Project Garden: A Month-by-Month Guide to Planting, Growing, and Enjoying ALL Your Backyard Has to Offer
By Stacy Tornio
3.5/5
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About this ebook
In this beautiful, project-by-project guide, mom and master gardener Stacy Tornio will inspire gardeners young and old to explore, innovate, and cultivate through simple projects that will get a garden growing at any time of year. Your whole family be inspired to:
- Tend beautiful, practical gardens that work in any space
- Plant flowers as colorful as they are hardy
- Whip up delicious meals from vegetables you planted yourself
- Decorate your garden with nature-inspired crafts
- Give the gift of growing, with divided plants, cuttings, and seeds you save yourself
Best of all, whether you are tending flowerbeds in spring, stewing July's tomatoes, or coaxing bulbs to bloom mid-winter, you'll be doing it together.
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Book preview
Project Garden - Stacy Tornio
Project Garden
A MONTH-BY-MONTH GUIDE
to Planting, Growing, and Enjoying
ALL Your Backyard Has to Offer
Stacy Tornio
Master Gardener
Adams MediaAvon, Massachusetts
To my enormously talented mother, Linda, who is an amazing seamstress, crafter, woodworker, and more. Mom, I know I never quite caught on to sewing, but this book proves you’ve influenced me in many other ways. Thanks.
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, this book wouldn’t be possible without my encouraging and wonderful husband, Steve. He’s the one who entertained my children and gave me peace for hours upon hours so that I could finish this book. I also want to thank all the friends and family who helped me brainstorm and test these ideas. From Linda, Maggie, and Vicki, who helped me put the finishing touches on many of the projects, to my extended Oklahoma family, who lent me portions of their recipes from our family cookbook, it was a group effort. Also to my talented brother-in-law, Scott, and my best friend, Tina, who both have a natural knack for photography and took some amazing project photos for this book.
In addition, I would like to thank my lovely agent, Uwe Stender of TriadaUS, who always sees the silver lining. And to a talented editor, Victoria Sandbrook, who definitely helped me take this book to the next level.
To all my fellow Master Gardeners out there, thank you for all that you do in our garden communities. Finally, I thank my two kids, Jack and Annabelle. You two are the reason I’ve become so involved with Kids Gardening programs and activities. Let’s go get dirty!
Contents
Introduction
JANUARY
Grow It: Plants
Rosemary, Cilantro, Parsley, Basil, Oregano
Plant It:
Soup’s On Herb Garden Plan
Eat It:
Lovely Lemons
Recycle It:
Seed Catalog Art
Make It:
Awesome Aromas
Make It:
Plant Markers Made Easy
FEBRUARY
Grow It: Plants
Allium, Snowdrop, Crocus, Iris, Hyacinth
Plant It:
Heart Garden Plan
Eat It:
Rockin’ Radishes
Recycle It:
Food for Birds
Recycle It:
Water for the Birds
Make It:
Homes for Birds
MARCH
Grow It: Plants
Redbud, Lilac, Forsythia, Azalea, Peonies
Plant It:
Purple in Springtime Plan
Eat It:
Powerhouse Potatoes
Recycle It:
Seed Starting
Make It:
Seed Planting Made Easy
Make It:
Veggies in Containers
APRIL
Grow It: Plants
Butterfly Weed, Catmint, Tiger Lily,
Elephant Ear, Hens and Chicks
Plant It:
Flowers and Veggies Plan
Eat It:
Creative with Carrots
Recycle It:
Add Life to Your Garden
Recycle It:
Creative Containers
Make It:
DIY Garden Path
MAY
Grow It: Plants
Fuchsia, Petunia, Coleus, Marigolds,
Impatiens
Plant It:
Prized Petunias Plan
Eat It:
Great Green Beans
Recycle It:
Serve It Up
Recycle It:
Order in the Garden
Make It:
Personalized Containers for Your Plants
JUNE
Grow It: Plants
Balloon Flower, Daylily, Hosta,
Columbine, Coral Bells
Plant It:
Salsa Garden Plan
Eat It:
Perfect Peppers
Recycle It:
Going on a Bug Hunt
Recycle It:
Your Garden’s Best Friends
Make It:
The Natural Artist
JULY
Grow It: Plants
Shasta Daisy, Black-Eyed Susan,
Purple Coneflower, Bee Balm, Garden Phlox
Plant It:
Patriotic Container Plan
Eat It:
Tasty Tomatoes
Recycle It:
Decorating in the Garden
Make It:
’Tis the Growing Season
Make It:
Saving Summer’s Splendor
AUGUST
Grow It: Plants
Cosmos, Spider Flower, Sunflowers,
Zinnias, Morning Glory
Plant It:
Growing Tall Plan
Eat It:
Craving Cucumbers
Recycle It:
Games in the Garden
Recycle It:
Backyard Tunes
Make It:
Veggie Gardening Round II
SEPTEMBER
Grow It: Plants
Liatris, Coreopsis, Clematis, Blanket
Flower, Honeysuckle
Plant It:
Night Garden Plan
Eat It:
Savory Squash
Recycle It:
Preserving Food
Recycle It:
Harvesting Seeds
Make It:
September Flowers
OCTOBER
Grow It: Plants
Aster, Ornamental Grass, Tulips,
Mums, Sedum
Plant It:
Create a Spooky Garden Plan
Eat It:
Yummy Pumpkin Goop
Recycle It:
Creative Faces
Make It:
Raise a Butterfly
Make It:
If They Only Had a Brain
NOVEMBER
Grow It: Plants
Daffodils, Knockout Roses, Pansies,
Geraniums, Ornamental Cabbage
Plant It:
Welcome Wagon Plan
Eat It:
Onions with Attitude
Recycle It:
Fun with Leaves
Make It:
Gardening in Any Weather
Make It:
Multiply Your Plants
DECEMBER
Grow It: Plants
Amaryllis, Christmas Cactus, Dwarf
Alberta Spruce, African Violet, Poinsettias
Plant It:
Red and Green Display Plan
Eat It:
Lovable Lettuce
Recycle It:
Gifts that Keep on Growing
Make It:
Let’s Get Personal
Make It:
Countdown-till-Spring Calendar
Introduction
Gardening is one of America’s favorite pastimes, and it’s quickly growing in popularity among parents, kids, schools, and more. After all, what else gets kids outside, engages them year-round, and helps them get in touch with nature?
No matter where you live or what time of year it is, there are always new ways to introduce your kids to gardening. There are hundreds of age-appropriate activities, and there’s always something new to explore—indoors or out! Best of all: it doesn’t take an expert gardener to guide children through the nearly 200 projects you’ll find in this book. Organized by month, each chapter covers five types of activities that will keep the little nature-lovers in your life growing!
Grow It offers plant recommendations and general gardening advice to make sure you and your kids have instant success. You’ll find plants that thrive in sunny yards, shaded patios, northern winters, and southern summers—a little something for everyone.
Plant It illustrates a garden design you can emulate—and makes sure you have all the info you need to keep it looking beautiful. From creative container ideas to fun animal
or spooky
themes, there’s something here for everyone.
Eat It gives you recipes and ideas for using ingredients from nature to make delicious, healthy foods. So not only do you get great-tasting recipes, but you also get tips for growing that month’s featured fruit or veggie.
Recycle It honors the motto of keep the world beautiful
by using recycled items for unique, nature-related creations. Whether it’s an art project like wind chimes or more practical plans like clever ways to start seeds indoors, all ideas are guaranteed to be fun and inexpensive.
Make It has step-by-step, nature-inspired project ideas that will keep your kids busy for hours. All projects are easy to follow and have simple materials, so most can be completed in just an afternoon!
Every project is rated for difficulty, so whether you’re just getting started or are already a nature pro, there’s something here for everyone. The fewer the spades, the easier it will be to keep a flower in bloom or to whip up a perfect batch of homemade fruit slushies. Throughout the book, little tidbits about plants, gardening, and nature will keep your kids learning a little something extra along the way.
Whether it’s rainy or cold, sunny or snowy, there’s always something to do, make, and see in your garden. The world is your playground. Get out there and explore!
GROW IT:
Plants
There’s no doubt about it: January is a wintery month, no matter where you live. But that doesn’t mean you can’t make headway on your garden this month! Take your green thumb indoors and grow a few herbs instead. They’ll be perfect to mix into those warm winter soups.
Rosemary
Difficulty:
The Basics: Perennial, Zones 7 to 10, 24 to 36 inches tall
Grow It: If you live in Zone 7 or higher, plant rosemary in your garden in full sun. If you live in a cooler climate, start the seeds indoors, move the rosemary outside during summer, and bring it back inside as a houseplant during fall and winter. If you can find a rosemary plant instead of starting from seeds, it’s definitely worth the investment because they can be hard to start from seed.
Top Secret Tip: The leaves look a lot like pine needles, and they smell wonderful. Whether you’re cooking or making homemade potpourri, try crushing the leaves to really bring out the smell even more. If you are starting from seed, more is better. The rosemary seeds don’t have a high percent of success when it comes to germination, so plant even more than you normally would: eventually, you’ll get one to take hold!
Fun Fact: Some think rosemary helps improve concentration. So the next time you need to do some homework, try smelling a little rosemary. It might make you do better!
Cilantro
Difficulty:
The Basics: Annual, 18 to 24 inches tall
Grow It: Plant seeds with roughly ¼ inch of soil on top. Once you have small sprouts, thin out about 3 to 4 inches apart to avoid crowding. Cilantro doesn’t like hot weather, so let it get some sun in the morning or afternoon, but not all day.
Top Secret Tip: To get your seeds (the seeds of cilantro are called coriander) to germinate, gently rub them together and then soak in water for 2 days.
Fun Fact: Some people love the smell of cilantro and compare it to a citrus scent. Others think it’s horrible and have compared it to the smell of bug repellent!
Parsley
Difficulty:
The Basics: Annual, 15 to 18 inches tall
Grow It: Some people call it America’s favorite herb. Parsley is quick, fun, and fairly easy to grow. Plus, you can use it in almost anything to add a little flavor. The two main types of parsley are flat leaf or curly leaf. Grow it in full sun. It will mature in 40 to 60 days.
Top Secret Tip: Though most people grow parsley as an annual, if you can establish it in your garden, it will come back year after year.
Fun Fact: Parsley is considered a natural breath freshener. And it has almost three times the calcium of an orange! So go ahead and munch away!
Basil
Difficulty:
The Basics: Annual, 12 to 18 inches tall
Grow It: You’ll find many different varieties of basil to