Pacific Northwest Month-by-Month Gardening: What to Do Each Month to Have a Beautiful Garden All Year

by Christina Pfeiffer, Mary Robson (With)

Get ready for verdant greens and explosive color - it's all possible when you're a gardener living in the Pacific Northwest!

Do you live in the Pacific Northwest? Do you care about landscaping and gardening? Say no more - we've got the perfect book for you. Pacific Northwest Month-by-Month Gardening takes the guesswork out of gardening for anyone residing in the Pacific Northwest (Northern California, Oregon, Washington, or British Columbia). With this book, you'll know what to do each month to enjoy a thriving gardening all year, from January to December. Chronologically organized, this guide is full of critical gardening when-to and how-to advice, along with illustrated step-by-step instructions.

The book's authors are Pacific Northwest gardening experts Christina Pfeiffer and Mary Robson. They both know this cool, wet, vivacious region inside and out and have written extensively on the subject. Pacific Northwest Month-by-Month Gardening combines the shared knowledge of Pfeiffer and Robson in one easy-to-read guide.

Inside the book, readers find brilliant Pacific Northwest garden photography and the most current information available. Complete with specific advice on growing gorgeous flowers (both annuals and perennials), strong trees, flowing groundcover, flowering shrubs, verdant lawns, and more, you won't find a better reference book. From planting to watering and fertilizing, from maintenance to problem solving, Pacific Northwest Month-by-Month Gardening shows all levels of gardeners the best practices for gardening in climates and weather conditions of all kinds. If you're a gardener living in Northern California, Oregon, Washington, or British Columbia, make sure this essential guide has a home on your bookshelf.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction, Reference

208 pages, Paperback

Published February 1, 2017

About the author

My experience with gardening goes back to the sounds and smells of raking leaves in pleasantly crisp autumn air when I was young. A high school horticulture class introduced me to this applied plant science as a profession. With degrees in horticulture from Michigan State University and the University of Washington, I have enjoyed a long career working in public gardens, horticulture education, and consulting. Horticulture is my vocation, hobby, and passion. For me, the next best thing to gardening is teaching and writing about gardening. Being in the garden offers valuable opportunities to observe and connect with nature.

In "Pacific Northwest Gardening Month by Month", co-author Mary Robson and I share practical information on essential horticultural practices that work in tune with nature, no matter what style garden or climate zone. Sustainable and practical techniques for greater results with less effort are the foundation of our approach. In this way, the process of gardening becomes more of a pleasing journey, and less of a battle. This book will take you there.

Reviews

[June Jacobs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a colorful book loaded with detailed information about gardening in the Pacific Northwest.

Each month of the year is divided into sections including facts about the care and planting of seeds, bulbs, plants, shrubs, and trees which grow well in this area.

I enjoyed reading this user-friendly book written by two master gardeners who not only know their stuff, but who love to garden as much as I do!

I borrowed this book from the local public library.

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[Charissa Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as part of the Goodreads First Reads Program for the purpose of a fair review.

Overview: Are you wishing to have a nice garden? Well, if you are located in the pacific northwest, this book just might help you out.

Dislikes: Please, do your research before planting a yew tree, especially if you have children or pets. While Ms. Robson and Ms. Pfeiffer do include warnings about the oleander and castor bean, there are five top poisonous plants that people should take care on using.

Also, this book highly advises the use of ‘certified’ experts rather than teaching some of the more advanced skills required for gardening.

Likes: The book does show ornamental gardening tips, as well as it encourages the new gardener to give it a shot.

Conclusion: This book is better suited to the hobby and ornamental gardener. Enjoy your gardens, and I hope this book helps you.

[Anbu Manoharan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading my first book on gardening. Given I have zero knowledge on gardening, and even lower (is that possible?) knowledge on gardening in PNW, the introduction and reading about December/January months were useful.

Not sure if I will come back to this book since my goal is to grow a vegetable garden.

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Ignore: Private notes (since there is a 512 character limit on the actual private notes):

Introduction:
Soil: Squeeze between thumb and forefinger.
Clay - Long ribbons - too much water retention (rots), compact, fertile soil
Loam: Small ribbons - ideal
Sandy/Gravel - Does not hold together.

If you try to fix your clay by adding sand, they become more solid.

Green manure - reduces weed. Dug into decompose in place.

Fertilize minimally - only during growing season.

Composting:
Garden trimming, old leaves - rake it in 2-3 inch layers under the plants. Keep pile in shady, dark locations for best results.
Remove weeds and discard completely in WM compost. Do not put it back into the garden.


Mulch: (Must-do)
Max 3-4 inches depth. Never bury tree trunk in mulch - rotting happens.
Mulch - coarser than the soil. Finer layer - upto 1 inch as mulch top-dressing.
Avoid fine bark. Coarse bark - best.
Mix of materials and plant parts is best.

Wood chips is free/cheap form of mulch. Let it dry for 2 weeks to darker, uniform color.
Semi composted leaves is also make your own mulch.

Watering: Not sips, but deep drinks.

Weed:
Remove from root with hori hori soil knife or spading fork.
Remove them before they flower or grow seeds.
Plastic/fabric weed barriers cause more harm than good. Better solution is to put paper/cardboard (that decomposes) with 4 inch layer of mulch.

Prune - depends on the plant.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a terrific resource this will be! Each month is divided into trees, shrubs, lawns, indoor houseplants, various kinds of plants and what to do with them that month. Read it for an overview, but I will definitely be reading it closely each month.

[Ximena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I took so many notes of this book for out next native section in our yard!

[Christi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful month by month yard and garden ideas and to-do chores

[Gail Richmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding resource for both beginner and experienced gardeners in the PNW.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not much of a gardener, but I am a homeowner and I want my yard to look nice. I have looked online for suggestions of what to do each month for yard care, but they all seemed to be very general. I received this book today, March 2nd and was easily able to find what I should be doing this month for my area. This was exactly the kind of information I was looking for. The information was concise and even as a novice I didn't find it difficult to understand. I browsed through the future months and they all seemed well put together. There are plenty of pictures, but they don't overwhelm the reader, but instead help to enhance their knowledge. I am looking forward to working in my yard this month and feel a bit more prepared.

I was fortunate enough to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway, but the opinion is all my own.

[Eperdu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. far more information than I needed but a great resource to keep on hand.