Gardening

3D Home Architect Home Design Deluxe 6

1 stars ( 3D Home Architect Home Design Deluxe 6 ) - Very basic program. Would purchase again if price was $20.00 or less just for the basic house layout. 3 stars (Powerful but not user-friendly) - I have been using this product for about six months to redesign several rooms in our house. It is fairly flexible and powerful and has a good variety of colors, textures, materials, etc. to work with. However, don't believe the "intuitive, easy to use" claims made by the company producing this software. I have run into many problems where the program required me to do something unintuitive, such as raise all of the furniture in a room off the floor by 1 inch in order to be able to put a rug in the room. Also, you cannot "nudge" objects using the arrow keys as you can in almost any graphics program, so exact placement of objects becomes a frustrating game of, "Can I let go of the mouse on this exact pixel?" For the amount I paid (which was $20 more than it should have been because of Fry's' typical refusal to honor the rebate that they themselves advertised), it is not a bad program. But it's sad that there isn't anything out there that's much better. 1 stars (Not a true upgrade from version 4) - This is not a true update from version 4 but a completely new program. If you want the true updated verson try "Better Homes and gardens Home Designer" products by Chief Architect, they were the makers of "3D Home Architect version 4 and earlyer. I purchased 3D Home Architect version 5, and it was very hard to use I can't imagine that this will be better. ...
Encore Software :: Improvement (1-2-3) :: Interior Design :: House Floor Plans (Planning) :: Layout :: Home Design :: Landscape (Landscaping) :: Gardening (Gardens) :: Computer softwa :: 3D Home Architect Home Design Deluxe 6

Arboriculture- Integrated Management of Landscape Trees- Shrubs- and Vines- Fourth Edition

5 stars (Overflowing with information) - Arboriculture is a science and art that is made up of many different contributing factors. This book does a very good job of covering them all. Any one of the chapters could be expanded into a book in itself. This thoroughly researched and written book is for the person who wants all of their information in one place. It is a textbook for the technically minded arborist, tree surgeon, tree farmer, or hobbyist. Don't look for this book to be entertaining or philosophical. Instead, buy this book for the knowledge held within. There is a lot to be learned from it. Every single page is filled with facts, figures, methods, and recommendations. You will find yourself reading every page a second or third time in order to catch it all. I refer back to this book on a regular basis, because there is no way I can remember it all. If you have any questions about the management of trees or shrubs, you will likely find it in this book. 5 stars (The Book) - Harris wrote the first edition of this book when trees were "trimmed" by the same people who patched asphalt and repaired park benches. It was a breath of rationality in a field that relied mostly on anecdotal information. The new edition reinforces this work as the compendium of current thinking about how to care for trees. Clark and Matheny build eloquently on Harris's solid foundation. The public participates actively in caring for trees and demands to know information found in this book. Why not plant the biggest caliper tree you can find? Can't you do something about the tree roots "breaking" up my sewer? Open the book and show them the brief but definitive answer that is easily found here. I wish more citizen tree advocates would read this book. For that matter, I wish more arborists would too. ...
Prentice Hall :: Gardening & Landscape :: Trees :: Ornamental woody plants :: Landscape Horticulture :: Landscape :: Gardening&Plants :: Gardening :: Architecture :: Arboriculture :: Ne :: Arboriculture- Integrated Management of Landscape Trees- Shrubs- and Vines- Fourth Edition

American Horticultural Society A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants

4 stars (Beautiful Book) - This is a beautiful, coffee-table worthy book. The information is detailed and thorough. However, I am just starting the landscaping process, and was hoping for a book that I could study to decide WHAT I want to plant; possibly a book divided into categories. This book is organized entirely alphabetically. With this book, you must already know the plant and can then get any information about it you want. It will be useful once my landscaping is finished. 3 stars (Encyclopedia of Garden Plants) - This is an excellent book only if you know the name of your plants. If you are looking to find out what the name of a specific plant is, the book is just way to huge to go through page by page to find out its name. 4 stars (AHS A-Z of Plants) - An excellent work. Full of detailed photos and comprehensive and thorough information on most varieties you are likely to encounter. Easy to reference and locate responses to your gardening questions. Downside is the book is a little heavy and a little expensive. ...
DK ADULT :: Gardening & Reference :: Reference :: Plants :: Ornamental :: Ornamental Plants :: Gardening&Plants :: Gardening & Horticulture :: Gardening :: Encyclopedias :: Christo :: American Horticultural Society A to Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants

The Self-sufficient Life and How to Live It

4 stars (A great place to start your journey toward self-sufficiency...) - If you can't get your hands on Country Life by Paul Heiney, this is your next best bet. Nicely illustrated and covers all elements of what it takes to become reliant upon yourself and your land. This book would prove useful to anyone interested in any component of self-sufficiency from a small garden patch to a working farm. 3 stars (Missing some vital information) - I am really disappointed with the content of this book. It has beautiful glossy pictures, and a great deal on gardening and livestock - but skips important topics entirely. For gardening, this is the least valuable book that I have ever purchased. I expected this book would include a section on making lotions, but lotions were not covered at all. I use white vinegar extensively for cleaning, preserving, and cooking. The book includes vinegar as a needed ingredient for canning, but it did not go into how to make vinegar - a vital product for self sufficency. I bought a 'how to make vinegar' manual for under $3 from lehman's instead. 2 stars (There are much better books than this) - I was disapointed by this book. The book is written totally from the context of living in England. The author is a very poor communicator, he reminds me of an intellectual trying to explain how to farm with poetry and quotes from his vast knowledge of classic books. I have been farming now for a few years and have some experience growing my own corn, vegatables etc.. I also raise catttle and horses. (I am also a licensed Vet in Texas) This author does not know what he is talking about on alot of animal husbandry issues and I see alot of ridiculous nonsense in his teachings of growing crops vegetables etc.. To make a long story short, if you live in the U.S. don't buy this book, it is really awful. There is a far better book...."The encyclopedia of country living" by Carla Emery ...
DK ADULT :: Gardening & Organic :: Technology & Industrial Arts :: Self-Help :: Handbooks :: manuals :: etc :: Country life :: Agriculture - General :: Agriculture :: Deirdre Head :: The Self-sufficient Life and How to Live It

Introduction to Botany

4 stars (Wonderful (except for the website)) - This book is fantastic--very clear, concise, overall well-written. I have absolutely no background in botany but feel very satisfied and confident with what I've learned from this book. The illustrations are especially well done and are useful in understanding the nuts (no pun intended!) and bolts of plant structures and biological processes. I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 because the website is often not functional or is down. ...
Benjamin Cummings :: Science & Botany :: Textbooks :: Science :: Life Sciences - Botany :: Gardening&Plants :: Botany (General) :: Botany :: Murray Nabors :: :: Introduction to Botany

Wine for Dummies

5 stars (A very good start) - He very good start if you want to know more about wine. A must for everyone who loves wine and wants to have a clear overview 5 stars (Gets One Into & Clarifies A Difficult Topic) - Wine is complex with all its grapes and regions and producers. This book helps to simplify and compartmentalize much of this complexity into useable, workable info. Start with grape types and clear away the snobbish smoke of much of the vino knowledge, this book delves into wine lists when dining and labels when purchasing. Extremely useful are chapters are serving and storing and collecting from major wine areas. Least useful part which could use more is pairing with food. One might benefit also from reading Andrea Immer's books which to this reader clarify and provide food pairing info in superb style and manner. 5 stars (Good Intro without the Snobbery) - There may be more in-depth wine books out there, and there are certainly more academic books out there on the subject, but most of them scare the average reader with their pages of pomposity and attitudes so high and mighty that they induce nosebleeds. But finally there's a wine book for amateur wine enthusiasts who don't have a wine cave handy or a budget to road trip the Napa Valley or Bordeaux. The books takes the reader from the very basics of wine, its history, and all the terms used in wine making and wine tasting. What's particularly helpful is how the book is divides wine into geographic chapters so the reader can get the feel for the region, which helps immensely when differentiating the specific wine types. What's also quite nice is the humorous, down-to-earth attitude of its authors, who see wine as something to be enjoyed by all, not just an elite few, and, in fact, the book is peppered with "Snob Alerts" to warn readers of particular wine trivia that the nosebleed, blue-blood types like to toss about. The book does need some updating, especially with the pricing and vintage i...
For Dummies :: Wines :: Cooking & Wine & Spirits :: Wine and wine making :: Wine Buying Guides :: Regional - General :: Gardening :: Cooking & Wine :: Cooking :: Beverages - Win :: Wine for Dummies

Indoor Marijuana Horticulture - The Indoor Bible

3 stars (it's an OK guide BUT ) - okay all the typos and grammatical errors got to me too. this book has a lot of good information BUT I too, found incorrect information. Cervantes also contradicts himself a lot because in his articles in high times grow magazine, he says things that are total opposites from the book. i prefer his articles to this book BUT it did have some information that i found helpful. there has to be better stuff out there though. 5 stars (The definitive indoor grow guide ) - In 1983 when I first became interested in the subject this book was the definitive indoor grow guide and it still is today and I like Mr. Cervantes style too instead of writing several books and you have too buy them all to find all the information you need he writes one complete book and updates it every few years with new stuff keep up the good work. 1 stars (Terrible) - This book reads like it was written by a 4th grader. I threw this in the garbage after the first few chapters. There is information in it that I know to be completely wrong, so how could I trust the rest of the information? The book gets basic facts wrong, things that are easily verifiable to anyone who has an Internet connection. The first part of the book, for some reason, gives you a short history on the Internet, but almost everything in that section is completely wrong. For example, the author says that the Internet was designed by the government to track your every click, and you can make yourself anonymous by getting a firewall and a hotmail account. Rediculous! Every paragraph has basic spelling and grammatical errors, making this book difficult to read. The author jumps around topics incoherently, and makes references to things that aren't fully explained. Save your money and get a better book. This one is a JOKE. ...
Van Patten Publishing :: Marijuana :: House Plants & Indoor :: Gardening :: Cannabis :: Techniques :: Science&Mathematics :: Science :: Popular Culture - Counter Culture :: Plants - General :: :: Indoor Marijuana Horticulture - The Indoor Bible

Custom Land Designer Home -amp- Garden Suite

Custom Land Designer Home & Garden Suite...
ValuSoft :: Improvement (1-2-3) :: Interior Design :: House Floor Plans (Planning) :: Layout :: Home Design :: Hobby Hobbies :: Landscape (Landscaping) :: Gardening (Gardens) :: :: Custom Land Designer Home -amp- Garden Suite

3D Home Architect Landscape Design Deluxe 6

3 stars (Ended Up Paying More) - I thought that I'd have a hard time learning this software, since other reviewers commented on its difficulty, but it wasn't that hard to get the hang of it. My intent on purchasing this was to recreate my house and landscape it within the program. I soon learned that wasn't going to happen, since none of the housing plans available to choose from resembled my house, and I couldn't alter the structures in any way. So, I ended up buying 3D Home Architect Home Design Deluxe 6 and recreating my house in that program. I then transfered my house design to the Landscaping software and landscaped it within that program. I should have purchased the suite available with has both the Home Design and Landscaping software combined, but I ended up buying each program individualy and spending more money. Overall, I think it's a fun program to plan a house and garden. I'd give it another star if only I wasn't pissed about having to spend more money on more software just to use this Landscaping program the way I wanted to. 1 stars (Stay away from Broderbund software) - I wish I could give them zero stars. Broderbund pulled support for software I owned only 2 years after it was released. I was unable to install it because it required internet registration which was no longer supported. To solve the problem, they offered to SELL me a different software title. They must have thought I was stupid. They expected me to give them more money??? This company has second rate software and third rate customer service. Do not buy anything from them. 3 stars (Takes LOTS of time.) - Like most people, I was initially very disappointed with this software, and though I am an experienced computer user, could not figure out how to do some simple tasks. I kept at it though, and with practice and a LOT of time was able to create a spectacular plan. I drew my house first as a series of tall fences, then eventually used photographs. I eventually learned how to dr...
Broderbund :: Improvement (1-2-3) :: Interior Design :: House Floor Plans (Planning) :: Layout :: Home Design :: Landscape (Landscaping) :: Gardening (Gardens) :: Computer softwa :: 3D Home Architect Landscape Design Deluxe 6

Perennial Combinations- Stunning Combinations That Make Your Garden Look Fantastic Right from the St

5 stars (Still a star) - PERENNIAL COMBINATIONS by Colston Burrell is another practical and increasingly beautiful Rodale publication (remember those older Rodale volumes printed on coarse pulp paper?). Although this book was published several years ago, it is still a mega-star as far as I am concerned--printed on slick glossy paper and filled with beautiful and clear photographs. The combinations I used worked for me then and they work now in my more mature garden. Burrell includes many suggestions for the gardener charged with developing an otherwise barren plot into a floriferous spot. Every yard is a collection of ecological zones ranging from dry loose (or compacted) soil to wet mucky bogs. Different combinations of plants work in different circumstances. For example, although I once had a professional gardener tell me Siberian Iris would grow anywhere, that has not been my experience, and Burrell confirms their best showing comes in a relatively damp area (Mine do best in the boggy area where our air conditioning unit drips ceaselessly throughout the summer-check out the lake in the middle of Central Park, Siberian Iris grow all along the shoreline). And speaking of "wet" gardens, Burrell shows ferns, Hosta, flags and various other perennials who either like or can tolerate damp feet combined into a `Garden for Three Seasons.' Burrell covers almost any situation you can encounter in the garden: shade and wet, shade and dry, hot and dry, hot and wet. Have you just removed a dead tree and are puzzled about what to do to disguise the residual stump? Perhaps you want to grow wild flowers and don't know how or where to begin. Or, perhaps you have prairie-like conditions and wonder what to plant. And by the way, you don't have to live on the Great Plains to have prairie-like conditions, a sunny bank will do or, as in my case, where the driveway meets the street. Burrell offers many tips and "secrets for success" with whatever condition you may encounte...
Rodale Books :: Gardening & Garden Design :: Planting design :: Perennials :: Landscape Design And Planting :: Gardens :: Gardening&Plants :: Gardening & Horticulture :: Gardening :: :: Perennial Combinations- Stunning Combinations That Make Your Garden Look Fantastic Right from the St

Weeds of the Northeast

5 stars (EXCELLENT REFERANCE BOOK) - EXCELLENT REFERENCE BOOK FOR WEED IDENTIFICATION. QUITE SPECIFIC FOR FARMERS AND GARDENERS. 4 stars (A handy guide--good identification photos) - I'm very pleased with this guide. After spending time with field research botanists, I've come to appreciate how difficult it can be to catalog invasive plants--they're EVERYWHERE! And of varying sizes, shapes, colors. Some so innocuous that it wouldn't even occur to you to notice and others so prolific in their families that it takes forever to track the different varieties. Luckily, Uva, Neal, and DiTomaso did and put together an excellent little book. As a professional gardener, this has been a handy reference. I would give it five stars, but I do have issue with some of the items. In the Introduction, weeds are discussed, but it is not clearly established what makes a "weed" a weed. For example, mallow is listed as a weed, but it appears to be a weed in the context of agricultural plantings. To my understanding, there are several native varieties of mallow in the U.S. Is this particular variety non-native? Is it a nuisance plant? Is it unsightly? My definition of weed has always been non-native escapists or volunteers. I'd like to see this clearly defined. I would also like more information on where the plant originates and what makes it a weed in the Northeast. As well as any beneficial qualities--are parts of the plant edible? Can any of it be used? Difficulties eradicating? Basically, as a gardener I'd like to know if there are any positive attributes. If I have a field full of amiranth is it the same type of amiranth sold in the stores? How does it vary? Could my client potentially harvest any of this before tilling or pulling out? The scientific information, such as plant identification: size of seeds, defining leaf shapes, etc., is all very clear and well done. As I said the photos are great. All in all this is indespensible, I just wish they would c...
Cornell University Press :: Weeds :: Regional - General :: Plants - General :: Northeastern States :: Nature & Field Guide Books :: Life Sciences - Botany :: Identification :: Gardening&Plants :: Weeds of the Northeast

3D Home Landscape 5 Deluxe

1 stars (Read the Reviews FIRST - ZERO Stars) - I just now read the reviews of this product; unfortunately, I did not read them before I purchased this pathetic program. Basically - false advertising. Does not include anywhere near the number of items indicated on the box and queries to Broderbund indicate the items are no longer available. Save your money - get some crayons! 1 stars (Actually 0 Stars DON'T DO IT!!!!) - I have had Broderbund Home Designer 5.0 for about 4 months now. Three years ago I used 3D Architect Vers. 1.0 to remodel my kitchen and it was great. So, I decided to buy 3D Architect Professional 5.0 to design my Master Suite (converting two BRs and a bath to do it) and remodel my back yard and pool....completely. To begin, all Broderbund architectural products' names are similarly named. I thought the "professional" 5.0 included (and was led to believe by skimming the info on it) the landscape design program. You can even switch to landscape mode but NOTHING happens! After calls to tech support and customer service asking why I can't get to the landscape portion, I (not they) realized I had to buy 3D Home Landscape. So I went to buy it, installed it and went to use the program and still no landscape mode. Long story short...after many frustrating calls and e-mails, I (again me, not they) discovered how the two programs merge together to form one program (if installed in a certain method and order) named yet another program name...3d Home Designer 5.0. Unbelievable! Again, long story short...after limping through a multitude of crashes, letters to tech support and getting answers back e.g., "I don't know, I don't use the program" and countless other frustrating and irritating things, today was the last straw. I opened the program and four months of re-creating my four bedroom tri-level home and yard are gone to waste. As soon as I open the program to do anything, it crashes. I have re-installed and to no avail. BY ALL MEANS, save yourself the frus...
Broderbund :: House Floor Plans (Planning) :: Layout :: Home Design :: Landscape (Landscaping) :: Gardening (Gardens) :: Computer software (programs) :: Great Deals (Outlet sto :: 3D Home Landscape 5 Deluxe

Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer Bundle

5 stars (Using Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer) - I am a novice to landscape design. I have in the past used a drafting table, drafting machine, and created a plan view that was almost professional looking thanks to a course I took by mail several years ago. My problem was that I did not have the drawing skills to create an elevation view, and I felt that was a vital missing skill. I had looked at several brands of software (CAD) that would give me the ability to create what my gardens should look like if I were standing looking at them. Some that were too simplified were not able to allow me to get the exact picture I wanted. Others that were even more expensive than this one were not as sophisticated in their look. I did not have the money or the inclination to spend thousands of dollars on programs that were probably meant for professionals. I am a master gardener and I get my satisfaction from designing for schools, retirement centers, and others who are looking for perennial gardens, bird, and butterfly gardens. I am a retired educator and only want to use the program to help me give back to my community. The way I can do this is to help them design a garden. I found this program relatively easy to understand as I first read it. The quick start guide and tutorial is excellent and touches on all that I need to get started. It also has a variety of plant material in the zone that I live in. This is something that I also looked for in the design software. I can also import photos of plants that are not listed in the Better Homes and Garden encyclopedia. This program also lets one know how many plants of a certain kind are needed in a certain area, and how they will look in 0 to 10 years. Although I donate my own time, it is important for an institution to know how much they are going to spend on plant material, mulch, pathway material, etc. This is done in the project cost estimating portion of the p...
Chief Architect :: Improvement (1-2-3) :: Interior Design :: House Floor Plans (Planning) :: Layout :: Home Design :: Landscape (Landscaping) :: Gardening (Gardens) :: Computer softwa :: Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer Bundle

The Ortho Problem Solver- Sixth Edition Ortho Problem Solver

5 stars (Great reference book) - I have a chemical lawn/tree & shrub business, and I use it. The only negative I can see is that the Home Gardener's Problem Solver covers most of this book for $30. That said, I gave my techs the home gardener's version and kept this one for myself. 4 stars (Comprehensive except for lack of Organic control methods) - "The Ortho Problem Solver" is a wonderful reference book on pests, fungus', etc and controlling them with inorganic methods. Of course, Ortho is not known for organic pest control, but I still feel that maybe they should include this information considering that many that wish to control certain pests also live in wildlife areas--such as areas where there are birds, or are environmentalists or oriented towards this area when it comes to certain issues such as vegetables and fruit. Environmentally correct methods do often work. Some will do nothing about pests no matter what because they fear any interruption in the wildlife. I purchased the book because of the information it has in a variety of other areas--soil PH, lists of pests/fungus/other and photos of the damage they do, and overall general information. It is a very interesting and comprehensive reference book. It has a good layout with several sections. 5 stars (This book is the "missing link" to solving garden problems.) - Having just completed training in the Master Gardener program in our state, I found that I still needed a better visual reference to correctly identify garden problems. Recently, while shopping for a pesticide, I was able to pinpoint my exact problem because the store had prominently displayed a copy of "The Ortho Problem Solver" by Michael D. Smith! Its brilliant photographs and easy to understand narratives were surpassed only by its explicit and wonderfully cross-referenced index feature. I was unable to tear myself away - and kept calling my husband over to help me remember photos for later diagnosis at home. As a serious photogr...
Meredith Books :: Gardening & Reference :: Reference :: Pest Control In Horticultural Crops :: Life Sciences - Horticulture :: Gardening&Plants :: Gardening & Horticulture :: Garde :: The Ortho Problem Solver- Sixth Edition (Ortho Problem Solver)

Punch- Home Design Architectural Series 3000

5 stars (The perfect solution) - Moving into a new house, I had so many projects to make it my own. This product made it all happen. It was easy to start and I had walls drawn and showing in 3D in a few minutes. First, I drew the existing structure. The ability to draw the plan easily and see it in 3D every step of the way made it quite easy. And, I've tried all the competitors. The only product that lets you show the 3D view (with shadows from lights and sun) without grueling waiting and finger tapping is Punch.. its blazing fast. Changing the plan was just as easy! You drag a wall and dimensions display showing you were you are. Move a window or door and you instantly see the results in the 3D view. When I wanted to knock down a dividing wall between the great room and kitchen, it was a couple of mouse clicks and poof, gone. This was huge in determining how open the plan would be and if this part of the remodeling was worth it. When it comes time to landscape, this was way cool. You can customize your yard and its a blast. With a few mouse clicks you can add hills/berms to your yard, I even used the excavation tool and dug a hole for a swimming pool(now if I could just really have it :) The picket fence I added even conformed to the changed landscape. And.. then I added plants. Tons of plants and I even used their tool to select only plants in my area. Then.. to top it off..with a click of the mouse I could grow the entire landscape to see how it would look when the trees grew. As for learning.. you'll love it. You can be drawing in minutes.. but if you need some help there are videos that walk you through how to use each tool. Very cool. 1 stars (Wish I'd Read The Reviews First!) - Like a fool I purchased this software based on the cool pictures on the box and the long list of features. Unfortunately, the pictures turn out to be not actual screenshots, and the features are, as Bart pointed out, little more than limited templates. A couple ca...
Punch- Software :: Gardening (Gardens) :: Edit (Editing) :: Multimedia :: Graphics :: Computer software (programs) :: Image Capture Capturing :: Improvement (1-2-3) :: Interior Design :: Punch- Home Design Architectural Series 3000

The Encyclopedia of Country Living- An Old Fashioned Recipe Book

2 stars (good gift) - I bought this for myself, but would not do again. A much to large tome, very confusing at times and boring. Maybe for a serious farmer it MIGHT be interesting, but for the average consumer it is to dry and boring. I find myself using it as a reference on a rare occasion for some recipe related item, but mostly collecting dust. Might be donated to the local public book source soon, not worth the shelf space in my opinion. Spend your precious cash elsewhere. 5 stars (Country life) - Great information for anyone wanting to get back to the basics, Carla has mastered the country life, mixed with family, experience and farmlife passion. 5 stars (Something for everyone) - Ignore the title....this is a must-have for every home. Ms. Emery doesn't just tell you how to live off the land or live simply. She gives cooking/canning info, gardening advice, how to select-care-for-butcher livestock, care for the sick, housekeeping advice, even how to deliver a baby. This book has useful advice for every homemaker as well as "doomers" who want to prep for complete self-sufficiency and people who want to go back to a simpler lifestyle. ...
Sasquatch Books :: Reference :: Home economics :: Handbooks :: manuals :: etc :: Gardening&Plants :: Gardening :: Cooking & Wine :: Carla Emery :: :: The Encyclopedia of Country Living- An Old Fashioned Recipe Book

Square Foot Gardening

4 stars (An excellent source book) - An excellent source book for the gardener. Clear instructions and excellent advise on garden planting and continuing care. Makes good use of garden space. Container gardeners need to adapt to their individual situations. 3 stars (Pretty detailed information, ought to be good for expert or novice) - Lots of information here on all aspects of gardening, layout, types of plants to use, maybe everything for the novice. I found the diagrams to be of more value than the photograph selection, you've got some of both giving details on every aspect of gardening from soil perparation to putting up your harvest. You'll find charts and diagrams for planting, watering,plant support, just about anything. There are even recipes and other tips for some of the things you might find yourself growing. About the only thing I could really find to complain about is the lack of any sort of watermelon information, muskmelons/ cantalopes were mentioned- why not some variety of watermelon? 5 stars (Simply a Great Gardening Book) - 55 Reviewers pretty much say it all, but I just had to add to the applause. I have used this book as a reference for over 20 years, and have used Mel's methods in the sands of Florida, the gumbo of Texas, and now the 'barely there' soil of Northern Virginia. And what have I gotten... production and ease! Based in part on the French Intensive method of gardening, you pretty much can avoid the inherent soil problems of where you live and grow veggies and flowers with little weeding and grunting. Ideas in this book include: How to prepare the soil (fertilizers, conditioners) How to put together raised beds and other support structures if you want them A guide for popular vegetables -- how and when to plant them, including how to start seeds -- the what-fors of watering -- common pest and disease problems In my opinion this easy to read book is a gardening staple good for all levels of experience. ...
Rodale Books :: Vegetables :: Gardening & Techniques :: Vegetable gardening :: Techniques :: Square foot gardening :: Gardening&Plants :: Gardening & Horticulture :: Mel Bartholome :: Square Foot Gardening

Mushroom Cultivator- A Practical Guide to Growing Mushrooms at Home

5 stars (Great Help For Growing magic Mushrooms) - My only interest in getting this book was growing magic mushrooms so this review will only be of interest to people wishing to grow mushroom species that produce psilocybin. I had found a free online grow guide and after reading it, I decided I would like to try growing mushrooms myself but I wasn't totally sure of what to do. This book cleared up all my questions about growing magic mushrooms because while the online growers guide is a very good explanation, I needed more photographs of the procedures described to help me fully understand what I had to do. This helped me produced a crop that was 100% successful on my first try. I would not recommend this book alone to someone with no previous experience unless they already had an understanding of how to grow magic mushrooms. If you want to grow but have no idea how, use a search engine to find 'magic mushroom growers guide' and read it first. If you still have questions then get this book. While it is geared towards growing on a large scale, it will help those who are interested in growing a small personal garden. If you want to grow on a larger scale later, everything you need to know is in this book. While it is not only about growing magic mushrooms (Psilocybe) I can not comment on using the procedures described for growing other species because I have no experience. 4 stars (The ABC's of mushroom cultivation!) - There's a very good reason that Paul Stamets is such a respected authority on mushrooms-- the man knows his stuff! Amateur mycologists are lucky to have a trustworthy source of information, especially one who doesn't shy away from controversy (witness the several pages devoted to Psilocybes in this book!). This is a comprehensive "how to" manual targeted at the amateur enthusiast. Stamets uses clinical and scientific terminology throughout most of the text, which can be frustrating if you don't speak his language, but which is also very precise. ...
Agarikon Press :: Mushrooms :: Mushroom culture :: Horticultural Crops :: General :: Gardening&Plants :: Gardening & Horticulture :: J S Chilton :: Paul Stamets :: :: Mushroom Cultivator- A Practical Guide to Growing Mushrooms at Home

Craftsman 2005 CD Estimator - Complete Construction Estimator

Craftsman 2005 CD Estimator - Complete Construction Estimator ...
Victory Multimedia :: Improvement (1-2-3) :: Interior Design :: House Floor Plans (Planning) :: Layout :: Home Design :: Landscape (Landscaping) :: Gardening (Gardens) :: Computer softwa :: Craftsman 2005 CD Estimator - Complete Construction Estimator

Your Custom Home DVD-Rom

5 stars (Well worth the purchase price) - I haven't compared this to other products on the market, and am new to home design software. But based on its purchase price, I was expecting far less than this product delivered. In terms of getting a better idea of how your designs will look, this set of programs is simple and very useful. With a highly intuitive PowerPoint-like interface, I was immediately building 3D architectural models, walking through them, and flying over them. Pretty cool. An included deck-design program is also easy to use and allows both 2D and 3D viewing. The program set also includes a bunch of information programs, like plant databases and how-to guides for home projects. Though so much of this is generally available on the internet now, these add-ons were useful and seemed pretty comprehensive. There's also a photo-based landscape design program, which lets you do things like take a photo of your house, import it, and then add plants and hardscape, either from included images or images you import. So why is all this so cheap? My guess is that it's not recently developed. The copyright dates were in the 1999 to 2000 range. But this is a great basic package that blew away my expectations for what I would get at this price. ...
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