1. Introduction
A Sense of Perspective
A Polemic (Regarding Industrial Foods)
Reasons for Concern
Voices of Concern
A Cascade of Consequences (Flowchart)
And Then There's Food Safety
The Claims of Agro-Industry
Compounding Issues
A Plea (About How We Can Begin Again)
The Simple Act of Tending a Garden (Flowchart)
A Comparison (Industrial Agriculture & Gardening)
A Particular Understanding (Another Approach)
Coda
2. Ecology
Ecological Thinking
Ecology: Terms and Definitions
Community Relationships: Terms and Definitions
The Ecosystem Concept
Ecological Phenomena, Processes and Functions
Types, Domains, and Kingdoms of Life
Ecological Concepts Applied to Gardening
Energy: The Source
Energy: The Electromagnetic Spectrum
Light: Its Characteristics and Implications
Earth's Tilt and the Poetry of the Seasons
Apparent Sun Angle
The Circle of the Garden Year
Use Your "Earth Season Circle"
Climate and Climographs
Moon Time: Nature's Months
Patterns in Nature
Precipitation (U.S.)
Solar Radiation (U.S.)
Climatic Zones (North America)
Major Biomes of North America
Regional Mosaics (Physiographic Units/Ecoregions)
Dominant Soil Orders
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones
Scales of Enviromental Units
Introduction to Garden Soil
Soil Horizons
Soil: Abiotic Components, Texture, Pore Space
Soil Structure
Soil Water
Soil Atmosphere
Soil pH
Soil Organic Matter
Soil Fertility
Soil Organisms
Survey of Selected Soil Organisms
Bacteria
Fungi
Protists or Protistans
Rotifers
Nematodes
Slugs and Snails
Earthworms
Arthropods
Major Groups of Soil Organisms (A Chart)
A Hypothetical Soil Food Web
Observations About the Small Animals
Orders of the More Common Garden Insects
A Page of Common Insects
Plants (General Botany)
A Garden Plant
Plant Cells and Tissues
Stems and Shoots
Leaves
Leaves and Photosynthesis
Light and Photosynthesis
Leaf Anatomy and Photosynthesis
Roots
Roots: Inside and Out
Flowers and Reproduction
Types of Flowers
Types of Inflorescences
Pollination
The Seed and Its Contents
Germination
The Wonder-Full Germinating Seed
Germination Projects
Fruits
3. Gardening Methods
Approaches, Techniques, Methods
Planning: The Garden Location
Learning About the Garden Site
Garden Site Characteristics (Your Table)
The Garden Layout
Draw Your Garden Before You Plan It
Garden Plans (Rows, Beds, and Circles)
My Preference: 3' x 6' Raised Beds
Growing Plants in Containers
More Things to Make
Deciding What to Plant
Planning: How Much to Plant
Planning: When to Plant
Planting Tables for Your Garden
Planting
Starting Plants
What We Need to Start Seedlings
Special Treatment for Seeds
Sowing Seeds Indoors
Caring for Seedlings Indoors
Transplanting to a Larger Container
Transplanting Seedlings Outdoors
Planting Seeds Outdoors
Marking Off a Bed for Planting
Tending the Garden
Water and Watering
Harvest Rainwater
Compost and Composting
Compost Structures (Heaps and Bins)
Compost Materials
Tending the Composting Process
Using Compost
The Compost Heap as a Biodiversity "Hotspot"
Problem Soils
Some Notes About Mulch
Mulch--A Cascade of Benefits
Rotations and Companions
Don't Say "Weeds"
More About "W--ds" as Indicators
Enhancing the Garden's Biodiversity
Invertebrate Allies
Why This Book Doesn't Have a "Pests" Section
Readings and References
4. Garden Plants
Garden Plant Families, Species, and Varieties
Musings on the History of Plants and People
Places of Origin for Some Common Food Plants
Taxonomy of Garden Plants
Monocots and Dicots
Notes . . . "Garden Plant Families" Section
Family Affiliations . . . Common Garden Plants
The Nine Major Garden Plant Families
Plant Families (A-Z)
Garden Plant Species and Varieties
Readings and References
5. Health & Nutrition
Physiology, Diet, Vitality
A Perspective on the Ecology of Food
A Perspective on Whole Organic Food
A Generalized History of the Human Diet
Factors That Affect . . . Diet and Health
The Basis of an Appropriate Diet
Some Nutrition Terms
Human Nutrition: Some Thoughts
The Five Classes of Nutrients
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Vitamins
Minerals
Elements of a Health-Promoting Ecological Diet
Nutritional Considerations Over the Human Life Span
Return to description of Gardening: An Ecological Approach
