American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation: The Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual of Practical Techniques [Hardcover]

Alan Toogood (Author)

Book Description

Series: American Horticultural Society Practical Guides | Publication Date: April 26, 1999

The unrivaled priatical guide to the successful propagation of all garden plants -- from trees and shrubs to culinary herbs.

Expert Guidance On The Propagation Of More Than 1,500 Plants. Whether you want to increase your plants by the easiest or most reliable methods of propagation, or experiment with more unusual or advanced techniques, or use specialized techniques for a favorite plant group, AHS Plant Propagation contains all the techniques you need in easy-to-follow, step-by-step explanations such as: What is is the best way to propogate a plant? Each entry in the A-Z section of Plant Propagation tells you, plant by plant, which method of propagation to use, when to do it, and what degree of skill each method requires. How can you improve germination of seeds? AHS Plant Propagation tells you which seeds need special treatment before sowing and how to provide the conditions to ensure a good rate of germination. How long does it take to obtain a flowering plant? AHS Plant Propagation gives guidelines on the average success rate for each plant, how big a yield you can expect, and how long it should take to get a mature or flowering plant. How do you make sure cuttings won't fail? AHS Plant Propagation tells you how to take appropriate cuttings from each type of plant and how to make sure they root successfully. Destined to become the standard work on the subject, AHS Plant Propagation is the practical handbook gardeners have been waiting for.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The American Horticultural Society's Plant Propagation is one of those stuck-on-a-desert-island books. All the information you could ever possibly want in order to propagate virtually any plant or tree or cactus or succulent that might be growing on said desert island is to be found somewhere between the covers of this marvelous, informative book. If you're tired of buying many pots of expensive perennials, tuck a copy of Plant Propagation under your arm and buy one good specimen. From that specimen, following the simple directions, make many plants. It's the kind of skill that all grandmothers of a more distant generation seemed to have.

Still mixed up about hypogeal and epigeal germination? Can't tell a bulbil from a cormel? The very first section covers all the basics of plant biology as well as the history and basic how-to of propagation. The body of the book is divided into "Garden Trees," "Shrubs and Climbing Plants," "Perennials, Annuals and Biennials," "Cacti and Other Succulents," "Bulbous Plants," and "Vegetables." Each section begins with an overview of appropriate propagation techniques: the many styles of grafting, seed saving, taking cuttings, and bulb and root division. Individual plants within each section are addressed alphabetically. With Plant Propagation in hand, you can hybridize your own rose and name it after yourself. The text is written to an intelligent, somewhat experienced gardening reader, and the lush illustrations are accurate and effective. --Schuyler Ingle

Review

"Save money and ... begin a new hobby by learning step by step the best ways to propagate your favorite plants ..." -- Library Journal

Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: DK ADULT (April 26, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789441160
• ISBN-13: 978-0789441164
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 7.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (58 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #15,397 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #97 in Books > Crafts, Hobbies & Home > Gardening & Horticulture

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

180 of 181 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on plant propagation, January 28, 2000

By 

Tom Krischan (Big Bend, WI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation: The Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual of Practical Techniques (Hardcover)

Book contains 46 pages on introductory propagation methods, followed by very specific information on propagating these plant types: 44 pages on trees, 54 pages on shrubs, 64 pages on perennials, 16 pages on annuals, 20 pages on cacti, 28 pages on bulbs, and 28 pages on vegetables and herbs. In the back are a glossary, an index, and north america hardiness map. Very complete.

If you can grow it, the instructions are listed in this book.

Book contains hundreds of small, but helpful photographs that demonstrate a process or identify some plant anatomy.

Solid information, well worth the money!

76 of 77 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Holy Cow!, July 31, 2001

By 

April Linville (Kansas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation: The Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual of Practical Techniques (Hardcover)

I bought this book for my husband, but I use it more than he does! This is one of the best plant books I have ever seen. The techniques are easy to understand and follow, the pictures are outstanding, and there are TONS of plants listed! This book will take you through the history of plant propagation, genetic ins and outs, and the techniques that you can use in your own garden. If you have a garden full of veggies, or a yard with trees, shrubs, and rose bushes, this book really is a must for you!

47 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book delivers no-nonsense propagation wisdom!, June 25, 1999

By 

Jenni Otto ([e-mail]) (Ohio, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: American Horticultural Society Plant Propagation: The Fully Illustrated Plant-by-Plant Manual of Practical Techniques (Hardcover)

This book is a must for anyone interested in the propagation of just about any botanical-from herbs to vegetables to exotics. As an avid seed collector and gardener, this book has been indespensable and reigns as king of my botanical library!! Ideal for the professional and lay person, this book explodes with beautiful photographs. Even the half-hearted gardener will dream of seed starting after studying this tome. The only thing I found missing was a chart for seed identification-but overall, this book was superb!! Kudos to the American Horticultural society for such much-needed knowledge! Even Sir Joseph Banks would be proud of this one!!