9 online resources for gardeners

Garden research today isn't so much a matter of stacking reference books around your desk as it is bookmarking favorite Web sites in your computer.

Hundreds of educational institutions, government agencies, commercial garden centers and other organizations have compiled indexes or lists of flora and fauna, plant diseases and insects, landscaping and planting tips, specific to certain areas. Many are available without charge, and can be the basis of your cyber library.

Some sizable examples:

• Internet Public Library: www.ipl.org/div/subject/browse/ent38.50.00. An array of articles and fact sheets about gardening.

• National Garden Bureau: www.ngb.org/gardening/todays/article.cfm?ID6. Many gardening groups and organizations.

• Bio-Integral Resource Center: www.birc.org. A collection of nontoxic or least-toxic management solutions for garden pests.

• USDA Home Gardening Guide: www.usda.gov/wps/portal/!ut/p/_s.7_0_A/7_0_1OB?navid=GARDENING&parentnav=CONSUMER_CITIZEN&navtype=RT Includes such things as plant hardiness zones and research findings.

• Washington State Universtiry Extension Master Gardener Program: http://mastergardener.wsu.edu/. Gardening information for both Western and Eastern Washington, plus links to an online forum and other resources.

• Elisabeth C. Miller Horticultural Library: www.millerlibrary.org. Online answers to gardener's questions, a searchable catalog of books and other resources.

• PlantAmnesty: www.plantamnesty.org. Pruning tips and a free referral/reference service.

• Seattle Public Utilities: www.seattle.gov/util/Services/Yard/index.asp. Tips on backyard composting, natural lawn care and more.

• USDA Plants National Database: plants.usda.gov. State-by-state listings of plants by scientific, common and family names, plus some 40,000 plant images.

Seattle Times staff contributed to this feature