The Vertical Veg Guide to Container Gardening: How to Grow an Abundance of Herbs, Vegetables and Fruit in Small Spaces (Winner - Garden Media Guild Practical Book of the Year Award 2022) : Smith,Mark Ridsdill: Amazon.com.au: Books

The Vertical Veg Guide to Container Gardening: How to Grow an Abundance of Herbs, Vegetables and Fruit in Small Spaces (Winner - Garden Media Guild Practical Book of the Year Award 2022) : Smith,Mark Ridsdill: Amazon.com.au: Books

https://www.scribd.com/read/567706471/The-Vertical-Veg-Guide-to-Container-Gardening-How-to-Grow-an-Abundance-of-Herbs-Vegetables-and-Fruit-in-Small-Spaces




The Vertical Veg Guide to Container Gardening: How to Grow an Abundance of Herbs, Vegetables and Fruit in Small Spaces (Winner - Garden Media Guild Practical Book of the Year Award 2022) Hardcover – 24 March 2022
by Mark Ridsdill Smith (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 53 ratings





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From the creator of the wildly popular website 'Vertical Veg' and with over 200k people in his online community of growers, comes the complete guide to growing delicious fruit, vegetables, herbs and salad in containers, pots and more - in any space at home - no matter how small!



If you long to grow your own tomatoes, courgettes or strawberries but thought you didn't have enough space, Mark Ridsdill Smith, aka the 'Vertical Veg Man,' will show you how. Make the most of walls, balconies, patios, arches and windowsills and create rich, beautiful and delicious homegrown food. With proven results from his ten years of experience growing in all kinds of containers and teaching people how to grow bountiful, edible crops in small spaces, Mark will show you how gardening in containers is more than just a hobby but rather a way of creating a significant amount of delicious, low-cost, nutritious food. In his second year of growing in containers, Mark grew over 80kg of food worth GBP900!



Inside The Vertical Veg Guide to Container Gardening, you'll find:

Mark's 'Eight Steps to Success'
How to make the most of your space
How to draw up a planning calendar so you can grow throughout the year
Planting projects for beginners and the best plants to start with
Compost recipes and wormery guide for the more experienced gardener
Troubleshoots for the specific challenges of growing in small spaces
Ways to support pollinators and other wildlife in urban areas
How growing food at home can contribute to wellbeing, sustainability and the local community

Don't be confined by the space you have - grow all the food you want with Mark's Vertical Veg Guide to Container Gardening.
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Product description

Review

‘Mark’s enthusiasm is infectious and together with his attention to often-overlooked details, will give you confidence and knowledge to grow an impressive amount of food in seriously small spaces, where you probably thought you could not! He has been practising what he preaches for a long time and continually refines his methods, to be able to share with you many effective ways to harvest fresh vegetables throughout the year.’―Charles Dowding, author of Skills for Growing and No Dig Gardening

‘The impression that the fine art of gardening can be achieved only by those with large amounts of space is slowly and surely becoming disproved. Mark’s container gardening book deals another major blow to that myth with a comprehensive guide, both practical and scientific, to growing edibles without the need for open ground. With many people in urban areas now living in flats, whose outdoor access is limited to balconies or small community areas, this book lays out with thorough advice how to garden in container conditions and how to enjoy the social, physical, and mental benefits of gardening with the massive bonus of having access to fresh food. What I most love about this book is that it is entirely based around Mark’s practical experiences – he is a container gardener to his soul, and whether you are an experienced gardener or just starting out, it is the perfect launch to your endeavours.’―Chris Collins, TV presenter and head of horticulture at Garden Organic

‘If you want bumper harvests from brick walls and block paving, this book shows you how. A cornucopia of sage advice and cunning tips, it's verbal fertiliser for your growing plans. But small space gardening is also about people, and Mark's considerate humanity blooms in every chapter.’―Tom Heap, BBC Countryfile

‘Mark has filled this book with so many insights from years of first-hand trial-and-error and building a real green community around growing food in challenging situations. I hope it inspires an army of urban vegetable growers to make the most of their outside spaces – I couldn't put this down.’―Sian Berry, Green Party member of the London Assembly

‘Like all the best educators Mark is an excellent storyteller, and his enthusiasm and personal commitment shine from every page. How many gardening books advise you that in December (in the Northern hemisphere) you should ‘sleep and dream’?

‘The stunning illustrations draw you into a world of great shared experience with practical tips at every level. The invitation to create abundance must prove alluring for even the most cautious beginner, and as a very experienced gardener, I found new insights and tips as enlightening as a complete newbie.

‘In an increasingly urbanised world, where many people who would love to eat healthily have no access to land, vertical gardening offers an instant opportunity to get on the pathway to a good chemical-free diet over which individuals and households can have control for themselves.

‘On a practical level this book details every important aspect of how to succeed growing in containers. From composting to watering, propagation to plant choices, there are detailed investigations and recommendations. The focus on minimising cost and on recycling is impressive. Side remarks on a range of issues from seed saving to being chemical free chime well with the underlying passion for issues of sustainability. Assuming little prior knowledge is a great way to open the text to all. The repeated watchword ‘keeping it simple’ is another worthy lesson for all.

‘Don’t be fooled by the ‘good for beginners’ intro. The depth of research and recording and the factual guidance is as good as it gets. This is a masterwork for all gardeners to enjoy – even the most experienced.’―Graham Bell, author, practicing gardener, teacher of permaculture

‘Food deserts and the associated human health concerns that exist in urban environments belie the costs of a failing food system. Growing fresh and nutritious produce in the city is a most important aspect of any food quality discussion. Vertical Veg provides ideas and guidance for the individual to create “a green oasis in a concrete space”. A simple pot of soil can support tasty herbs, salad greens and more. Mark Ridsdill Smith shows us how to take these ideas to the limits of available space, both his and his neighbors. These actions are infectious and inclusive – nourishing the body, nurturing the soul and connecting the community.’―Nigel Palmer, author of The Regenerative Grower’s Guide to Garden Amendments

‘I love the image of many small urban gardens growing in containers – so useful and beautiful where water is available. There is a lot of good information in this book, whether you intend to make a container garden or sow plants in the ground. I know it will be a good guide for this (non-urban) gardener for years to come.’―Deborah Madison, author of An Onion in My Pocket and Vegetable Literacy

‘Mark has eliminated every excuse – you can garden wherever you live, without exception. He goes further than just salad greens by outlining a plan for most vegetables known to gardening. Despite the dedication, I contend that it will be as beneficial to those who want to container garden in the suburbs and the countryside as well as in the concrete jungle! We all are better off with this book. This book is detailed with many creative pointers gleaned from his years of experience container gardening. Fun to read.’―Peter Burke, author of Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening

About the Author

Mark Ridsdill Smith founded Vertical Veg in 2009 after discovering how much food he could grow on the balcony of his flat. His website and Facebook page inspire and support people to grow food in small urban spaces, and Mark has run workshops across the UK, including for Garden Organic and Capital Growth.

Mark has shared his growing experience on BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time, Alan Titchmarsh’s Love Your Garden on ITV and BBC1’s Countryfile. He has also written a series of 15 articles for the Guardian’s ‘Live Better’ campaign and a feature for Which? Gardening.

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Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Chelsea Green Publishing Co (24 March 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 320 pages

H. Hartman

5.0 out of 5 stars So much inspiration

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 11 November 2022

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Bought this after hearing an interview on The Joe Gardener Show podcast. So helpful for a container gardener like me. Lots of good basic information, lots of great ideas. I really found it to be inspiring and encouraging to try things out and see how they go!

One person found this helpful

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VonnyH

5.0 out of 5 stars Unbelievably detailed and easy to access.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 24 July 2022

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I bought this in spring 2022 to inspire me after deciding this year to start growing fruit and veg (trying anyhow). My garden is quite small so I wanted to maximise how I could use the space but also needed guidance on what to plant, where and when. This book was exactly what I needed. I am astonished about how much info it contains from soil varieties, container types and growing options, seed sowing, planting-on, nurturing, harvesting and even instructions on pickling and preserving produce and loads more! I also love the sections which discuss the positive impact of gardening on mental health, community cohesion and being more, well, green.

Since buying this book, I've started volunteering with my local Horticultural Society and have seen for myself the joy growing brings people. I may be late to the party, but this book definitely helped me find my way there. It has become my 'go to' veg gardening bible. I am learning all the time but so far, have been really pleased with what I've grown and it tastes amazing.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

6 people found this helpful

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Marlin

4.0 out of 5 stars Love this book BUT......

Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 29 June 2022

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This is the perfect container gardening book. I love it. I've been container gardening for a few years but find this book is full of helpful information that is new to me. I bought it with a gift card that was given to me as a birthday gift and I'm very disappointed with the quality of the copy I was sent. The back cover is a mess and a handful of pages at the back have been bent. If it wasn't a gift maybe I wouldn't mind so much. But I was told this was a new book, not a beat up one. It would have been a 10 star book if it had been in decent condition. And when my friend asks to see what I bought with the gift certificate I'm sure she'll be as disappointed as I was with the condition. It's kind of embarrassing to show it to her.

One person found this helpful

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Mark

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 14 December 2022

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I thought I knew a fair bit about gardening. Turns out I didn't. One of the best books I've bought for ages, full of useful and interesting information. Recommended!

2 people found this helpful

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A reader

5.0 out of 5 stars The most helpful book around for small space veg growers

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 17 May 2022

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I have a roof garden and never bothered much with vegetables until lockdown. Then it all went crazy and there was masses out there for growing your own. But this wasn't much help to me with limited space five floors up in a city centre. I started following the author online and was so impressed with his practical ideas and suggestions that I couldn't wait for his book to come out. I haven't been disappointed. I'll never be as ambitious as he is but the book has inspired me to try growing fruit and vegetables in ways I'd never have thought of before. My general rule is only to grow varieties that are hard for me to find (despite having a regular farmers' market nearby). Also there are some things like tomatoes and especially carrots that can't be beaten freshly picked. And alpine strawberries? When do you see them in the shops? This book is absolutely packed with information - almost too much! - but it has become my new growing bible.

3 people found this helpful

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Barry Barnard-Castle

5.0 out of 5 stars The best book you can buy if you want to grow more food yourself to eat

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 15 May 2022

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There are lots and lots of books out there on how to grow your own veg. None come close to this one.

From making your own compost to how to make maximum use of your space, Mark covers everything you need to know, and then some.

An excellent resource and highly recommended.

4 people found this helpful

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Jay

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent resource, best veg growing book I've seen

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 26 March 2022

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This book manages to be both inspiring and jam packed full of really practical useful information. I've been following the blog for a few years, but still have a lot to learn from this book, though there's much here for absolute beginners too. I'd highly recommend it to anyone wanting to grow food intensively in a small space. This book has jumped to number one in my list of favourite gardening books!

6 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book, whatever your gardening experience.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 1 April 2022

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This book is an excellent resource for beginners and experienced growers alike. It is inspiring to see how much can be grown in such a small space. This is a book I will refer to again and again.

3 people found this helpful

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Amazon Customer

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful pictures, helpful and worth the money.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 1 May 2022

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A book to kick off gardening in small spaces making it all seem possible.

One person found this helpful

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Unhappy

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative

Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 23 April 2022

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A really good book if you have lack of space in your garden

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