Want a printed copy of any of these publications? Call the Garden Hotline at (206) 633-0224 or email help@gardenhotline.org
General Information
Watering and Irrigation
Soil and Compost
- Growing Healthy Soil guide (pdf)
- Get to Know Your Soil (pdf)
- Composting at Home guide (pdf)
- Backyard Composting Seattle Public Utilities’ information on how to make compost
- Soils for Salmon for designers and builders on restoring construction site soil
Plants and Plant Care
- Choosing the Right Plants guide (pdf)
- Plant List (pdf)
- Right Plant Right Place (pdf)
- How to Water New Plants (pdf)
- Great Plant Picks – A wide variety of Northwest-adapted ornamental plants.
- King County Native Plant Guide – Native plant lists, plus landscaping plans and how-to articles.
- Washington Native Plant Society – Lists native plants for specific landscape conditions, including plants to attract wildlife.
Pest, Weed and Disease Control
- Natural Pest, Weed & Disease Control guide (pdf)
- Alternative Pest & Weed Control Methods (pdf)
- Grow Smart Grow Safe – lists safer products
- Integrated Pest Management – has factsheets on common pest problems and effective, less toxic solutions.
- UPEST – Washington State University information on indoor and outdoor integrated pest management for schools and households
- UC IPM – University of California integrated pest management solutions for landscapes and agriculture
- NCAP – Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides – advocacy and science-based alternatives factsheets
Lawn Care
- Natural Lawn Care guide (pdf)
- Ecologically Sound Lawn Care (pdf) 90-page manual for professionals – includes information on installing new lawns
Food Gardening
- Growing Food in the City guide (pdf)
- Seattle P-Patch Program of the Department of Neighborhoods provides garden spaces for residents. Learn about community gardening, sharing garden space and harvests, and more.
- The City of Seattle’s Food Access website links City and citizen efforts.
- Tilth Alliance – classes, demonstration gardens, and volunteer opportunities
- Master Gardeners at Washington State University Extension
- Solid Ground’s how-to-grow guide Gardening for Good Nutrition (pdf)
- UrbanFarmHub.org – urban agriculture news and resources for the Northwest
Choosing a Nursery or Landscaper
- How to Choose a Landscape Company (pdf)
- Choosing an Irrigation Contractor (pdf)
- EnviroStars Certified Landscape Professionals
- Washington Association of Landscape Professionals
- Washington State Nursery and Landscape Association
- International Society of Arboriculture
- Washington Chapter, American Society of Landscape Architects
- Washington Chapter, Association of Professional Landscape Designers
- Irrigation Association
- ecoPRO Certified Sustainable Landscape Professionals
For Landscape Professionals
- Natural Landscaping: Design, Build, Maintain (pdf)
- Ecologically Sound Lawn Care (pdf) 90-page manual, or see the short 8-page summary
- Sustainable Lawn Care for NW Professionals (pdf)
- Irrigation Association
- EnviroStars – certification for landscape professionals
- Integrated Pest Management
- Landscape Maintenance Plans