About this item
There is nothing better than a freshly picked apple or raspberry from your own backyard and yet many homeowners lack the resources or the necessary gardening acumen to effectively plant and harvest their own fruit. While some fruits, like apples, grow in almost any climate (as many as 35 of 50 states providing perfect conditions), others like blackberries and blueberries are incredibly hard to grow without the right soil, weather, and care. <br><br>This book will guide every man and woman out there who has ever wanted to grow their own crop of fruits and berries or who has tried and failed. From the simplest fruit tree to the most fickle berry bush, this book will be your one and only guide. You will learn how to select your fruits and berries of choice, using a combination of climate information that matches the best possible bushes, trees, and vines to your home and how these plants will grow there.
About the Author
Born in Sleepy Hallow, NY, I have also called California and Massachusetts home over the course of the past 40 years or so. My B.A. is from Marist College (1986), which was completed during my senior year while living and studying in Galway, Ireland. My M.Ed. in Elementary Education is from the University of Massachusetts, Boston (1996), which I have used to teach in both classrooms and museums.My love of gardening has evolved since I was a child. Many joyful hours were spent in my backyard postage stamp garden by my home in Hawthorne, New York. I planted and harvested both fruits and vegetables, and the food that I grew tasted the best to me because it was kissed by the sun. There is nothing better than a salad made from a garden harvest. The best food is home grown.Presently, I live in a co-housing community in Massachusetts that keeps gardens full of fresh, organically grown vegetables and herbs, and is awaiting the first harvest of fruit from our fruit trees. There is an abundance of thriving blueberry bushes to harvest from, too, and wild raspberry and blackberry bushes behind our property. Over the past year and a half, I have enjoyed being part of the community's "Dirt Team", which is in charge of enhancing the quality of soil on our property, managing the compost piles, planting trees, and maintaining our gardens. My favorite activities are the planting and watering.In addition to helping our community gardens thrive, I have kept my own backyard garden. After 20 years of living in the city, this is pure heaven to me. Our first crop included tomatoes and chives, from seedlings given to me by neighbors. Next season there will be more. Since I home-school my daughter, all aspects of maintaining a garden are part of our science curriculum. We have spent countless hours of quality time tending to our plants together and she has come to love gardening almost as much as I do."The Complete Guide to Growing Your Own Fruits and Berries:Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply" is written from the heart of a lifelong gardener. It is a book that was grown organically, from an author who loves working with the earth to produce the best food you can eat. It is a simple guide with step-by-step instructions for planning, planting, and growing your own garden of home-grown food. It is a guide that I know you will enjoy and refer to year after year, so that you may enjoy the same pleasures that I have had throughout my life.
