Written by Rebekah Gonzalez
Small space gardening is an excellent option for people who have a desire for fresh fruits and vegetables but live in a more urban setting. There are a wide variety of gardening techniques such as container gardening, planter boxes, square foot gardening, and vertical gardening that can be quite effective with very little square footage.
Here are some recommended readings to help you find the right method(s) for your space.
Recommended Reading
Container Gardener's Handbook by Franis Tophell
Add Some Greenery to Your Life! This book will show you how to use overlooked pots to their full potential and transform your garden--whether you've only got a modest balcony, a small square of patio or just a windowsill. Container Gardener's Handbook covers a range of different planting schemes and types of container, from urns and troughs to chimney stacks and hanging baskets. You'll find expert advice here on what to grow, from bonsais, bulbs and bamboos to tumbling and creeping plants and flowers--and learn how to make a living wall, a pond in a metal trough, or even your own homemade containers. Inside Container Gardener's Handbook - 41 inspired projects for creative and sustainable container gardens. - How to use containers to bring nature to the most inhospitable and smallest of spaces. - Choosing the right size, shape and materials for your containers. - How to pair plants and pots, upcycle existing items, and create your own containers. - Advice on drainage, compost, additives, fertilizers, mulch, feeding, watering, deadheading, and more.
Grow a Living Wall by Shawna Coronado
Sometimes called "Green Walls" and "Vertical Gardens," living walls are easier than ever to plan and grow! Grow a Living Wall is the first wall-gardening book to focus exclusively on the needs of home gardeners.
Make your vertical garden environmentally friendly and sustainable. It's easy with author Shawna Coronado's help! One of her themed vertical gardens is stocked mostly with flowers to make it a haven for bees and other pollinators. Other gardens are filled with vegetables and herbs so anyone with an outdoor wall can grow their own food - beautifully! Even more gardens promote aromatherapy or medicinal plants. Some are designed to provide a green net of air filtration near a living area, or to protect exterior walls from exposure to direct sunlight, which helps to keep the indoors cool.
The Balcony Gardener by Isabelle Palmer
Isabelle Palmer is the founder of The Balcony Gardener, an online company specializing in product ranges for small urban outdoor spaces-balconies, patios, containers, and roof terraces.
All New Square Foot Gardening by Mel Bartholomew
Since Square Foot Gardening was first introduced in 1981, the revolutionary new way to garden developed by Mel Bartholomew has helped millions of home gardeners grow more fresh produce in less space and with less work. Now, based largely on the input and experience of these millions, the system has been even further refined and improved to fully meet today's changing resources, needs, and challenges. With over 150 new photos and illustrations, this new edition makes it easier than ever to achieve nearly-foolproof results in virtually any situation: 100% of the produce; 20% of the water; 5% of the work.
Small-space Vegetable Gardens by Andrea Bellamy
Small-Space Vegetable Gardens explains the basics of growing a bounty of edibles in a minimal amount of space. Andrea Bellamy shares all the knowledge she’s gained from years of gardening small. You’ll learn how to find and assess a space, how to plan and build a garden, and how to sow, grow, and harvest the 60 best edible plants. This hardworking and enthusiastic guide will help you take advantage of the space you have—whether it’s a balcony, a patio, a plot in a community garden, or even a small yard—to create the food garden of your dreams.
Add a comment to: Home & Garden Highlight: Small Space Gardening