The Urban Vegetable Patch

"The Urban Vegetable Patch is an eco-friendly guide to growing green, no matter your space. Starting with how to set-up your own vegetable patch up--be it on a windowsill, a balcony or even an allotment--you will learn how to make the most of your space, whatever the size. From how to grow vegetables organically--be it from seed or even food scraps--to making your own fertiliser, as well as practical tips on how to cook, store and share your haul, reduce your use of plastics and water, and even how to plant for wildlife, this book will inspire you to grow your way to greener way of living--so dig in!"--Publisher's website.

The Urban Vegetable Patch is an eco-friendly guide to growing green, no matter your space. Starting with how to set-up your own vegetable patch up – be it on a windowsill, a balcony or even an allotment – you will learn how to make the most of your space, whatever the size. From how to grow vegetables organically – be it from seed or even food scraps – to making your own fertiliser, as well as practical tips on how to cook, store and share your haul, reduce your use of plastics and water, and even how to plant for wildlife, this book will inspire you to grow your way to greener way of living – so dig in!

'Charming, inspiring, uplifting ... pure lovely,' - Marian Keyes 'Read Rhapsody in Green. A novelist's beautiful, useful essays about her tiny garden.' - India Knight 'Glorious...for anyone who loves fruit, vegetables, herbs and language. It makes you see them with new eyes.' - Diana Henry 'A witty account of 'extreme allotmenteering' for all obsessive gardeners' - Mail on Sunday 'An extremely entertaining and inspiring story of one woman's passionate transformation of a small, irregular shaped urban garden into a bountiful source of food.' - Woman & Home 'A gardening book like no other, this is the author's 'love letter' to her garden. She relays warm and witty stories about the trials and tribulations throughout her gardening year.' - Garden News '...this inspirational, funny book, written by someone who hankers after a homesteader's lifestyle, will make you look at even your window box in a new, more productive light.' - The Simple Things Gardening can be viewed as a largely pointless hobby, but the evangelical zeal and camaraderie it generates is unique. Charlotte Mendelson is perhaps unusually passionate about it. For despite her superficially normal existence, despite the fact that she has only six square metres of grotty urban soil and a few pots, she has a secret life. She is an extreme gardener, an obsessive, an addict. And like all addicts, she wants to spread the joy. Her garden may look like a nasty drunk old man's mini-allotment, chaotic, virtually flowerless, with weird recycling and nowhere to sit. When honoured friends are shown it, they tend to laugh. However, it is actually a tiny jungle, a minuscule farm, a wildly uneconomical experiment in intensive edible cultivation, on which she grows a taste of perhaps a hundred kinds of delicious fruits and odd vegetables. It is a source of infinite happiness and deep peace. It looks completely bonkers. Arguably, it's the most expensive, time-consuming, undecorative and self-indulgent way to grow a salad ever invented, but when tired or sad or cross it never fails to delight.

"City Farmer celebrates the new ways that urban dwellers are getting closer to their food. Not only are backyard vegetable plots popping up in places long reserved for lawns, but some renegades are even planting their front yards with food. People in apartments are filling their balconies with pots of tomatoes, beans, and basil, while others are gazing skyward and "greening" their rooftops with food plants. Still others are colonizing public spaces, staking out territory in parks for community gardens and orchards, or convincing school boards to turn asphalt school grounds into "growing" grounds. Woven through the book are the stories of guerrilla urban farmers in various cities of North America who are tapping city trees for syrup, gleaning fruit from parks, foraging for greens in abandoned lots, planting heritage vegetables on the boulevard, and otherwise placing food production at the centre of the urban community. Additional stories describe the history of urban food production in North America, revealing the roots of our current hunger for more connection with our food, and the visionaries who have directed that hunger into action. Throughout the book, sidebars offer practical tips for how to compost, how to convert a lawn into a vegetable bed, and what edible plants are easy to grow with children, among other topics."--

From eliminating urban pollution in your garden to growing the most beautiful edible plants in your limited outside space, this book is aimed at anyone who doesn't have the luxury of a country garden. This book shows how to get the best soil, gives advice on garden design and supplies recipes which highlight the taste of the food you grow. The plant directory also advises upon the most suitable varieties of crop to grow in very small numbers. Whatever your garden space, be it a window box or a roof terrace, an allotment or a back garden, this book aims to show you how to turn it into a productive Eden all year round.

Dive into the flourishing world of urban greenery with "The Urban Gardener's Handbook" – your comprehensive guide to transforming any small space into a thriving, sustainable garden. Whether you have a cozy balcony, a sunny windowsill, or just a little corner in your kitchen, this eBook provides you with an abundance of inspiration and practical advice to embark on your gardening journey. Can you imagine the satisfaction of plucking fresh herbs right from your windowsill as you cook or harvesting vegetables from your very own rooftop garden? "The Urban Gardener's Handbook" will show you how, in clear, easy-to-follow steps. From understanding the microclimate of your urban oasis to learning how to cultivate edible landscapes with finesse and creativity, each chapter in this guide opens up new possibilities for the modern city dweller keen to delve into gardening. You'll delve deeply into the philosophy of small-space gardening, appreciating the intricacies of your unique urban environment. Learn to analyze sunlight, maximize vertical space, and master container gardening to create a lush retreat in the heart of the city. With dedicated sections on soil health, homemade compost solutions, and an entire chapter on clever container strategies, you're set to create a flourishing garden no matter the size of your space. Need to find eco-friendly techniques for watering or pest control? "The Urban Gardener's Handbook" covers that too! It equips you with the know-how for drip irrigation systems, rainwater harvesting, companion planting, and encourages beneficial insects in your garden. You'll even find sage advice on selecting the perfect plants for your climate, planning your seasonal garden activities, and embracing community and social aspects of urban gardening. Whether you're planning to grow leafy greens in limited spaces, propagate herbs for your culinary adventures, or entice pollinators with a vibrant selection of flowers, this eBook has you covered for every season. You’ll learn how to harvest and store your produce for maximum freshness, extend your gardening into the colder months, and join a blossoming community of city gardeners forging a greener, more sustainable path. "The Urban Gardener's Handbook" isn't just a source of gardening wisdom; it's a call to action. It's a pledge to reclaim, cultivate, and revel in nature's bounty, no matter where you are. So roll up your sleeves and prepare to transform your urban dwelling into a testament to green growth and harmony – your garden awaits!