Robert Pavlis – författare

Create a crystal-clear, algae-free pond without pumps, filters, or chemicals using natural ecosystem principles. Complete guide to building self-sustaining water features that support wildlife, require minimal maintenance, and stay beautiful year-round through biological balance.Why Natural Ponds Outperform Artificial Systems:Conventional ponds require constant mechanical intervention and chemical treatments. Natural ponds use beneficial bacteria, aquatic plants, and ecological balance to maintain themselves with minimal human intervention.What You'll Create:Balanced ecosystem design that prevents algae naturally through plant and bacteria managementWildlife habitat features that attract beneficial birds, frogs, and beneficial insectsSeasonal maintenance schedules requiring just 2-4 hours annually rather than weekly upkeepProblem prevention through understanding natural pond ecology and water chemistryCost-effective construction using natural materials and simple techniquesLong-term Results:Natural pond owners report 90% less maintenance than artificial ponds, zero ongoing chemical costs, and increased property values of $5,000-15,000 for professionally designed features.Build a beautiful pond that maintains itself. Perfect for homeowners wanting water features without ongoing maintenance headaches.

Weak plants, poor yields, and conflicting soil advice? The solution starts underground. Healthy gardens are built on living, balanced soil. Soil Science for Gardeners explains how soil truly functions so you can grow stronger plants, improve yields, and reduce costly guesswork.When you understand soil biology, chemistry, and structure, you stop chasing quick fixes and start building long-term fertility.What You'll Gain How to interpret soil tests and confidently adjust nutrientsHow microbes and fungi improve plant resilience and nutrient uptakeHow to use organic matter to enhance drainage and soil structureHow to correct common soil imbalances without over-fertilizingHow to build a long-term soil improvement plan that actually worksRather than repeating popular myths, this guide draws directly from soil science to give you practical, evidence-based clarity.Practical Soil Improvement You'll learn how to:Improve clay or sandy soils using targeted strategiesStrengthen root development through balanced soil ecosystemsSupport beneficial microorganisms naturallyIncrease nutrient efficiency while reducing wasteCreate stable, regenerative soil systemsIf you've ever wondered why some gardens thrive effortlessly while others struggle despite effort, this book will change how you see your soil.Who This Book is For Gardeners ready to move beyond trial and error Organic and regenerative growers Market gardeners improving long-term fertility Readers who value science-backed guidance Anyone seeking healthier plants through healthier soilBuild living soil. Grow stronger plants. Garden with confidence grounded in science.

Turn waste into powerful soil — predictably and efficiently.Composting works best when you understand the science behind it. Compost Science for Gardeners explains the biology and chemistry of decomposition so you can create consistent, nutrient-rich compost with confidence.No myths. No mystery. Just practical science you can use.What You'll Gain How microbes break down organic matterHow to balance carbon and nitrogen correctlyHow to speed up decomposition naturallyHow to troubleshoot odor, moisture, and slow breakdownHow to know when compost is truly finishedRather than guesswork, you'll compost with clarity.Practical Composting Strategies Build efficient compost systemsImprove soil structure and fertilityReduce organic waste responsiblyProduce stable, nutrient-dense humusIntegrate compost effectively into garden bedsIf you're looking for practical ways to improve soil health while reducing waste, this guide provides grounded, research-informed solutions.Who This Book Is For Gardeners starting compostingGrowers improving compost qualitySustainable gardeners reducing wasteMarket growers enhancing soil fertilityAnyone seeking science-based compost guidanceCompost smarter. Grow stronger.

Healthy gardens begin with thriving microbial life.Bacteria and fungi quietly shape plant health, nutrient availability, and soil resilience. Microbe Science for Gardeners explains how soil organisms function and how your gardening practices influence them.When you understand the hidden world below ground, you can strengthen everything above it.What You'll Gain How bacteria and fungi drive nutrient cyclingHow mycorrhizal fungi support root systemsHow soil disturbance affects microbial networksHow organic inputs build microbial diversityHow to evaluate microbial products criticallyRather than marketing claims, you'll get evidence-based guidance.Practical Applications Support beneficial microbes naturallyImprove nutrient efficiencyReduce practices that harm soil lifeBuild long-term soil resilienceStrengthen plant immunity through soil healthIf you're looking for practical ways to cultivate living soil systems, this book offers clear scientific insight you can apply immediately.Who This Book Is For Gardeners interested in soil biologyRegenerative and organic growersMarket farmers building resilienceReaders evaluating microbial productsAnyone curious about the science beneath their gardenSupport the unseen. Strengthen the visible.

Build a natural pond for wildlife, beauty, and quiet contemplation

Typical backyard ponds are a complicated mess of pipes, pumps, filters, and nasty chemicals designed to adjust pH and keep algae at bay. Hardly the bucolic, natural ecosystem beloved by dragonflies, frogs, and songbirds.

The antidote is a natural pond, free of hassle, cost, and complexity and designed as a fully functional ecosystem, ideal for biodiversity, swimming, irrigation, and quiet contemplation.

Building Natural Ponds is the first step-by-step guide to designing and building natural ponds that use no pumps, filters, chemicals, or electricity and mimic native ponds in both aesthetics and functionality. Highly illustrated with how-to drawings and photographs, coverage includes:

Understanding pond ecosystems and natural algae control Planning, design, siting, and pond aesthetics Step-by-step guidance for construction, plants and fish, and maintenance and trouble shooting Scaling up to large ponds, pools, bogs, and rain gardens.

Whether you''re a backyard gardener looking to add a small serene natural water feature or a homesteader with visions of a large pond for fish, swimming, and irrigation, Building Natural Ponds is the complete guide to building ponds in tune with nature, where plants, insects, and amphibians thrive in blissful serenity.

Robert Pavlis , a Master Gardener with over 40 years of gardening experience, is owner and developer of Aspen Grove Gardens, a six-acre botanical garden featuring over 2,500 varieties of plants. A well-respected speaker and teacher, Robert has published articles in Mother Earth News , Ontario Gardening magazine, the widely read blog GardenMyths.com, which explodes common gardening myths and gardening information site GardenFundamentals.com.

A little plant science grows a long way

Plant Science for Gardeners empowers growers to analyze common problems, find solutions, and make better decisions in the garden for optimal plant health and productivity.

Most gardeners learn by accumulating rules – water once a week, never dry out snowdrop bulbs, prune lilacs after flowering, plant garlic in October—the list is endless.

Rules take years to learn and yet leave you floundering when the unexpected strikes and plants look unhealthy, produce poorly, or die.

There is a better way.

By understanding the basic biology of how plants grow, you can become a thinking gardener with the confidence to problem solve for optimized plant health and productivity. Learn the science and ditch the rules! Coverage includes:

The biology of roots, stems, leaves, and flowersUnderstanding how plants function as whole organismsThe role of nutrients and inputsVegetables, flowers, grasses, and trees and shrubsPropagation and geneticsSidebars that explode common gardening mythsTips for evaluating plant problems and finding solutions.

Whether you''re a home gardener, micro-farmer, market gardener, or homesteader, this entertaining and accessible guide shortens the learning curve and gives you the knowledge to succeed no matter where you live.

AWARDS

SILVER (tie) | 2023 IPPY Awards: Science

Create your own compost and grow better plants.

With breathtaking clarity, Compost Science for Gardeners demystifies composting practices and helps readers determine the best technique for their unique situation. This comprehensive science-based book is your key to building healthier soil and growing better plants.

Using plain language and easy-to-follow instructions, this essential resource distills and blends the latest scientific research with the author''s many decades of knowledge and experience into manageable form, debunking a host of common gardening myths along the way. Learn about:

The role of composting in the ecological cycleCompostable materials to incorporate and those to avoidBrowns and greens vs the carbon-to-nitrogen ratioThe full range of composting methods, including cold and hot composting; composting in piles, bins, and tumblers; and pit and trench compostingKeyhole gardening, food digesters, vermicomposting, bokashi, eco-enzyme fermentation, and moreThe relative merits and impact on the environment of each composting techniqueUsing finished compost to improve soil health

Anyone can compost. Whether you are a balcony or backyard gardener, market gardener, small-scale farmer, or homesteader, or even if you are simply looking for a way to keep organic matter out of the landfill, this book will show you how to do it simply, safely, and sensibly.

Useful and practical gardening advice. –Jeff Lowenfels, author, the Teaming Series and DIY Autoflowering Cannabis

Microscopic organisms are as important to plant growth as water and light. Microbe Science for Gardeners highlights the essential role of microbes in plant biosystems and soil health, providing practical how-to gardening advice for enhancing plant microbiomes, and debunking common gardening myths.

Going beyond soil biology to examine the crucial role of microorganisms in cultivating a productive garden, this accessible guide covers:

The interrelationships in microbe populations and between microbes and plantsUnderstanding microbes such as bacteria, yeast, mycorrhizal fungi, and protozoa, both in the rhizosphere and above groundHow common practices such as tilling, crop rotation, and mulching affect the microbe communityHow the savvy gardener can encourage beneficial microorganisms while discouraging those that cause disease or other undesirable effectsAn objective analysis of popularized practices such as controlling fungal-to- bacterial ratios and applying biostimulants, compost tea, or plant probioticsPrevention and cures for dozens of bacterial, viral, and fungal plant diseases.

Whether you''re a home gardener, market gardener, or micro-farmer, Microbe Science for Gardeners will help you leverage the incredible power of the mighty microbe to grow healthy, strong, thriving plants.

Everyone''s guide to using the power of science to produce healthier and tastier fruits and vegetables

From garden to fork, Food Science for Gardeners is everyone''s guide to optimizing the quality of garden produce and preparing the most delicious and nutritious food possible.

Beginning with a high-level overview of food quality and nutrient density, this invaluable resource then takes a deep, but accessible, dive into:

The essential nutrient groups as well as phytonutrients and their anti-oxidant propertiesFactors affecting food safety such as pesticides, microplastics, bacteria, and other forms of chemical and biological contaminationThe pros and cons of a host of approaches to food storage and preservation, as well as an extensive variety of cooking methodsGardening techniques for growing nutritious foodA complete section dedicated to the best growing methods for common fruits and vegetables.

Whether you''re a home gardener, local food enthusiast, or small-scale farmer, Food Science for Gardeners demystifies the science of food, enabling you to put the best quality vegetables and fruits on your plate.

AWARDS

WINNER | 2025 International Book Awards: Home & Garden

Build a natural pond for wildlife, beauty, and quiet contemplation

Typical backyard ponds are a complicated mess of pipes, pumps, filters, and nasty chemicals designed to adjust pH and keep algae at bay. Hardly the bucolic, natural ecosystem beloved by dragonflies, frogs, and songbirds.

The antidote is a natural pond, free of hassle, cost, and complexity and designed as a fully functional ecosystem, ideal for biodiversity, swimming, irrigation, and quiet contemplation.

Building Natural Ponds is the first step-by-step guide to designing and building natural ponds that use no pumps, filters, chemicals, or electricity and mimic native ponds in both aesthetics and functionality. Highly illustrated with how-to drawings and photographs, coverage includes:

Understanding pond ecosystems and natural algae control Planning, design, siting, and pond aesthetics Step-by-step guidance for construction, plants and fish, and maintenance and trouble shooting Scaling up to large ponds, pools, bogs, and rain gardens.

Whether you''re a backyard gardener looking to add a small serene natural water feature or a homesteader with visions of a large pond for fish, swimming, and irrigation, Building Natural Ponds is the complete guide to building ponds in tune with nature, where plants, insects, and amphibians thrive in blissful serenity.

Robert Pavlis , a Master Gardener with over 40 years of gardening experience, is owner and developer of Aspen Grove Gardens, a six-acre botanical garden featuring over 2,500 varieties of plants. A well-respected speaker and teacher, Robert has published articles in Mother Earth News , Ontario Gardening magazine, the widely read blog GardenMyths.com, which explodes common gardening myths and gardening information site GardenFundamentals.com.

A little plant science grows a long way

Plant Science for Gardeners empowers growers to analyze common problems, find solutions, and make better decisions in the garden for optimal plant health and productivity.

Most gardeners learn by accumulating rules – water once a week, never dry out snowdrop bulbs, prune lilacs after flowering, plant garlic in October—the list is endless.

Rules take years to learn and yet leave you floundering when the unexpected strikes and plants look unhealthy, produce poorly, or die.

There is a better way.

By understanding the basic biology of how plants grow, you can become a thinking gardener with the confidence to problem solve for optimized plant health and productivity. Learn the science and ditch the rules! Coverage includes:

The biology of roots, stems, leaves, and flowersUnderstanding how plants function as whole organismsThe role of nutrients and inputsVegetables, flowers, grasses, and trees and shrubsPropagation and geneticsSidebars that explode common gardening mythsTips for evaluating plant problems and finding solutions.

Whether you''re a home gardener, micro-farmer, market gardener, or homesteader, this entertaining and accessible guide shortens the learning curve and gives you the knowledge to succeed no matter where you live.

AWARDS

SILVER (tie) | 2023 IPPY Awards: Science

Create your own compost and grow better plants.

With breathtaking clarity, Compost Science for Gardeners demystifies composting practices and helps readers determine the best technique for their unique situation. This comprehensive science-based book is your key to building healthier soil and growing better plants.

Using plain language and easy-to-follow instructions, this essential resource distills and blends the latest scientific research with the author''s many decades of knowledge and experience into manageable form, debunking a host of common gardening myths along the way. Learn about:

The role of composting in the ecological cycleCompostable materials to incorporate and those to avoidBrowns and greens vs the carbon-to-nitrogen ratioThe full range of composting methods, including cold and hot composting; composting in piles, bins, and tumblers; and pit and trench compostingKeyhole gardening, food digesters, vermicomposting, bokashi, eco-enzyme fermentation, and moreThe relative merits and impact on the environment of each composting techniqueUsing finished compost to improve soil health

Anyone can compost. Whether you are a balcony or backyard gardener, market gardener, small-scale farmer, or homesteader, or even if you are simply looking for a way to keep organic matter out of the landfill, this book will show you how to do it simply, safely, and sensibly.

Useful and practical gardening advice. –Jeff Lowenfels, author, the Teaming Series and DIY Autoflowering Cannabis

Microscopic organisms are as important to plant growth as water and light. Microbe Science for Gardeners highlights the essential role of microbes in plant biosystems and soil health, providing practical how-to gardening advice for enhancing plant microbiomes, and debunking common gardening myths.

Going beyond soil biology to examine the crucial role of microorganisms in cultivating a productive garden, this accessible guide covers:

The interrelationships in microbe populations and between microbes and plantsUnderstanding microbes such as bacteria, yeast, mycorrhizal fungi, and protozoa, both in the rhizosphere and above groundHow common practices such as tilling, crop rotation, and mulching affect the microbe communityHow the savvy gardener can encourage beneficial microorganisms while discouraging those that cause disease or other undesirable effectsAn objective analysis of popularized practices such as controlling fungal-to- bacterial ratios and applying biostimulants, compost tea, or plant probioticsPrevention and cures for dozens of bacterial, viral, and fungal plant diseases.

Whether you''re a home gardener, market gardener, or micro-farmer, Microbe Science for Gardeners will help you leverage the incredible power of the mighty microbe to grow healthy, strong, thriving plants.

Everyone''s guide to using the power of science to produce healthier and tastier fruits and vegetables

From garden to fork, Food Science for Gardeners is everyone''s guide to optimizing the quality of garden produce and preparing the most delicious and nutritious food possible.

Beginning with a high-level overview of food quality and nutrient density, this invaluable resource then takes a deep, but accessible, dive into:

The essential nutrient groups as well as phytonutrients and their anti-oxidant propertiesFactors affecting food safety such as pesticides, microplastics, bacteria, and other forms of chemical and biological contaminationThe pros and cons of a host of approaches to food storage and preservation, as well as an extensive variety of cooking methodsGardening techniques for growing nutritious foodA complete section dedicated to the best growing methods for common fruits and vegetables.

Whether you''re a home gardener, local food enthusiast, or small-scale farmer, Food Science for Gardeners demystifies the science of food, enabling you to put the best quality vegetables and fruits on your plate.

AWARDS

WINNER | 2025 International Book Awards: Home & Garden

Stop guessing what your plants need. Learn how they actually grow. When you understand how plants function — from photosynthesis to root absorption — you make smarter decisions in every season. Plant Science for Gardeners connects plant biology directly to practical gardening success.Instead of memorizing tips, you'll understand the systems that drive healthy growth.What You'll Gain How photosynthesis and respiration fuel plant developmentHow roots absorb and distribute nutrients efficientlyWhat triggers flowering and fruit productionHow plants respond to stress from heat, drought, or pestsWhy pruning and fertilizing strategies succeed or failRather than abstract theory, this guide gives you the biological foundation behind everyday gardening decisions.Practical Applications Improve flowering and fruit yieldAdjust watering based on plant physiologyStrengthen root systems for resilienceReduce plant stress through informed careMake evidence-based pruning decisionsIf you're looking for practical ways to grow healthier plants without relying on trends, this book provides clarity rooted in modern botany.Who This Book Is For Gardeners who want deeper understandingGrowers seeking consistent yieldsMarket gardeners refining crop performanceReaders frustrated by conflicting adviceAnyone ready to connect biology with better growingGrow with understanding. Cultivate with confidence.