The third installation of the new gardening series Guides for the Prairie Gardener is all about seeds, from saving and starting to transplants and even winter sowing.

Certified master gardeners Sheryl and Janet offer you all the tools you need to start seeds, ensuring they thrive and grow into beautiful mature plants. They answer your questions on things like

• how to determine the viability of seeds


• the difference between an heirloom, heritage, and hybrid seed


• the best containers and planting media to use


• when and how to use growing lights


• troubleshooting common problems such as damping off and overwatering


• the proper methods for hardening off transplants and planting them out.

And they don't stop at addressing starting seeds indoors—they also give you the information you need to direct sow straight into the garden, and on winter sowing. Then they delve deeply into how you can collect and save seed for the future so that you can continue the cycle for future growing seasons.

The book is complete with detailed charts to give you specific information about seed starting on the Prairies, with several plant lists to help you decide what selections work best in a variety of situations and conditions.