HOOK

Chicken soup for the soul: What I learned from My Cat — 101 tales of our Favorite Felines by amy newmark anyone who lives with one or more cats knows how many life lessons they impart on a daily basis. In Chicken soup for the soul: What I learned from My Cat, author amy newmark 28 HOOK Simple Steps for a Thriving Garden by Juliet Sargeant —Not all dirt is created equal. The soil you walk on and plant in and roll around in varies wildly across the planet to the point where the soil you have in that po6ed plant on the windowsill is, itself, a unique bios- phere unlike anything anywhere else in the world. Juliet Sergeant has been working with soil her en5re professional life. Based in Sussex, England, she has created Start With Soil with the help of The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, to bring her life5me of knowledge and exper5se to the rest of us in an a6empt to guide us toward be- coming be6er stewards of the ground beneath our feet. The book is an intellectual journey into the earth, forma6ed in four basic sec5ons: What is Soil and Why is it Important?, Ge7ng to Know Your Soil, Gardening for Be6er Soil, and What to Plant for a Healthy Soil. Star5ng with a basic overview of the different types of soil (sand, clay, silt, loam, etc.) and their biodiversity, Sergeant edu- cates the reader on what makes soil 5ck, and how it integrates with organic compounds and the microscopic socie5es living in each and every millimeter of soil in an ever-evolving climate. She explains the nitrogen cycle, the carbon cycle, and the danger of microplas5cs in our soil and gives us specific instruc5ons on how to test our soil's physical characteris5cs. In fact, Start With Soil is packed with do-it- yourself guides that anyone can use to be6er understand and care for their own soil. There is even a guide to the best plants to grow depending on your specific soil type. Sergeant goes out of her way to show that any soil can thrive, any soil can be healed, and any soil can become the basis for a garden of delights. There is so much hor5cultural wisdom packed into the pages of the book that it is impossible to simply sit down and read the book through. Instead, you will find yourself up and about every few pages to head over to your own garden or plot or po6ed plant to use the knowledge you've gained to help your own soil thrive. www.quarto.com Note: One of the true stories (on page 44) is from HOOK's own editor, Sheila Hollihan-Elliot who remembers Bucky's escapades on walks to the Hudson River.

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