DIY Plant Breeding

It’s the holy grail of gardening: a plant that perfectly matches your tastes and the conditions in your garden. The hitch? You’re not likely to find it at your local garden center. You’re going to have to create it yourself.

But don’t worry—it isn’t hard. After all, gardeners have been doing it for centuries, simply by saving seeds of the varieties that tasted or performed best. But you’ll get even better results by following the advice in Plant Breeding for the Home Gardener. You’ll learn how to set achievable goals in your breeding program; the ins and outs of genetics; how to pick the best parent plants; how to cross-pollinate; the best techniques to use for popular vegetables and flowers; and how to harvest and store seeds.

In no time at all, you’ll be producing a tomato perfect for your palette, a pepper with just the right amount of heat, or a more fragrant rose!