By Molly Hackett and Georgianna Taylor

•What is mulch, anyway?

•My grandma's Christmas cactus always bloomed beautifully. Why won't mine?

•I'm new to the area and have heard what a problem deer can be. What can I plant that is deer-proof? The Dirty Fingernails ladies, Molly Hackett and Georgianna Taylor, are at it again. Both Master Gardeners, they are offering more answers to questions received from northern climate gardeners and published in their newspaper columns in The Missoulian and Hamilton's Bitterroot View and the Ravalli Republic. “A Year In The Garden” is intended to provide insight into the problems of gardening in the often harsh conditions of the Northen Rockies where, as they say in their Introduction, “Our weather is special, our dirt is different and our gardeners especially determined.”

Spurred by the gratifying acceptance of their first book, “The Compleat Gardener,” published in 1995, they have selected a wide variety of questions and answers from their newer columns for this book. In addition to providing sound information and advice for home gardeners, these pages are filled with wit, whimsy and philosophy. You not only learn what to do, but why. And you learn it in a presentation of what you'll encounter season by season, Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Nothing is repeated from the first volume.

Armchair, would-be, novice and experienced gardeners alike will find much entertainment here while gleaning useful information about houseplants, flower and vegetable gardening, trees, shrubs, lawns and landscaping. You are practically guaranteed to find several bits of information you never realized you needed. Anyone who plans to garden in the northern environment will find this a helpful book. Issued in 6x9-inch softcover format, 176 pages, extra-durable binding, many illustrations. Stunning color cover.

ISBN 1-931291-08-X A Year In The Garden – $14.95