"Previously published as part of a larger volume, The gardenere's guide to propagation"--Title page verso

Introduction -- Directory of plants for propagating -- Flowers and foliage plants -- Trees, shrubs and climbers -- Wet-loving, bog and water plants -- Vegetables -- Herbs -- Pests and diseases -- Glossary

In the wild, plants propagate themselves naturally, using all kinds of ingenious techniques. Different plants use their own clever methods; for example, crack willows send snapped-off twigs flying through the air to root in muddy ground, and goosegrass is covered with sticky seed heads that latch on to passing animals. Once you discover how plants reproduce themselves naturally, you can use the same techniques to make copies of your own plants at home

Each entry consists of a description of the plant, its height, spread and growing habit, the conditions in which it grows best, the best cultivars to choose, and how to propagate it. All the standard propagation techniques are included, such as growing from seed, taking cuttings, dividing, growing suckers and offsets, layering, creating bulbs, and grafting

The book also includes advice on dealing with any pests and diseases you may encounter, and a glossary of propagation terms, such as budding, hardening off, leaf cutting, mound layering, pinching out and potting up

Beautifully illustrated with 650 plant portraits and step-by-step photographs and instructions explaining key propagation techniques, the book is an ideal resource for everyone who would like to create more plants for free