Garden Alchemy: 80 Recipes and Concoctions for Organic Fertilizers, Plant Elixirs, Potting Mixes, Pest Deterrents, and More

Gardener Rose (Home Apothecary) offers up a fruitful assemblage of botanical knowledge, DIY project plans, herbal recipes, and tips for making one’s garden grow. Adopting an attitude that plants are the best teachers any gardener can have, Rose encourages readers to undertake their own course of observation, investigation, and experimentation to better understand their garden’s natural processes and what growing methods will work best in it. Rose introduces soil identification, propagation techniques, composting, fertilizers, and various garden friends and pests, using photos and well-organized charts to complement her concise explanations. Rose includes recipes for various soil mixes, birdseed, and garden “teas”—liquid fertilizers. Her pest repellents, tests for soil composition and pH levels, and other creations rely mostly on inexpensive household products. In the name of making plant propagation fun and easy, Rose provides creative ideas for seed-starting pots and seed bombs. Bursting with down-to-earth advice and imaginative concoctions, Rose’s comprehensive yet compact book will profit beginning and advanced gardeners alike. (Mar.)