Western Fertilizer Handbook, Third Horticulture Edition:  by   Western Plant Health Association, Jerome  Pier, Dave  Barlow
400 pages, $54.95 list
1-4786-3846-X
978-1-4786-3846-9
eBook availability
Western Fertilizer Handbook, Third Horticulture Edition
High-quality plants and aesthetically striking landscapes are trademarks of the western United States. The climatic zones resulting from the interaction of the cool Pacific Ocean and dramatic mountain ranges allow a very diverse array of plants to be grown in the West.

Western Fertilizer Handbook, Third Horticulture Edition presents information clearly to a lay audience while also being useful for advanced field practitioners. The book’s first five chapters provide basic information on best practices for growing plants, followed by chapters on fertilizers. After an introduction to hydroponic techniques, the handbook concludes with diagnostic techniques and nutrient management guidelines. Each chapter ends with suggestions for supplementary reading that allow the reader to explore topics more deeply. The appendices gather useful tables and techniques for managing and working with fertilizers.

Turf and ornamental professionals are under increasing pressure to recommend and use sustainable practices. By improving one’s knowledge of the growth and development of plants and the media, water, and fertilizer used to grow them, the turf and ornamental industry can continue to produce the stunning landscapes the world associates with the western United States.
Table of Contents
1. Principles of Plant Growth
2. Essential Plant Nutrients
3. Soils
4. Soilless Media
5. Water and Plant Growth
6. Soil Amendments
7. Fertilizers
8. Organic Sources of Nutrients
9. Methods of Applying Fertilizers
10. Hydroponics
11. Soil, Media, and Tissue Testing
12. Nutrient Guidelines
Appendix A: Useful Tables and Conversions
Appendix B: How to Measure Areas