The Month-by-Month Gardening Guide: Daily Advice for Growing Flowers, Vegetables, Herbs, and Houseplants

Horticulture consultant Böhmig offers more than 1,000 tips to keep one’s garden thriving in his expert English-language debut. Emphasizing the importance of conservation and forgoing chemicals in lieu of natural remedies, Böhmig offers suggestions for growing vegetables, herbs, flowers, trees, shrubs, and houseplants, with his advice organized by month. In March, gardeners should hang new nesting boxes for birds, while July is the best time to plant cauliflower. There’s wisdom for such tasks as pruning (best done in February) and caring for wildlife (May is a good time to make sure nectar-producing plants are present for bees), along with projects including building stone walls and maintaining ponds. His tips are direct—cold tap water is “pure poison” for warmth-loving vegetables—and his prose can have a poetic flair. Witch hazel, he writes, “brings a splash of color to the white winter world.” Despite the long to-do list, Böhmig never loses sight of what all the work is for: “The garden should serve primarily as a place to relax after a day’s work and during the weekend.” This thorough guide is one that novices and pros alike will want to have on the shelf. (May)