Whether your garden consists of large raised beds or a few pots on the patio, Kathryn K. Fontenot's The Louisiana Urban Gardener offers easy guidelines and useful tools to jump-start and maintain small yet bountiful gardens. Beginning and sustaining a successful home garden in an urban environment can be a daunting prospect, but Fontenot eliminates the guesswork with tips on testing and preparing soil, guidelines on what to purchase from local garden centers, and basic techniques, schedules, and strategies to produce a thriving crop. From where to plant for the best juicy home-grown tomatoes to how to organically protect against pests to when to grow fragrant oregano and rosemary, this resource offers definitive answers and ensures that novices have all the expertise they need to enjoy Louisiana's year-round growing climate. The Louisiana Urban Gardener includes - guidance on choosing the best location for your garden. Tips on garden design for containers, raised beds, and in-ground gardens. Advice for preparing the best soil for your garden. Strategies for managing insects, disease, and weeds. Season-by-season instruction on what to plant and when to harvest. An appendix on Louisiana gardens to visit for inspiration. Tending to pots of young peas, sharing a fresh summer watermelon with friends, or bringing extra beets and kale to coworkers on a winter day are just a few of the rewards of gardening.