Apartment Gardening DIY - Only the Basics

In summary, I appreciate the expanse of topics Pennington has included in her book. Definitely gives the beginner a small taste of a variety of ways to garden in an apartment setting. I would have appreciated a bit more in the "What to Grow For Real" section that touched on more common vegetables that I'd be more likely to grow at home. Mar 17, Melissa Helwig rated it it was ok Shelves: Less than half of this page book is actually tips for growing plants in an apartment.

Most of this book is comprised of recipes, instructions on how to make homemade beauty products and how to make huge and complicated planters a filing cabinet laid on its side won't fit in my apartment or on my tiny balcony. This book wouldn't be useful at all for someone who isn't a beginner at gardening because the chapters that don't feature recipes or DIY instructions are gardening basics like what a Less than half of this page book is actually tips for growing plants in an apartment.

This book wouldn't be useful at all for someone who isn't a beginner at gardening because the chapters that don't feature recipes or DIY instructions are gardening basics like what a plant needs to survive, how often to water, etc. There were a few things in this book I found useful. According to the author the best vegetables to grow in a pot are arugula, cucumber, lettuce, snap peas, strawberries, zucchini. She also gives some ideas for containers you can use for planting like coffee cans, plastic milk crates, gutters, wine boxes and burlap bags.

But I probably could've found this information on the internet for free, so I don't recommend this book for aspiring apartment gardeners. Aug 18, Story rated it liked it. Some good ideas, and a little bit of good information regarding the limitations and considerations of growing plants in pots. I most appreciated the advice on what "double duty" flowers to grow. Very much a beginner's book.

If that's where you're starting, this may very well be a fantastic book for you. I am less of a beginner, and was looking for something more in-depth. A huge chunk of this book was recipes, and unlike The Quarter Acre Farm , where they were tucked in the back of each chapter a Some good ideas, and a little bit of good information regarding the limitations and considerations of growing plants in pots.

A huge chunk of this book was recipes, and unlike The Quarter Acre Farm , where they were tucked in the back of each chapter as an unobtrusive supplement to the text, here they take up a huge swathe of the book: While info like that is awesome to have some of those recipe ideas were inspiring , I'd usually turn to a different kind of book for that. And in such a short text, that amounts to almost a third of it.

Oct 27, Henderson County Public Library rated it really liked it.

100 Expert Gardening Tips, Ideas and Projects that Every Gardener Should Know

Vegetable gardening is enjoying a resurgence in popularity as more people desire to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle and become more self-sufficient. Aspiring gardeners who live in apartments, assisted living facilities, and other dwellings where potential gardening space is non-exist Vegetable gardening is enjoying a resurgence in popularity as more people desire to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle and become more self-sufficient. Aspiring gardeners who live in apartments, assisted living facilities, and other dwellings where potential gardening space is non-existent will learn how they can turn something as simple as a sunny windowsill into a make-shift garden.

Apr 14, Marti rated it liked it. This book is a good introduction, but I felt it would have been a better fit if I lived in the Pacific Northwest. I learned a lot about feeding and watering plants. I also had no idea what would be good for container gardening, and this book certainly helped me narrow down what I'm interested in planting. I liked that there was an arc to the book from seed to recipe. In the end, though, I felt simultaneously overwhelmed and undereducated. I'll definitely need to do more research before starting This book is a good introduction, but I felt it would have been a better fit if I lived in the Pacific Northwest.

I'll definitely need to do more research before starting my own container garden. Jan 26, Ariadna73 rated it really liked it Shelves: Check out my review about this book in my blog in Spanish: What I liked the most from this book is the tremendous amount of information that it contains. There are no fancy photographs; no expensive print paper; but it gets to the point right away and gives useful advice.

I hope I had the will to grow something at home; but after reading this I realize it is much more work that I thought. Jun 07, Jeannette rated it liked it. This book has good information if you're container gardening, but really, only the first third of the book was really useful to me. I guess I was just interested in the plants part. Aug 13, Heather G rated it really liked it. I appreciated this book as I'm a total beginner and want to grow a few things on my deck.

There is a width of info here but not a lot of depth if you aren't a beginner. Also appreciated the step-by-step - grow this at this time and in this size pot, etc. Just what I was looking for. Good ideas about alternative pots, like milk jugs and to spray pot the standard 5 gallon plastic pot.

Feb 11, Alyssa rated it it was amazing. Author's approach is helpful to get yourself started on any scale of gardening project. Some ideas are ready to eat in one week. Her thoughts are more practical, focused on using what you have instead of purchasing starter plants and materials. She also includes lots of recipes I'm anxious to try with herbs I'm excited to start growing! May 05, Beckyt rated it liked it.

Make a drip feeder using an old soda bottle.

This would have been a great book to have had during the many years I was growing tomatoes in a galvanized steel tub in front of various apartments, or planting gardens in a scrap of soil by the front door. A very good resource! Jul 16, Catherine rated it liked it Shelves: Some good tips for beginners. A better title would have been "Patio Gardening," because it assumes your apartment comes with outdoor space and does not really address the concerns of the indoor gardener.

Apr 06, Jennybeast rated it really liked it Shelves: Pretty straightforward little book, but I learned more about container gardening in this little gem than all the other how-to manuals I've picked up combined. I also really appreciate Amy's accessible and engaging writing style. I'll pick this up again.

• Electric Disease (Dinatech Series Book 1);
• Crossing the Border / Trouser Ladies (Storycuts).
• To Kill a Mockingbird (MAXNotes Literature Guides).
• Apartment Gardening: Plants, Projects, and Recipes for Growing Food in Your Urban Home.
• The White Cuckoo.

Sep 04, Joy rated it liked it. A bit repetitive and mostly recipes. Still, it is approachable for a novice like me. I would have liked a bit more detail on say, roots, but again, definitely meant for someone who is just starting out. Definitely encouraged me to start an apartment garden. Sep 22, Krista rated it liked it. I'll have to add this one to the library should I ever become motivated enough to start a garden. I do have many limitations on what I can try to grow, but I might be brave enough next year to try lettuce at least.

Feb 09, Westerville rated it liked it Shelves: Sep 16, Desiree' rated it liked it Shelves: I like how the author makes indoor and outdoor gardening simple and useful. She also adds her own opinions of what she did and how she made it work for her apartment. This is a genius book for the beginner gardener and for those of us who live in small spaces. Dec 11, Brekke rated it liked it Shelves: Jan 02, Jessica rated it liked it Shelves: I feel that it took on a bit too much in a small space though. I feel that if they took out the recipes it could have added more planting info and projects, for example.

Small Garden Ideas & Designs for Small Spaces | HGTV

Still, I enjoyed it. Jan 28, Emma rated it really liked it. I've gotten on this new gardening kick Plant-filled baskets that line the railings surrounding this Brooklyn, NYC patio provide a natural break between the outdoor living room and a view of lower Manhattan beyond.

Design Ideas for a Small Outdoor Space. Break apart a spicy or mild dried chile to release dozens of plantable seeds. Sow the seeds in multi-purpose soil then place the pot in a sunny, warm location, like a windowsill.

• Scarcity Holidays (MLR Press Story A Day For the Holidays 2011 Book 12)?
• What Are You Waiting For?.
• Apartment Gardening For Beginners.
• Time, effort and planning are required;

In just a few months, you'll be enjoying fresh-from-the-garden chiles. Create a Mobile Container Garden. Growing Tomatoes From Seed. Industrial Modern Los Angeles Loft. Harvest a bumper crop of these tasty superfoods by potting a pair of blueberry bushes in acid-rich soil. Fertilize regularly to promote growth and be prepared to cover the bushes with netting while they're producting fruit to keep birds from eating the fruits of your labor.

Pinterest Facebook Twitter Email. Get Your Daily Dose of Vitamin C Dwarf variety citrus trees are not only beautiful, given the right conditions, they can also be bountiful. For urban-dwellers lucky enough to have access to a patio or rooftop that receives at least hours a day of sunlight, planters filled with patio, mini or dwarf roses will provide colorful blooms all summer long. All you need is a sunny windowsill to produce a season's worth of sweet strawberries for topping salads or yogurt, or for filling pies, cobblers or sunkers.

Easy-to-grow herbs, potting soil, empty tin cans and enamel paint are all you and the kids need to grow your own cheery characters. When selecting shrubs for container gardening, it's important to keep the plant's mature size and growth rate in mind. Slow growers that maintain a small, compact shape, like this Japanese pieris 'Flamingo' are an ideal choice.

With glossy dark leaves year-round and clusters of pink urn-shaped flowers in early spring, this shade-loving shrub will add color and year-round interest to even the smallest of outdoor areas. If your green thumb is a little, um, brown, a low-maintenance plant, like echeveria shown here, is a safe bet. Thanks to their ability to store water in their fleshy leaves, stems and roots, succulents require very little watering — but they do require plenty of sun. Position the pots where they will receive at least hours of direct sunlight each day and water sparingly only when the topsoil is completely dry, about every 10 days.

Compact climbers, like jasmine and clematis, are great container plants. All they need to thrive is a pot with good drainage, a trellis or post for support and regular watering and feeding. Add casters available at your local hardware store to the bottom of metal trash cans to create rolling planters you can easily move around your outdoor space or even bring indoors when temperatures dip.

A little early planning and a few packets of seed are all you need to grow a bumper crop of the country's most popular homegrown veggie. Establish the seedlings indoors then transfer them to a waiting pot in a sunny spot for a summer's-worth of fresh produce. Don't toss out that empty tin, instead fill it with a potted plant to add a splash of color and pattern to your outdoor space.

To prevent excess water from rusting the container's bottom, be sure to punch drainage holes using a hammer and nail before adding the potted plant. Perfect for the smallest of outdoor spaces, this multi-pocket fabric wall planter offers a kitchen garden's-worth of planting space for an assortment of fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, chives and basil. Irrigation holes in each pocket allow excess water to drain away, ensuring plants stay moist but not overly wet.

The difference between a healthy container plant and one that doesn't thrive could be as basic as choosing the right soil mix. If your patio or terrace is shady, consider planting a hydrangea, like this lacecap hydrangea 'Bluebird' whose showy blue, pink or purple flowers dependent on your soil's acidity will add a splash of color from late spring through summer.