Create productive soil anywhere with step-by-step instructions for making compost and fertilizers.
Stell starts with an analysis of soil: how it was formed, its different
textures, its structure, and the importance of drainage and earthworms.
She explains how to create fertile soil with the help of nutrients and
organic matter and what hand tools are needed to cultivate the
soil--trowels, hoes, spades, shovels, weeders, forks, rakes, etc., as
well as power tools such as shredders, trimmers, mowers, rototillers,
and cultivators. There's a chapter on making and using compost and how
to construct composting bins, a chapter on the use of mulches, and one
on choosing and using fertilizers. Another chapter gives data on
starting a new garden and deals with raised beds, sunken beds, slopes,
and terraces.
addresses the needs of
many people who want to take control of the food they eat and the
products they use--even if they live in a urban or