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OverviewThe definitive guide to gardening in Maryland and the mid-Atlantic—from the experts at the University of Maryland Extension. Whether you're a novice or an expert gardener, The Maryland Master Gardener Handbook is the resource you need to grow a thriving garden in Maryland and the mid-Atlantic region. This reference details plant terminology, gardening instructions, growing schedules, and species charts featuring color photographs for gardeners in Maryland. Chapters cover essential horticultural topics such as ecology, botany, soils, entomology, and plant diseases. In addition to educating gardeners about the basics, the handbook highlights sustainable gardening content such as the use and care of native plants, integrated pest management, water conservation, and best management practices for gardening in a changing climate. Diving deeper, the handbook also provides information on: • Plant nutrition • Composting and pruning • Weeds and lawns • Herbaceous plants and woody plants • Vegetables and fruits • Native plants, invasive plants, indoor plants, and plant propagation • Landscape design and conservation landscaping • Wildlife and woodlands • Garden tools and equipment Finally, the guide includes diagnostic keys for all major plant groups and special keys for cultural and environmental problems, as well as information on structural and nuisance pests. Created as part of the curriculum of the University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener Program, The Maryland Master Gardener Handbook is the definitive resource for anyone looking to develop a green thumb. Full Product DetailsAuthor: University of Maryland Extension - Master Gardener ProgramPublisher: Johns Hopkins University Press Imprint: Johns Hopkins University Press Edition: revised and expanded edition Dimensions: Width: 21.30cm , Height: 4.40cm , Length: 27.40cm Weight: 2.608kg ISBN: 9781421451855ISBN 10: 1421451859 Pages: 920 Publication Date: 10 June 2025 Audience: General/trade , General Format: Hardback Publisher's Status: Active Availability: Not yet available ![]() This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon its release. Table of Contents1. Introduction 1.1. About This Handbook 1.2. How to Use This Handbook 1.3. University of Maryland Extension Master GardenerProgram 2. Teaching and Communication 2.1. Teaching Overview 2.2. Age-Appropriate Teaching 2.3. Communications Overview 2.4. Communication Methods 2.5. Giving a Great Presentation 2.6. Using Mass Media 2.7. Teaching Online 3. Ecology 3.1. Maryland's Ecology 3.2. Maryland's Landscape 3.3. Plant and Wildlife Communities 3.4. Species Interactions 3.5. Species and Populations 3.6. Ecosystems 3.7. What Is a Wetland? 3.8. Why Are Wetlands Important? 3.9. Wetland Regulations 3.10. How to Preserve Wetlands 4. Basic Botany 4.1. Groupings of Plants 4.2. Classification of Plants 4.3. The Structure of Plants 4.4. Reproductive Structures 4.5. Pollination 4.6. Plant Growth & Development 4.7. Regulation of Plant Growth 4.8. Plant Selection & Modification 5. Soils and Fertilizers 5.1. What is a Soil? 5.2. Soil Solids 5.3. Soil Pores 5.4. Soil as Entities of Nature 5.5. Soils as Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services 5.6. Soils as Hydrologic Buffers 5.7. Soils as Biochemical and Chemical Reactors 5.8. Soils as Media for Plant Growth 5.9. Soil Testing 5.10. Soil Health 6. Plant Nutrition 6.1. Nutrition Essentiality 6.2. Nutrient Types 6.3. Nutrient Availability 6.4. Macronutrients 6.5. Micronutrients 6.6. Beneficial Non-Essential Nutrients 7. Composting 7.1. Why Make Compost? 7.2. How Is Compost Made? 7.3. Compost Ingredients 7.4. Starting a Compost Pile 7.5. What Can Be Composted? 7.6. Basic Composting Steps 7.7. Troubleshooting Compost 7.8. Tips for Using Compost 8. Insect Basics 8.1. Insects as Part of a Natural System 8.2. Insect Structure 8.3. Insect Metamorphosis 8.4. Insect Classification 8.5. Common Landscape Pests 8.6. Common Household Pests 8.7. Beneficial Insects 8.8. Common Non-Insect Arthropods 9. Plant Disease Basics 9.1. Impact of Plant Disease 9.2. Basic Plant Disease Concepts 9.3. Fungi and Plant Diseases 9.4. Classification of Plant Pathogenic Fungi 9.5. Plant Diseases Caused by Bacteria 9.6. Plant Diseases Caused by Phytoplasmas 9.7. Plant Diseases Caused by Nematodes 9.8. Plant Diseases Caused by Viruses 9.9. Parasitic Plants 9.10. Environmental Diseases 9.11. Principles of Plant Disease Control 9.12. Biological and Integrated Pest Management (IPM)Controls 10. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) 10.1. What is IPM? 10.2. IPM Steps 10.3. Healthy Plants = Fewer Problems 10.4. Taking Action 11. Pesticide Use and Safety 11.1. Pesticide Basics 11.2. Pesticide Formulations 11.3. The Pesticide Label 11.4. Managing Pesticide Risk 11.5. Proper Application Practices 11.6. Organic Pesticides 12. Plant Diagnostics 12.1. A Systematic Approach for Diagnosing PlantProblems 12.2. How Plants Show Symptoms 12.3. Biotic vs. Abiotic Causes of Plant Problems 12.4. Symptoms and Signs of Plant Diseases 12.5. Symptoms and Signs of Insect Pests 12.6. Diagnostic Keys 13. Weeds 13.1. Why Are Weeds a Problem? 13.2. Weed Biology 13.3. Weed Identification 13.4. Weed Management 13.5. Sustainable Weed Maintenance Plan 14. Lawns 14.1. Turfgrass Identification 14.2. Turfgrass Species 14.3. Lawn Establishment 14.4. Cultural Practices for Turf 14.5. Turfgrass Problems 14.6. Organic Lawn Care Tips 14.7. Lawn Alternatives 15. Herbaceous Plants 15.1. About Herbaceous Gardens 15.2. Herbaceous Plant Families 15.3. Annuals 15.4. Perennials 15.5. Biennials 15.6. Underground Stems 15.7. Landscape Design with Herbaceous Plants 15.8. Herbaceous Garden Maintenance 15.9. Sexual Propagation of Herbaceous Plants 15.10. Asexual Propagation of Herbaceous Plants 16. Woody Plants 16.1. Planning and Site Selection 16.2. Plant Selection 16.3. Purchasing Woody Plants 16.4. Planting Woody Ornamentals 16.5. Post-Planting Care 16.6. Woody Plant Maintenance 16.7. Transplanting Woody Ornamentals 16.8. Abiotic Problems of Woody Plants 16.9. Problematic Trees & Shrubs 16.10. Recommended Woody Plants 16.11. Ornamental Vines 16.12. Groundcovers 17. Pruning 17.1. Physiology of Pruning 17.2. Why Prune? 17.3. Pruning Tools 17.4. Pruning Techniques & Terms 17.5. When to Prune 17.6. Training Newly-Planted Trees 17.7. Pruning Mature Trees 17.8. Pruning Shrubs 17.9. Pruning Hedges 17.10. Pruning Conifers 17.11. Pruning Other Plants 18. Vegetables 18.1. Starting a Vegetable Garden 18.2. Garden Types and Techniques 18.3. Selecting a Garden Site 18.4. Soil Assessment and Testing 18.5. Soil Amendments 18.6. Cover Crops 18.7. Pollination 18.8. Vegetable Planting Guide 18.9. Planting Seed 18.10. Starting Your Own Transplants 18.11. Vegetable Garden Maintenance 18.12. Harvesting Vegetables 18.13. Herbs 18.14. Profiles of Selected Vegetable Crops 19. Small Fruits 19.1. Cultivar Selection 19.2. Site Selection and Preparation 19.3. Planting Small Fruits 19.4. Small Fruits Maintenance 19.5. Blueberries 19.6. Brambles 19.7. Currants and Gooseberries 19.8. Elderberries 19.9. Grapes 19.10. Hardy Kiwis 19.11. Strawberries 20. Tree Fruits 20.1. Tree-Fruit Basics 20.2. Planting a Fruit Tree 20.3. Mulching and Weeding 20.4. Pest and Disease Control 20.5. General Pruning Guidelines 20.6. Pome Fruits: Apple and Pear 20.7. Stone Fruits: Peach, Cherry, Plum, Apricot,Nectarine 20.8. Fig Trees 21. Native Plants 21.1. Why Choose Native Plants? 21.2. How to Choose Native Plants 21.3. Maximizing Native Plant Performance 21.4. Recommended Native Plants for Maryland 22. Invasive Plants 22.1. About Invasive Species 22.2. Invasive Species: Non-Plant 22.3. Invasive Species: Plants 22.4. Invasive Control Methods 22.5. Common Invasive Plants of Maryland 23. Indoor Plants 23.1. Selecting Indoor Plants 23.2. Requirements for Healthy Indoor Plants 23.3. Maintenance Tips 23.4. Repotting Indoor Plants 23.5. Moving Indoor Plants Outdoors 23.6. Bringing Plants Back Indoors 23.7. Indoor Plant Pest and Disease Diagnostics 23.8. Toxic Indoor Plants 24. Plant Propagation 24.1. Sexual Propagation 24.1a. About Seeds 24.1b. Preparing Seeds for Germination 24.1c. Starting Seeds Indoors 24.1d. Starting Seeds Outdoors 24.2. Growing Transplants 24.3. Asexual Propagation 24.3a. Cuttings 24.3b. Layering 24.3c. Division and Separation 24.3d. Grafting and Budding 25. Container Gardening 25.1. Raised Beds 25.2. Choosing Container Plants 25.3. Choosing the Right Container 25.4. Growing Media for Containers 25.5. Potting and Repotting 25.6. Caring for Container Plants 25.7. Container Plant Pest and Disease Diagnostics 25.8. Container Combination Ideas 26. Landscape Design 26.1. What Is Landscape Design? 26.2. Site Analysis and Blob Design 26.3. Functional Uses of Space 26.4. Elements of Design 26.5. Principles of Composition 26.6. Plant Selection 26.7. Finalizing Your Design 26.8. Installation 27. Wildlife and Woodlands 27.1. Woodlands 27.2. Principles of Forestry 27.3. Property Inventory 27.4. Land Care Practices 27.5. Managing a Wildlife Habitat 27.6. Attracting Beneficial Insects 27.7. Attracting and Feeding Birds 27.8. Managing Wildlife Damage 27.9. Nuisance Animals 28. Conservation Landscaping 28.1. The Bay-Wise Philosophy 28.2. The Hydrologic Cycle 28.3. Groundwater 28.4. Water Pollution 28.5. Water Conservation 28.6. Stormwater Management 29. Garden Tools and Equipment 29.1. Choosing the Right Tools 29.2. Hand Tools 29.2a. Cutting Tools 29.2b. Digging Tools 29.2c. Raking Tools 29.2d. Maintenance of Hand Tools 29.3. Power Tools 29.3a. Mowers 29.3b. Tillers/Cultivators 29.3c. String Trimmers 29.3d. Leaf Blowers 29.3e. Lawn Edgers 29.3f. Chipper-Shredders 29.3g. Maintenance of Power Tools 29.4. Garden Accessories 29.4a. Wheelbarrows and Carts 29.4b. Trellises, Cages, and Stakes 29.4c. Watering Equipment 29.4d. Sprayers 29.4e. Maintenance of Watering Equipmentand Sprayers 29.5. Other Tools and Accessories 29.5a. Composting Tools 29.5b. Other Accessories 29.5c. Maintenance of Other Tools and Accessories 30. Resource Appendix Glossary of Terms Table 30-A. Measurement Conversions Freeze Dates and Hardiness Zones List of Figures List of Tables Index of Diagnostic Keys IndexReviewsAuthor InformationThe University of Maryland Extension Master Gardener Program began in 1978 to extend science-based knowledge to the public by providing horticultural and pest management expertise to help protect and improve Maryland's natural resources. Today, this popular program can be found in 20 Maryland counties and Baltimore City. To learn more about the program, visit go.umd.edu/mg. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |