How to Grow a Garden eBook

This how to grow a garden ebook is now free! It answers the 27 vegetable gardening questions I hear most often, in short, practical chapters with watercolor charts, garden plans, and photos from our own family garden.

I learned to garden as a little child, working alongside my parents on our family farm in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Over the years, readers have written to me with the same questions again and again, so I gathered the answers into one easy book you can keep on your computer, read on your phone, or print.

Download your free copy: How to Grow a Garden, 27 Questions Answered (PDF, 25 pages)

What's Inside the Free
How to Grow a Garden Ebook

Harvest your own fresh vegetables from your garden.

27 Garden Questions Answered in the Free Ebook

1. When is the best time to plant a vegetable garden?
2. How can I plant a productive garden in a very small space?
3. Can I really grow abundant vegetables in a container garden?
4. Is there a way to plant a simple, easy-to-care-for garden?
5. Can I plant my garden in a shady location?
6. Does a raised bed garden really save time and effort?
7. Is there an easy way to build a raised bed garden?
8. Does it save time to start garden seeds indoors?
9. How deep should I plant my garden seeds?
10. How far apart should I space my vegetable plants?
11. How should I handle transplanting seedlings?
12. How often should I water my garden?
13. Is it best to water in the morning or at night?
14. Is there an easy way to get the watering done?
15. How can I make weeding easier?
16. Is mulching worth the extra time and effort?
17. How often should I fertilize my garden?
18. What type of fertilizer works best?
19. My tomatoes are big and bushy but don't produce much fruit. Why?
20. Can garden pests be controlled without chemical sprays?
21. How do I keep animal pests out of my garden?
22. What do I do if a frost arrives after I've planted?
23. How do I know the best time to harvest my vegetables?
24. How do I store vegetables for winter use?
25. Is it safe to home-can extra vegetables?
26. What's the best way to freeze extra vegetables?
27. Why will keeping a garden diary be worth the effort?

All 27 of these questions are answered in the free How to Grow a Garden ebook, with watercolor charts, garden plans, and tips from our own garden. Download it free with the green button above.

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A Sample Page from the
How to Grow a Garden Ebook

Page 5: small-space gardens and container gardens

Here is one page from the free how to grow a garden ebook, so you can see what each chapter looks like before you download it. Every question gets a short, practical answer with green labels you can skim, a watercolor chart or garden photo, and a link to the full guide on this website when you want to learn more.

This page answers two of the questions small-space gardeners ask me most: how to grow a productive garden in a very small space, and whether containers can really grow abundant vegetables. The short answer to both is yes.

In a small bed, plant closely in 1-foot squares, replant each square as soon as a crop finishes, grow cucumbers and beans up a trellis, and mix cool and warm season crops so the bed is never empty. In containers, use big pots and good potting mix, water often in summer, and feed every two weeks.

How to use the ebook: you don't have to read it from cover to cover. Find your question in the contents, read a page or two, and go plant something. Keep it on your computer or phone for quick answers in the garden, and print the planting chart, the 4x8 garden plan, and the diary page to keep with your seed packets.

Free to Print and Share

Nothing beats the taste of ripe home-grown tomatoes!

Can I print it? Yes. Print the whole book, or just the planting chart, garden plan, and diary page.

Can I share it with friends? Yes. Email it or give printed copies to friends, family, and your garden club.

I am a teacher. Can I use it in my classroom? Yes. You may give free copies to all of your students and use it for any teaching purpose.

Can I put it on my website? No. Please link to this page instead, so others can download their own copy. The ebook may not be sold or posted on other websites.

Is the canning advice safe? Yes. The canning chapter follows the tested methods of the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Always use a tested recipe when you can vegetables at home.

Fresh home-grown garden vegetables. Gardening if fun for all ages.

Watering the little lettuce plants. Gardening can be a family affair! Fresh vegetables from the garden.