The Everything Small-Space Gardening Book

by Catherine Abbott

Overview

Vine-ripened tomatoes. Succulent squash. Plump cucumbers. Growing vegetables is a rewarding--and cost-effective--way to eat better for less. However, you might think you lack the space necessary to grow a functioning garden. With this guide, however, you'll learn how to maximize your space and grow delicious vegetables and herbs cheaply and efficiently, whether you have a small backyard or just a windowsill! The book includes expert information on:

• How to align plants for maximum compatibility and organic pest deterrence
• Building small-space necessities, including self-watering containers and vertical planters
• A variety of plans designed to maximize the amount of food generated at several specific price points

Productive gardening can and should be a reality for you, regardless of the amount of land you own. This book has everything you need to grow fresh produce in any size space, at any time of year!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440531286
Publisher:	Adams Media
Publication date:	01/18/2012
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	304
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Catherine Abbott grew up on a farm in Northern Alberta, where growing vegetables was a necessity in order to have fresh, healthy food. She grew vegetables in her suburban backyard until 2000, when she and her husband started All Organic Market Farm, a small-scale community vegetable farm. Additionally, for the past two growing seasons, she has been teaching classes on small-space gardening techniques, utilizing various methods to turn a 10-foot by 10-foot space into a productive vegetable garden. Catherine also maintains the popular website Your-Vegetable-Gardening-Helper.com.
Catherine Abbott is the author of numerous books on gardening and nutritious recipes, including The Everything Grow Your Own Vegetables Book, The Green Smoothie Garden, and The Year-Round Harvest.

Table of Contents

The Top 10 Tips for Small-Space Gardening 9

Introduction 11

01 Designing a Small-Space Garden 13

Why Do You Want to Grow Vegetables? 14

What Do You Want to Grow? 15

Consider Your Climate 17

Your Light Conditions 18

Your Water Source 20

Designing Your Site 21

02 Prepping Your Small Space 25

Your Soil 26

Consider What Your Plants Need 27

Drainage Concerns 29

Backyard Composting 30

Apartment Worm Composting 33

03 Layered Gardens 37

What Is Lasagna Gardening? 38

Planning Your Site 39

What Materials Do I Need? 40

Gathering Materials 42

Building a Layered Garden Bed 44

The Best Plants to Use 45

Maintaining Your New Garden 47

04 Square-Foot Gardens 49

What You Need to Know 50

Benefits 51

Disadvantages 55

Getting Your Site Ready 55

Plant Placement 56

A Step-by-Step Garden Plan 57

05 Vertical Gardens 63

Things to Consider 64

A Trellis 65

Building Structures 68

Living Walls 71

Staking 72

The Best Plants for Your Vertical Garden 75

06 Container Gardens 79

The Containers 80

Container Soil 81

What to Put in the Container 83

Planting a Container 85

Watering 86

Fertilizing 87

07 From Lawn to Garden 89

Benefits to Front Yard Gardening 90

Problems You May Face 92

How to Get Started 94

Steps to Making Your Garden Beds 95

Choosing the Correct Plants 97

Keep It Looking Good 98

08 Backyard Gardens 101

How to Get Started 102

Are Raised Beds the Best Option? 103

Building a Raised Bed 105

Choosing Your Plants 107

Vegetable Rotation 108

Backyard Garden Design 110

09 Reused and Renewed Spaces 113

Reclaim an Old Garden 114

Reinvent Your Flower Bed 115

Straw-Bale Gardens 117

The Tire Garden 119

The Bag Garden 120

Truck Garden 122

Bathtub Garden 123

10 Gardening High Up 125

Balcony and Patio Gardening 126

Window Boxes 127

A Hanging Garden 129

The Green Roof 130

Rooftop Gardening 133

11 Urban Gardening 135

Community Gardens 136

Collective Garden 137

SPIN Gardening 137

Community Shared Agriculture 138

The School Yard 139

Sidewalk Gardening 140

12 Companion Planting 141

Fundamentals of Companion Planting 142

How It Works 144

The Companion List 145

Planting Your Companion Garden 147

The Garden Plan 152

Companion Garden Tips 154

13 Veggies in Small Spaces 157

Lettuce and Salad Greens 158

Root Crops 162

The Cabbage Family 169

Peas and Beans 171

14 Heat-Loving Veggies 173

Everything Else 181

Herbs for Small Spaces 185

Growing Herbs 186

Harvesting Herbs 187

Drying Herbs 188

Preserving Herbs 189

Common Culinary Herbs 189

15 Fruits and Berries for Small Spaces 201

Is There Room to Grow Fruit? 202

Fruit Growing Basics 202

Berry Patch 205

Grape Arbor 209

Common Fruit Trees 211

Tending Potted Fruits 216

16 Bringing the Harvest to Your Table 219

Tips for an Easy Harvest 220

Knowing When to Pick Your Veggies 221

Storage Tips 226

Which Veggies Can I Freeze? 228

Canning for Later 229

17 Watering and Fertilizing 231

Water: How Much Is Enough? 232

Watering Methods 233

Signs of Too Much or Too Little 237

Is Fertilizing Necessary? 240

How Much Is Needed? 241

Water and Fertilizer Chart 243

18 Choosing the Right Tools 245

What Tools Do I Need? 246

New Gadgets 253

How to Stay on Budget 253

Maintaining Your Investment 254

19 Simple Solutions to Small-Space Problems 257

Smart Plant Choices for a Healthy Garden 258

What to Do with the Weeds 259

Deterring Animals 261

Common Pest Problems 262

Plant Diseases 264

Answers to Your Problems 265

20 Gardening on a Budget 269

Vegetable-Gardening Budgeting Tips 270

Getting the Most Out of a $25 Garden 275

Getting the Most Out of a $50 Garden 277

Getting the Most Out of a $100 Garden 278

Getting the Most Out of a $250 Garden 279

Appendix A Web and Book Resources 282

Appendix B Glossary 285

Appendix C Garden Vegetable Recipes 288

Index 298