Overview

It’s a rare midwesterner who doesn’t grow something, whether potted plants on a porch, caged tomato vines, a blooming border, or a solitary rose. And it’s an even rarer midwestern gardener who isn’t sometimes flummoxed by extremes of weather, pesky insects and persistent diseases, or simple questions about what to plant where. For nearly four decades, Jan Riggenbach has given these gardeners answers, as well as a weekly dose of gentle humor and wise counsel, in her widely syndicated newspaper column, Midwest Gardening. Your Midwest Garden draws on these columns to offer readers in America’s heartland all the gardening information they want and need, along with plenty they might not even suspect they’re missing. Annuals and perennials, shrubs and vines, fruits and vegetables, wildflowers, bulbs, and herbs: As readable as it is useful, this book reviews the familiar, reconsiders old favorites, and introduces dozens of surprising and seldom-grown plants ideal for Midwest gardens and landscapes. Illustrated with color photos from the author’s garden, it provides tips on plant placement and care, starting seeds and making compost, matching specimens and sites, combating insects and diseases, simplifying garden chores, designing for winter beauty, and myriad other ways of enriching and enjoying your Midwest garden.

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9780803240094

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Reviews

Perfect for Midwest gardeners, this book features traditional favorites plus many unique and surprising plants the author has grown herself. --Lisa Orgler, lecturer at the Iowa State University Department of Horticulture--Lisa Orgler (09/20/2012)

Grounded in a lifetime of hands-on experience and careful observation, this compilation of Jan Riggenbach's newspaper columns brings together in one volume a depth and breadth of information available nowhere else. This book will be the new go-to guide for gardeners throughout the Midwest. -Jim Locklear, director of conservation at Lauritzen Gardens and author of Phlox: A Natural History and Gardener's Guide | Perfect for Midwest gardeners, this book features traditional favorites plus many unique and surprising plants the author has grown herself. -Lisa Orgler, lecturer at the Iowa State University Department of Horticulture | Midwest gardeners have gained a wealth of knowledge from Jan Riggenbach's column. It's a delight to find that information distilled and indexed in this practical and fun-to-read volume. Riggenbach writes from real-life experience, with charm and clarity. Many plants are thriving in our readers' gardens today because of her encouragement and direction. -Gerry Alger, editor of the Chicago Daily Herald's Niche Publications | Think of this book as a handy reference guide, providing gardening information not only on the usual suspects but also unusual plants that you might consider adding to your garden. -Elaine Juhl, volunteer, Chicago Botanic Garden| This book is a must for avid and novice gardeners alike, who want their garden to not just survive-but thrive! -Hope

Author Information

Jan Riggenbach is the author of Midwest Gardener’s Handbook and a longtime garden columnist and feature writer for Midwest Living magazine.

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