Making More Plants: The Science, Art, and Joy of Propagation

The title of this book says it all and the book, as unbelievable as it may be, delivers it all. Whether you want to learn about propagation by seed, cutting, layering, grafting, division, leaves, roots or how to propagate geophytes, the clear, detailed instructions and step-by-step photos will get you working in no time. Ken Druse, gardener and photographer extraordinaire, has packed this book with photos and has not started in on the details without providing plenty of preparation tips including information on seed collecting and storing and a quick botany lesson. And Druse doesn't leave you guessing about how to propagate the plants you want - an extensive appendix fills you in on the best methods for specific plants by listing them alphabetically. Making More Plants is incredibly useful as both a quick reference and as a gardening textbook for learning more complex techniques.

Simply the best book written on plant propagation.Book contains 22 pages on botany, 10 pages on how to hybridize, 14 pages on seed collecting, 14 pages on seed conditioning, 24 pages on sowing, 14 pages on vegetative reproduction, 44 pages on cuttings, 12 pages on layering, 12 pages on grafting, 16 pages on division, 24 pages on bulbs and roots, 3 pages on tissue culture, 16 pages of plant specific notes, 4 page cross-name reference, 4 pages of plant suppliers, 4 page glossary, and 5 page index.Each section contains dozens of photographs displaying the "how to" approach described in the text. Excellent information and easy to follow instructions. Every page contains a tip or trick about plant propagation.My favorite section is the 16 pages of plant specific propagation notes and comments. Hundreds of plants are listed. It's like reading Mother Nature's secret diary! Everything you every wanted to know about how to make more plants (but growers never would tell you) is contained in this section. All alone, these propagation notes are worth the price of the book.If you want to get your hands dirty, this is a great "how to" guide for plant propagation. You'll recover the cost of this book over your next garden season.Excellent information!

This book was given to me for Christmas by my husband. I had not seen it before and I was completely staggered by the combination of very full information about propagation with the incredible photographs and the overall passion for every growing thing that is expressed here. It is unusual to find a "how to book" that contains the visual perfection found in this volume. No plant lover-gardener should be without it.

After 5 years of raising a bazillion plants from seed and just finishing a 3 month course on plant propagation (and trying to figure out how to turn my kitchen into a clean room for the purpose of tissue culture without driving my husband to divorce court), I saw Ken Druse's book reviewed in 'Garden Design ' magazine and ordered it. Not only is this book exquisitely photographed to the point of tears, (I get very emotional about plants, except marigolds) it has excellent information and clear directions which put my propagation textbook to shame. If you raise more than ten plants from seed, you will eventually want thousands of plants and Ken is your man. The step by step instructions are clear and botanically correct. The photographs are achingly beautiful but more importantly, tell you what to do, why and how, yet without putting you to sleep like above-mentioned textbook. In fact, you may need two copies, one to fill in as the proverbial coffee table amusement and another to take to your greenhouse or shed or wherever you commit these delightful little acts of plant reproduction. Oh, and maybe one for the bedroom on slow nights. And maybe the bathroom. One for the car for long trips. This book is that good.

Here is a revised version of the review I wrote for the New Jersey Herald newspaper:"This book is a beautiful, clear guide to the art of gardening and plantsmanship. Making More Plants brings back into focus the truth that gardening is not about hollow, "twenty minute per week" instant gratification, but rather an enriching, year-round, life-long process. In his first books, The Natural Garden, The Natural Shade Garden and The Collector's Garden, Ken Druse seduced us into using those plants that belong and fit easily into our particular environment, to use native species and their hybrids or only those foreign introductions that will not invade our eco system. Now, in Making More Plants, Mr. Druse invites us to travel deeper into the heart and soul of gardening. He explains in his introduction that his goal is to help "gardeners to know how it feels to sow a seed or root a cutting and watch the results grow to maturity, to experience the freedom and convenience of being able to produce plants in numbers." With his beautiful photographs and friendly writing style he illuminates the exquisite, sometimes hidden world of plant reproduction. He provides just enough science to satisfy curiosity and empower the passionate gardener to grow new plants from seed, stem cuttings, root cuttings and grafts. We learn how to have more of our favorite dahlias and lilies, how to bring rare trees and shrubs that aren't even on the market into our home gardens.With an appendix of over 700 genera and thousands of species, Making More Plants is an enjoyable read and empowering tool for the gardener who wants to understand more about the life of plants, and experience the thrill of "growing his or her own"."