	Revised edition
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.75(w) x 9.50(h) x (d)

About the Author

Kevin Handreck is the Managing Director of Netherwood Horticultural Consultants and former CSIRO Soil Scientist.

Table of Contents

1 Green Plants
2 Soils
3 Chemistry for Gardeners
4 Dealing with Dead Plants
5 Organic Matter
6 Understand Fertilisers
7 Using Fertilisers
8 Water
9 Gardening with Salty Water
10 Lawns
11 Growing Plants in Containers
12 Fertilisers for Plants in Pots
13 Gardening in Containers: Some Practicalities

Editorial Reviews

"For anyone interested in what really makes their garden grow Gardening Down Under is a must." — acsGarden.com 2003

“His new book explains in … clear language everything you need to know about your soil.” — Burke’s Backyard Magazine, June 2001

“I am going to recommend a book that no serious gardener can be without. ... If you buy no other book on gardening, then buy this one for a common-sense approach to the soil in your backyard that you are going to convert into a garden.” — Cedric Bryant (Canberra Sunday Times 8 July 2001)

“The territory covered in this well formatted publication is totally practical and should help any gardener improve the worst of soils, select the best fertiliser for particular plants, not to mention minimise water use.” — Grass Roots no.147 Oct/Nov 2001

“This book is a ‘must’ for all of us who care about our plants both in the garden and in containers. It is clearly set out, reads easily and full of practical issues which we all face in our gardening.” — Pat Webb (Growing Australian December 2001)

“This essential guide has been revised and expanded to include a wealth of new information to help gardeners cope with poor soils.”
Nancy Brewer (Melbourne Weekly November 4-10, 2001)

“ … offers a chance to get down to the grassroots and better understand the ways in which soils and plants interact.”
The Sunday Tasmanian 6 January 2002

“This book could be described as an instruction manual for gardening, providing the same benefits that a workshop manual would for a car. Reading it won’t make you a better drier, but as far a keeping things running smoothly and being able to fix things when they go wrong you will be streets ahead.”
Andrew Seccull (The Age 6 April 2002)

“… contains a wealth of information for practical gardeners, including how to improve the worst of soils, choose the best fertiliser for particular plants, and minimise water use.”
The Land 22 August 2002

“For the very best advice on preparing the soil for your new garden or improving the soil in you existing garden is to buy a copy of Kevin Handreck’s Gardening Down-Under – A guide to healthier soils.”
Cedric Bryant (Canberra Sunday Times 3 April 2005)

From the Publisher